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[Herald Interview] Queen of performance Lee Chaeyeon says dance is what defines her

By Hong Yoo

Published : Sept. 6, 2023 - 08:52

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Lee Chaeyeon (WM Entertainment) Lee Chaeyeon (WM Entertainment)

K-pop performance queen Lee Chaeyeon wanted to show her true self in her first single album, “The Move: Street,” which will be released Wednesday.

“After the success of my previous single, ‘Knock,’ I contemplated what to present next. I figured the public would love me the most if I showed my true self. In that sense, I put more emphasis on 'dance.' The message of the title track, 'Let’s Dance' is to enjoy the moment by dancing freely with anyone, anywhere,” said Lee Chaeyeon during an interview with The Korea Herald.

The title track is composed of addictive rhythms that go well with Lee's choreography.

“(I am a) street dancer who also does ballet, girl’s hip hop, and tango in the music video of the title track. I wanted to show that I am an artist who can express all kinds of dance genres in my own way,” said the soloist.

“My forte as a solo artist is performance. I have a smooth and powerful dancing style. I also try to diversify my tones when singing because I worry that people will get bored listening to my albums if all tracks are sung in the same way.”

Lee brought back shuffling back into the spotlight by having it as the highlight dance move of her new title track.

Choreographer Rozalin from her dance crew, WANT, helped to create the choreography for “Let’s Dance” in an attempt to outdo the success of her previous title track, "Knock," which went viral on social media due to its catchy dance moves. "Knock" was also choreographed by Rozalin.

Lee Chaeyeon (WM Entertainment) Lee Chaeyeon (WM Entertainment)

“I couldn't believe the love that ‘Knock’ received from the public until I started to hear my song on the streets and inside stores. I crossed off an item from my bucket list, too, which was to perform at university festivals, which I was able to do thanks to that song,” said Lee.

This comeback comes just five months after the artist released her second EP, “Over The Moon” and it will be her third comeback of the year.

“I am not tired at all. Instead, I am so grateful for the love and support from my fans who want to see me more often. I also want to thank my agency, producers and choreographer who’ve made this comeback possible,” she added.

“After being loved for my music, I became self-confident and I was able to share my happiness with others. Now I use my time to think about positive things like what to create next. I’ve found the motivation to work harder.”

The soloist entered the music scene as a member of IZ*ONE, a now-defunct group that was established through the K-pop audition TV program, “Produce 48.”

She hopes to perform on big stages just as she had when she was working as a member of IZ*ONE.

“I want to hold fan meetings, standalone concerts and perform at annual award ceremonies. I think my strength lies in performance and I hope to deliver positive energy to my fans and the public through performing.”