Picture=JYP Entertainment

 

Yeji from ITZY has taken her first step as a solo artist.

 

On the 10th in the afternoon, Yeji held a media press conference at the Grand Ballroom Hall of the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, for the release of her solo debut album 'AIR'. The event was hosted by announcer Shin A-young.

 

At the press conference, Yeji first revealed her feelings of 'nervousness'. Despite being a veteran K-pop artist in her seventh year since debut, she spoke with a voice trembling with nervousness, as if she were debuting anew.

 

Yeji said, "I am reminded of the press conference for (ITZY's debut song) 'DALLA DALLA'. My goal then was 'to become an artist loved by many people'. I still want to bring joy to many people. No matter how much experience I accumulate, this excitement remains the same. It feels different from experience. It's always thrilling."

 

It's true that Yeji, who has stood on nearly every stage possible as a K-pop idol, seemed a bit unfamiliar with this nervous appearance. However, the emotions Yeji held that day were not simple.

 

Yeji explained, "Preparing this solo album was really burdensome. Being supported and loved by fans while performing with ITZY made me want to do better. That's the driving force that allows me to do this work. The pressure to perform well was significant. It's a kind of pressure I feel unsatisfied with myself."

 

She continued, "So, recording alone and performing on music shows, every time I feel precious about the results I create. Now, it feels more like excitement mixed with pressure. Honestly, I was curious about the reaction, and I wanted to test myself from the moment I chose the title track. 'Could my stimulation and challenge bring something new to people?' That's the excitement."

 

For Yeji, 'AIR' is not just an album; it is synonymous with 'Solo Artist Yeji'. Naturally, she aimed to include everything from her music and performance to her message.

 

Yeji said, "This album is about showing my 'air', my aura. There's a lyric in the title track 'AIR' that says 'makes me breathless', and I felt a lot of overwhelming emotions while listening to the song. I wanted to write about the attraction one feels when immersed in something. This title track itself was a new challenge. It shows a different Yeji from ITZY. I wanted to show that Yeji could produce this voice and this atmosphere, while also conveying ITZY's powerful energy."

 

Further, Yeji stated, "I paid a lot of attention to every aspect, from the message to everything else. I wanted to approach it differently. The company also asked about every detail and reflected them, which made me care even more. Vocally, filling up three minutes by myself was difficult. I recorded for over 10 hours. I did a lot of research on my voice. I think fans will feel a new voice when they hear all the tracks on my album."

 

Aptly nicknamed 'Performance Queen', Yeji's 'AIR' also dazzles in terms of performance.

 

Yeji expressed, "I wanted to depict the uncontrollable pull to dance. As much as ITZY is recognized for its performance, I tried to show it well. For this, I received something called move directing for the first time, and it was unique. It was about directing movement, not just simple dance."

 

Thus, 'AIR' is an album into which Yeji has put considerable effort, thinking of it as perfect in vocals, performance, and message. Indeed, Yeji confidently stated about 'AIR', "I give it a score of 100 for effort", and J.Y. Park also praised, "In nearly ten years, this is a music video he has seen that needs no changes."

 

Actually, at the site, there were comments like, "The quality of the album makes it regrettable that it didn't come out sooner, even though it's the 7th year."

 

To this, Yeji responded, "The reason for the delayed solo debut was, after all, because ITZY's activities were more important. There were tours and schedules, and it seemed like I spent more time with the group than solo. But now that I have debuted solo, I'll work even harder."

 

Despite the tremendous effort put into 'AIR', Yeji's goals were modest, yet they were accompanied by unwavering solidity.

 

Yeji remarked, "Personally, just making a debut itself seems like achieving a big goal. During this activity, I want to give the impression that 'Solo Yeji has potential'. I think I need to work hard for that, and I want to hear 'It's definitely Yeji'. In fact, even when I debuted with 'DALLA DALLA', and even now, my biggest goal is to show good performance. I will be Yeji who works hard without losing her initial resolve."

 

Yeji is the first among ITZY's members to release a solo album. Yeji's solo album 'AIR' includes the title track 'AIR', 'Invasion', 'Can't Slow Me, No', and '258'. Thanked are Danke, Lee Woo Min, Noday, and Ryan Jeon.

 

The title track 'Air' is a synth-pop genre song with a powerful bass sound and an addictive hook. Yeji participated in writing the lyrics, adding authenticity, and JYP's representative producer J.Y. Park is also credited. Released at 6 PM on the 10th.