Happy Birthday I.M.: The ever-evolving ‘Duality of MONSTA X musician and his artistry

MONSTA X member I.M. turns a year older and we reflect on his artistry.

By Nandini Iyengar -

January 26, 2023 - 7:55 PM IST

MONSTA X as a group has played on different challenges with each comeback. The members as solo artists are no less. After the beginning of military enlistment, the members ventured to forge a new path in their solo endeavours. Monsta X’s youngest member Im Chang Kyun aka I.M. has been no short of a surprise. The rapper-songwriter has proven his versatility with every performance. Be it composition or songwriting, or producing his solo music, I.M. has shaken up the music scene with his brilliance. As the maknae (youngest in Korean) of Monsta X turns a year older on January 26, let’s take a look at I.M.'s artistry over the years.

Happy Birthday I.M.: The ever-evolving ‘Duality of MONSTA X musician and his artistry

I.M. parted ways with Starship Agency, the home to MONSTA X, last year. He joined Sony Music Korea soon after but continued being a part of the group. In 2023, Monsta X released their new EP Reason with the lead single Beautiful Liar. The group made a comeback almost 9 months after their last EP Shape Of Love. As the tradition goes, I.M. dutifully participated in the songwriting and track composition of several tracks.

The tracks he worked on reflect the suave flair he is known for. From the sensuous beats to the raspy singing, I.M. ticked off several boxes on the list. Despite being a rapper first, I.M. has also resorted to vocals in the past few years. His deep voice glides in the rap verses, and simply saunters off like butter on toast when he switches to vocalizing.

As a solo artist, I.M. showed a much more honest and raw picture of himself as an artist and an individual. Having lived in the US and South Korea, he carries with him the influence of rappers and artists from both countries. Over the years, he has collaborated with several artists like Elhae, Heize, Brother Su, Rain, and J. Han, to name a few. He has proven his vocal prowess while singing in Korean and English. He belts the lyrics with a flawless appeal - be it a rap or a vocal verse. I.M. is also synonymous with using themes like sensuality, romance, and also mental health in his works.

With his solo EP Duality, he tapped into the inner workings of one’s mind and paired it with a sensuous aura bordering on dangerous and appealing. Speaking about a habit that borders on becoming an addiction, he presents tantalizing visuals when speaking about the matters close to his art. His music reflects the wondrous blips of life and also makes an impression of the evergreen emotions like melancholia that every human experiences in their life. There is a smooth transition between I.M. the rapper and I.M. the vocalist as he plays around with R&B, jazz, neo-pop and retro tunes.

When it comes to breaking stereotypes as well, I.M. has always put his best foot forward. Despite being in the confines of a stringent entertainment industry, I.M. has always found a way to vocalize his beliefs. Be it the way he dresses, or presents himself, I.M. owns up to his actions. The concept photos for his music albums are proof enough that I.M. does not believe in the gender-normative dress-up codes. Even when not in a costume, I.M. is known to accessorize himself and deck up with bracelets and necklaces matching his outfits.

As the artist turns a year older today, it marks another year in his artistry which reflects his style up close and personal. It also makes for another year to look forward to new music from I.M.