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Fall in love with EXO's Kyungsoo with 14 of these must-listen songs

By Hannah Mallorca Published Jul 04, 2021 5:15 pm Updated Jul 28, 2022 1:11 pm

There’s no one in K-pop who can do vocal runs like nobody’s business other than Do Kyungsoo of South Korean-Chinese boy group EXO.

Compared to other K-pop main vocalists who focus on high notes and range, Kyungsoo focuses on adding character to EXO’s songs. His singing techniques are different compared to other Korean singers, but there's something about his rich, velvety voice that makes it unforgettable. 

Kyungsoo is such a gem among main vocalists that listening to EXO’s songs during his military enlistment admittedly felt incomplete. His eargasmic vocal runs and R&B-ish tone are one of the main reasons why the boy group’s discography remains a standout among their peers. 

Take a look at these 14 songs that show off his ability as a vocalist. 

(For full versions of these song previews, sign in to your Spotify account.)

Touch it

The reggae-inspired Touch It is a shift from EXO’s dance-pop and contemporary R&B discography. But Kyungsoo managed to show off his vocal runs throughout the track. It seemed like he wouldn’t fit this type of song, but it shows his versatility as a singer. We can’t get over his “Sing it, sing it, baby” in the final chorus. 

Tell Me (What is Love)

If there’s one song that describes Kyungsoo’s ability as a vocalist, this is the one. This track is a duet with veteran singer and music producer Yoo Youngjin, another singer famous for his R&B songs, and he slayed it. This shows off his eargasmic voice and his ability to move quickly through notes, where every pitch can still be heard. 

What is Love

This song is a slap to those who doubt Kyungsoo’s abilities as a main vocalist. What is Love is released as a “prologue track” three months before EXO’s debut. This R&B track features the marriage of him and Baekhyun’s voices, where you can still distinguish one from the other. Would you believe that Kyungsoo’s voice is this good during the pre-debut?

Moonlight 

Listening to Moonlight feels like you’re the protagonist of a sensual K-drama. This track is both seductive and mysterious—and Kyungsoo captures its vibe really well. Since this song is a debut with Baekhyun, you can hear them playing off to each other’s strengths really well. There’s something about their duets where they really bring out the best in each other as singers. 

Thunder

Thunder shows Kyungsoo’s love of adding something extra to EXO’s songs. This contemporary pop track is very intoxicating to the ears, and his voice made it sexier.

My Lady

The moment Kyungsoo sang, “She’s my baby,” in the first few seconds of this track, we died and went to heaven. My Lady is a track that talks about wooing a potential lover, and you can definitely hear it in his voice. While EXO’s songs are always a treat to listen to, there’s something about this song that makes your cheeks red. Kyungsoo’s eargasmic voice is one of the main reasons why.

Playboy

SHINee’s Jonghyun, the track’s songwriter, knew what he was doing when he made Kyungsoo and Baekhyun the highlights of this R&B track. Kyungsoo’s voice in this song is so hypnotizing, that it feels like he wants to get you lost into his spell. We can’t get over his parts in the first verse and bridge.

Ooh La La

We can’t blame fans for making continuous loops of Kyungsoo’s voice in Ooh La La. Even if his parts are small, he still made an impact. This song didn’t contain a lot of his signature adlibs and vocal runs, but his honey voice is enough to make us swoon.

Sweet Lies

This track feels reminiscent of Zayn Malik’s songs—and Kyungsoo killed it. Sweet Lies is one of EXO’s songs that allowed him to show off his R&B influences, iconic adlibs, velvety voice, and eargasmic vocal runs. Even if he’s very versatile, this track definitely cemented his identity as a singer.

The Eve

Kyungsoo’s vocal runs in the refrain, bridge, and final chorus are such a treat in The Eve. This song is another example of him using his voice to set EXO’s songs apart from its peers. Compared to the typical dance tracks we hear in K-pop, it comes with a unique flavor, thanks to him.

Call Me Baby

 

\We don’t know about you, but we die every time Kyungsoo sings “Baby.” This track is very nostalgic because of his voice. He was able to show that he can indeed belt high notes, as expected of K-pop main vocalists (even if it’s not always the case).

Love Me Right

This groovy, dance-pop track is another time when Kyungsoo shows off his high notes. Our jaws definitely dropped when he did his signature adlibs and vocal runs in a higher register. This is one of the songs that made us wonder if he really knows how good he is as a singer.

That’s Okay 

That’s Okay has a special meaning to fans since this was released as a gift before Kyungsoo’s military enlistment in 2019. It’s a very calming song, almost as if his voice feels like a peaceful lullaby. This also showed that Kyungsoo can sing acoustic tracks, too. Fun fact: he participated in the song’s production.

For Life (English ver.)

Only true EXO-Ls know that Kyungsoo wrecked our bias lists when he did an English version of For Life in one of their concerts. His voice is mellow than usual, but it’s just as mesmerizing. If there are Phixos (EXO’s unofficial fandom name in the Philippines) who saw this live, we’re definitely jealous of you. 

Our honorable mentions include Growl, XOXO, No Matter, Lights Out, What If, What U Do, and Sing for You.

How excited are you for Kyungsoo’s solo debut?