K-POP SINGER MIYEON REVEALS A SOFTER SIDE ON SOLO DEBUT
The member of (G)I-dle says the tracks on her EP are more relaxing than those with the girl group
Since she was a child, Cho Mi-yeon knew she was meant to sing. A member of popular K-pop girl group (G)I-dle, and one of the voices of the virtual League of Legends-themed girl group K/DA, the 25-year-old singer, known as Miyeon, is finally in the driver’s seat, having released her first solo EP “MY”.
“I’ve always thought of having my own songs because it’s the thing that I liked the most [growing up]. It’s the reason I wanted to be a singer,” Miyeon says over a video call from Seoul.
As a member of (G)I-dle since 2018, Miyeon has kept busy: the group often comes together to release charismatic, aspirational music, most recently releasing the album “I Never Die” and lead single Tomboy in March. She’s been an MC and done acting.
When it was her chance to work on a solo project, following solo releases from bandmates Soyeon and Yuqi in 2021, Miyeon chose music that was similarly inspiring, but more relaxed than many of (G)I-dle’s releases.
“When I started to prepare for my solo album, I had so many thoughts going through my mind about what type of music I should do … I concluded that I should do music that I can enjoy with my fans, just chilling. I’ve always wanted to do this comfortable and natural kind of song so that we can enjoy it together.”
That’s not to say that “MY” isn’t exciting: titled both as a nod to Miyeon’s name and the solo element of this album, it is a breath of fresh air. The six tracks shine a different spotlight on the K-pop star, whose vocals stand out in a new way and give a richer sense to the artistic identity that (G)I-dle’s fans, known collectively as Neverland, know and love.
Lead single Drive is the best example of this, with Miyeon’s rich, yet airy, tone soaring over a flurry of synthrock and electronica instrumentals as she sings about guiding her own path, bypassing fears. It’s a song about herself as much as it is for the listeners, she admits, which is something she feels is connected to the album’s overall themes.
“Since ‘MY’ is my first album, I wanted to incorporate the meaning of encouraging myself and encouraging people who are listening to the music. It also has a meaning that I should go the way that I really want to go, towards building my own path.”
Miyeon’s path to a solo album hasn’t been easy. Though now a member of (G)I-dle, she had previously trained since middle school to become a member of the girl group now known as Blackpink. She started singing as a child, listening to her dad’s music. When she came across female singers such as Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Rihanna and Lauryn Hill, and realised she could do what they do, her dreams became more real.
“Like their music did for me, I want to create music that can encourage and console many people,” she says.
While “MY” is her focus at the moment, she hints during the interview of more tracks in the future. “I worked with [(G)I-dle bandmate] Yuqi on the song Rain, but she had so many other songs for me to listen to. I’m honestly sad we can’t put those songs on the album, because it’s just a mini album. If there’s another opportunity, maybe …”
Rain, a sentimental, romantic pop ballad, is the only song on the album featuring lyrics by Miyeon, which she says were written long ago. When she heard the melody Yuqi showed her, it was the perfect fit, even if it was a bit discomfiting to share that part of herself from the past with the world.
“I was very shy at first because it felt like someone was looking in my diary,” she says. “However, seeing fans liking this song so much, I felt a new interest in writing, so I want to try again.”
Overall, “MY” is a bit of old Miyeon mixed with new Miyeon, as the singer discovers more about what she would like to sound like as a soloist.
“While preparing for the solo album, I worked with composers I knew, along with Yuqi, and they tried to help me discover new aspects of myself so this album can be more diverse. At first, I thought altering my voice and tone to match different genres isn’t a good thing, but now I think that a colourful voice is a positive trait I can show to listeners.”
Miyeon hopes that listeners can relax while listening to her first solo effort.
“Because it was an album out right after our “Tomboy” promotion, I wanted to do chill music that matches a refreshing springtime breeze. So, the aspect I wanted to show is singing in a very comfortable way, and for the listeners to feel that same comfort.”
The aspect I wanted to show is singing in a very comfortable way, and for the listeners to feel that same comfort
MIYEON