Singer admits feelings of excitement, pressure as first from Itzy to go solo
Yeji of Itzy made her highly anticipated solo debut Monday with the release of her first EP, “Air,” six years after debuting with the girl group in 2019.
At her debut showcase in Seoul, Yeji admitted to both the excitement of the moment and pressure as the first member of her group to go solo.
“My heart is still racing and I’m nervous. When I first heard the news that I would be going solo, I was beyond happy, but I also thought, ‘Has that much time already passed?’” Yeji said.
“I believe I was chosen as the first soloist because I’m the eldest and the leader of the team,” she added. "I think the company trusted me to take on this challenge first."
The album embodies Yeji’s passion for music, performance and the stage. The EP consists of four tracks: main song “Air,” along with “Invasion,” “Can’t Slow Me, No” and “258.”
“Air” is a synth-pop track characterized by strong bass and an addictive hook. Yeji participated in writing the lyrics. JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young also contributed.
“The message of ‘Air’ is about showcasing my presence, my aura, through my first solo debut. There’s a lyric that says, ‘You take my breath away,’ and when I think about those overwhelming moments, they were always on stage. That’s the message I wanted to convey,” Yeji said.
Regarding her comparatively late solo debut — K-pop group members typically strike out as solo artists in their third or fourth year — Yeji shared that she had been focused on group activities until her agency suggested she pursue a solo project. And the suggestion came at the right time.
“Last year, I felt like I was falling into a rut, repeating the same schedule. That’s when the solo proposal came, and for me, it was an opportunity. Through this process, I realized just how much I love what I do,” she said.
Ultimately, Yeji hopes that “Air” will allow her to prove herself as a solo artist.
“Just debuting solo is already a huge achievement for me. My goal with this promotion is to show people that Yeji, as a solo artist, has real potential,” she added.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
