"Paranoia" was pre-released on February 16. This album is the final installment in Kang's trilogy project aimed to find his colors as a solo artist. Cyan had a youthful pop vibe, whereas Magenta was dance-based and powerful. Yellow represents the different stages Kang went through during a darker period in his life when he lost but eventually found hope.[1][2]
On February 2, 2021, Konnect Entertainment posted a surprise comeback teaser video for what would be Kang Daniel's digital single prerelease "Paranoia", set for February 16. Kang, who penned the lyrics himself, drew inspiration from when he went on hiatus due to mental and physical health issues and expressed the pain and anguish he had experienced. The song combines synth bells, 808 bass, and electric guitar.[3][4][5]
On March 18, Kang confirmed a follow-up comeback scheduled for April 13 with the release of his new album Yellow, promising tracks full of meaningful messages.[6][7] The album's title track "Antidote" connects to the main story in "Paranoia" and is an alternative R&B song with rock elements.[8] Kang is credited as the main lyricist in all of the album's songs. In contrast to the bright, positive image conventionally associated with the color yellow, Kang Daniel's yellow color represents warning, danger, and imperfect signals between green and red lights.[9][10] Following the album's release, Kang explained the underlying story connecting the song tracks. Yellow captures the time when Kang was at his lowest point due to deteriorating health exacerbated by cyberbullying and chronicles his journey to recovery.[11]
"The album starts off on a high note with 'Digital,' where I felt angry and motivated. Then [it] goes into songs like 'Paranoia' and 'Misunderstood,' that are more self-reflective and questioning. 'Antidote,' I felt like was my rock bottom, where I was just searching for an answer. The album ends with 'Save U,' which is a song I wrote for myself looking back at that time."
Revealing his reason for selecting a diamond as the cover art and the album cover's symbolism, Kang said "Depending on how much pressure is put on it, it becomes a diamond or stays a lump of coal. It's about the pressures put on me and where I am right now because of those pressures."[11]
Kang and his manager appeared on the February 13 episode of Omniscient Interfering View and showed the making-of the "Paranoia" music video.[12] On February 16, Kang held an online press conference to commemorate the single's release.[13] He opened up further about his hiatus and retold other stories on Radio Star.[14] Kang also appeared on Law of the Jungle and I Can See Your Voice with Baek Ji-young.[15][16] Prior to the album's release, Kang appeared on the hundredth episode of MBC's Where Is My Home as the show's founding contributor and Problem Child in House to introduce his upcoming music.[17][18] On April 13, Kang kicked off Yellow promotions with a press conference prior to the release and an online fan showcase.[19][20] Ten days later, he appeared on KBS2's Come Back Home TV and I Live Alone.[21][22] Kang was also invited as the first guerrilla date guest on the rebooted Entertainment Weekly where he met fans, including Hyun Jung-hwa.[23]
The digital single "Paranoia" received two Gaon crowns and won four music show trophies with its music video exceeding 10 million views in two days and 20 million views in four days.[24][25] It also marked Kang's first solo appearance on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart with the single debuting at number five.[26]
Following the release of Yellow, Kang earned his first Gaon quadruple crown by topping the digital, album, download, and BGM weekly charts.[27] Lead single "Antidote" was a commercial success in South Korea, debuting at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart for the chart issue dated April 11–17, 2021, becoming Kang's first domestic number one single.[28] The song won a total of five music show trophies including his first Inkigayo win since debuting as a solo artist. The music video for "Antidote" exceeded 10 million views in 12 hours, besting Kang's previous record and later becoming his first solo music video to exceed 30 million views, doing so in four days.[20][29]Yellow earned a Hanteo sales certificate, making it Kang's fourth album to place in Hanteo's top 10 solo artist first-week sales as of June 2021.[30]
Kang has garnered the most international media attention since debuting as a solo artist with the release of Yellow for his evolving musicality.[31] In an article collecting Genius Korea's favorite albums of 2021, Yellow was described as being "mesmerizing without being enigmatic; its somber mood allows us to focus on the messages Kang succeeds to convey, without any word being lost in translation". Writing for Rolling Stone India, Riddhi Chakraborty highlighted the fact that Kang presented a stronger side of himself as a songwriter with writing credits — all of which were drawn from personal experience — on every track of Yellow. The EP was included in a list titled "Best K-pop Albums of 2021 so far" by South China Morning Post where Tamar Herman said Kang "reached new heights" with its release.
