Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 148: VOCAL EVALUATION (I)

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Chapter 148: VOCAL EVALUATION (I)

BAEK EUNWOO’s team began their a cappella performance of [Falling For You], their voices filling the practice room without any instrumental backing. The song opened with one of the contestants setting the foundation with a steady, warm tone—but it was Baek Eunwoo who anchored the performance from his position as lead vocal.

His voice blended seamlessly with the others, smoothing out rough edges in the harmonies without overpowering anyone. During the chorus, when the main vocalist’s tone grew shaky on a sustained note, Baek Eunwoo adjusted his own pitch subtly, reinforcing the sound so the wobble went almost unnoticed. His control was precise—never showy, but always there, like an invisible hand steadying the group’s sound.

In the bridge, where the song dipped into softer, layered harmonies, Eunwoo’s voice became the glue holding everything together. He shifted effortlessly between supporting the main vocal’s melody and reinforcing the sub-vocals’ lower tones, making the complex arrangement sound effortless. When the final chorus swelled, his voice lifted just enough to brighten the blend without stealing focus from the one singing. It’s the kind of subtle skill that made the whole team sound polished.

By the last note, held in perfect unison, even K-Beat’s expression had softened slightly. The performance wasn’t flawless—a few uneven breaths here, a slightly off timing there—but Baek Eunwoo’s quiet mastery of harmony had turned what could’ve been a messy a cappella into something cohesive.

Yoon Jihoon smiled warmly as the performance ended. "That was a very solid start! Your harmonies were clean, especially in the chorus. Eunwoo-ssi, your ability to support the group’s blend is impressive—you made everyone sound balanced. However, I noticed some breath control issues in the second verse. Try to pace yourselves better so no one runs out of air mid-phrase."

K-Beat nodded, arms crossed. "The pitch was mostly stable, but your dynamics were flat. A song like this needs more emotional intensity—don’t just hit the notes, feel them. Minsoo-ssi, you were dragging slightly behind the beat. Listen closer to each other."

Yoon Jihoon added gently, "Still, your teamwork shows! The way Eunwoo-ssi adjusted to cover that shaky high note in the chorus was smart. But K-Beat-ssi is right about the emotion. This song is about longing, the listeners should be able to feel that."

K-Beat grunted in agreement. "But overall, it’s not bad. Good job."

Baek Eunwoo’s team let out small sighs of relief after hearing the mentors’ comments. They bowed together and said, "Thank you for your advice!" in unison. Baek Eunwoo then led his team back to their spots with a reassuring smile, his calm demeanor silently telling them they’d done well. A quick pat on the back for one member, a nod to another—small gestures that steadied the group more than words could.

Haneul observed everything quietly, impressed by Baek Eunwoo’s leadership. While he agreed with the mentors that the performance could use more emotion, there was no denying how well Baek Eunwoo’s voice blended with his teammates. His singing was technical—clean and controlled—but his pleasant tone and smart vocal choices made the harmonies truly beautiful. Hearing him sing actually made Haneul wondered how would it feel like to sing with him.

"Alright, let’s hear Taeyang-ssi’s team next," Yoon Jihoon announced, his gentle voice snapping Haneul out of his thoughts.

Haneul and his teammates quickly stood up and arranged themselves in a straight line, just like Baek Eunwoo’s group had done earlier. As they settled into position, Haneul glanced at his members—Robin looked completely at ease, while Taeyang stood with his usual calm expression. Joonhyuk also seemed excited.

Only Seongwoo seemed tense, his fingers fidgeting slightly at his sides. Haneul reached over and gave his shoulder a light, reassuring tap, offering him a small smile. Seongwoo’s shoulders relaxed just a fraction at the contact, his fingers stilling as he returned the smile with a hesitant but grateful one of his own before facing forward again.

K-Beat gave a short nod. "Begin when you’re ready."

Taeyang looked at each of his teammates, then raised his hand slightly. "Three, two, one—" His fingers snapped down with each number, and the instant he reached one, Joonhyuk began singing his part.

Right from the first note, it was clear they’d transformed the song into something deeper and more melancholic than the original. Where the melody usually floated lightly, they added weight—low harmonies that dragged like footsteps in the rain. The parts that normally built with energy now unfolded slowly, each note lingering like a sigh.

Yoon Jihoon’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, while K-Beat leaned forward slightly, his usual stern expression flickering with interest.

Haneul, as main vocal, carried every high note with a raw, aching quality—his voice never straining, but trembling just enough to make the longing feel real. There was no showy technique, just honest emotion that seeped into every word. Beside him, Joonhyuk and Seongwoo’s harmonies wrapped around the melody like shadows—Joonhyuk’s voice steady but weighed down with the same yearning, Seongwoo’s softer tones wavering like someone trying not to cry.

Robin, as lead vocal, didn’t just support—he answered. His deeper voice curled around Haneul’s like a reply to a question no one had asked out loud, stretching certain phrases just a heartbeat too long, as if reluctant to let go.

Then came Taeyang’s rap verse—shorter than the others, but impossible to dismiss. He’d rewritten his lines, and the new rhythm mirrored the song’s melancholy perfectly. His voice came out quiet but full, each word heavy with unspoken emotion, giving this small section a depth that resonated through the whole performance.

By the final chorus, the mentors’ initial surprise had settled into clear approval. When the last note faded, the room stayed quiet for a second longer than usual, before the silence was broken by Yoon Jihoon’s applause.

"That was truly beautiful," he said, his voice warm with sincerity. "I don’t have a single critique—you changed the song’s overall theme and made it all on your own. Just... wonderful work."

K-Beat focused on Taeyang. "Did you write that rap verse yourself?" As a rapper, of course, that part had caught his attention more than anything else.

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