^Hosted by the Hong Kong Asia Pacific International Group and Sunway Records, the Asian Pop Music Awards bases its winners on the "Asian Pop Music Chart" which opened in September 2019.[45]
^"강다니엘, 16일 컴백 확정..강렬한 티저 '기대 증폭'" [Kang Daniel confirms comeback on the 16th.. Intense teaser 'Expectation boost']. Star News (in Korean). February 2, 2021. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
^"강다니엘, 'PARANOIA'로 찍을 터닝포인트..고통·번뇌 그린다" [Kang Daniel draws the turning point to be taken with 'PARANOIA'... pain and anguish]. Herald Pop (in Korean). February 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 내면의 어둠 마주한 'PARANOIA'로 초심 찾았다..번뇌 극복한 치유기 [종합]" [Kang Daniel, a beginner search for 'PARANOIA' facing the inner darkness..Healer overcoming anguish [Comprehensive]]. OSEN (in Korean). February 16, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^""2021 터닝포인트" 강다니엘, 4월 13일 컴백 예고[공식]" ["2021 Turning Point" Kang Daniel's comeback notice on April 13th [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). March 18, 2021. Archived from the original on March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 새 앨범 YELLOW 4월 13일 발매..초고속 컴백에 관심 UP" [Kang Daniel, new album YELLOW released on April 13th.. Interested in high-speed comeback UP]. Star News (in Korean). March 22, 2021. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘 컴백 타이틀 'Antidote' 직접 작사 "기존 틀 깼다"[공식]" [Kang Daniel's comeback title 'Antidote' directly written "Breaking the Existing Mold" [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 트랙리스트 공개…전곡 작사" [Kang Daniel reveals track list... Whole song lyrics]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). March 31, 2021. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘 YELLOW="경고", 틀 파괴...13일 발표 [공식]" [Kang Daniel YELLOW = "Warning", frame destruction... announced on the 13th [Official]]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). April 2, 2021. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^"'전참시' 강다니엘, 역시 '갓다니엘' 클래스가 다른 소속사 복지 [종합]" [Kang Daniel, 'God Daniel' class is different from the agency 'Welfare' [Comprehensive]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). February 14, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^"[종합] '컴백' 강다니엘, 아티스트 도약 예고" [[General] 'Comeback' Kang Daniel, an artist leap forward notice]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). February 16, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘 "삶의 목적 없었다"…공황장애·우울증 극복기 고백 (라스)[종합]" [Kang Daniel "There was no purpose in life"... Confession of overcoming panic disorder and depression]. Xports News (in Korean). February 17, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘x박군, 직접 구한 해삼 환호+브로맨스 케미 '최고의1분'(정법)" [Kang Daniel x Park Goon, saving sea cucumber with cheer + bromance chemistry "Best minute"]. OSEN (in Korean). February 28, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Naver.
^"백지영X강다니엘, 음치 추리 실패...강다니엘 비보이 크루 출연 '추억 공개' (너목보8)[종합]" [Baek Ji-young X Kang Daniel, failed to deduce the tone...Starring Kang Daniel's B-Boy Crew, 'Memories Revealed' (I Can See Your Voice 8)[Comprehensive]]. Xports News (in Korean). February 26, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘 "좋아하는 인테리어? 우드톤 분위기 선호"" [Kang Daniel "Favorite interior? Wood tone atmosphere is preferred"]. Newsen (in Korean). March 21, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Naver.
^"'옥문아' 강다니엘, '집돌이'→학창시절 괴롭힘 피해 고백 [★밤TView]" ['Problem Child in House' Kang Daniel, 'Homebody Idol' → Confession of being a victim of school bullying]. Star News (in Korean). April 7, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Naver.
^""새벽에 쓴 일기장"...'컴백' 강다니엘, 속마음 털어놓기까지 [종합]" ["The diary I wrote in the morning"... 'Comeback' Kang Daniel, even revealing his inner heart [Comprehensive]]. Xports News (in Korean). April 13, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Naver.
^ ab"강다니엘, 'Antidote' MV 12시간 만에 1천만뷰 돌파..자체 최단 [공식]" [Kang Daniel, 'Antidote' MV exceeded 10 million views in 12 hours.. Self-shortest [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). April 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Naver.
^"'컴백홈TV' 강다니엘, 청년 다니엘의 이야기" ['Come Back Home TV' Kang Daniel, young man Daniel's story]. Sports Khan (in Korean). April 23, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
^"강다니엘, 6번째 집 최초 공개…만렙 집돌이 일상은?(나 혼자 산다)" [Kang Daniel reveals his 6th house for the first time… what is the daily life of a full-fledged homebody? (I Live Alone)]. iMBC Entertainment News (in Korean). April 22, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Naver.
^"'연중' 강다니엘, 게릴라 데이트 첫 등장..현정화 사로잡은 매력[★밤TView]" [[Entertainment Weekly] Kang Daniel made the guerilla date first appearance..Hyun Jung-hwa's captivating charm]. Star News (in Korean). April 16, 2021. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021 – via Naver.
^"아이유·강다니엘, 가온차트 나란히 2관왕 올라" [IU, Kang Daniel, warmed up the chart alongside two gold medals]. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). February 25, 2021. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘 "마침표보다 쉼표"…,'PARANOIA' 활동 마무리" [Kang Daniel "Comma rather than period"..., 'PARANOIA' activities concluded]. Xports News (in Korean). March 2, 2021. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 변화 옳았다…가온차트 4관왕" [Kang Daniel, the change was right... Gaon Chart 4 Crowns]. Ten Asia (in Korean). April 22, 2021. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 'Antidote' MV 데뷔 첫 3000만뷰 돌파..뜻깊은 기록(공식)" [Kang Daniel has exceeded 30 million views for the first time since his debut with 'Antidote'.. Significant record [Official]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). April 18, 2021. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Naver.
^"강다니엘, 2년 연속 '대한민국 퍼스트브랜드 대상' 男솔로가수상" [Kang Daniel won Male Solo Singer at the 'Korea First Brand Awards' 2 years in a row]. Star News (in Korean). January 13, 2022. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Naver.
^"【APMA 2021】亚洲流行音乐大奖2021年度入围名单" [[APMA 2021] Asian Pop Music Awards 2021 shortlist]. Weibo (in Chinese). November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
^"강다니엘, 본상 수상 "안주하지 않겠다"[서울가요대상]" [Kang Daniel, Bonsang Award "I will not rest" [Seoul Music Awards]]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). January 23, 2022. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via Naver.
