It took two years, but YooA of girl group Oh My Girl has returned to her solo career with her second EP "Selfish."
YooA's solo comeback was more than anticipated as she had proved herself a one-of-a-kind soloist with the debut EP "Bon Voyage" in 2020.
The album and its title song "Bon Voyage," called "Forest Child" in Korean, not only scored chart success, but was also critically acclaimed for its musicality and the artistic way it expressed its nature-inspired concept.
At a showcase for the album's release on Monday, YooA said she had some fears in shifting to a bubbly and boisterous concept with "Selfish."
"As it's my second release and since the album had garnered attention with its 'organic' concept, I was a bit worried about the change. But I believed that it would be enough if I was to show the song and perform it onstage with confidence, just as I had done with 'Bon Voyage,'" YooA said during Monday's showcase.
Fronting the four-track album is the namesake title song, "Selfish," an R&B dance track flourishing in the singer's lovely energy, boosted by the powerful beats and addictive melody.
The singer performed "Selfish" and another track from the album, "Lay Low," during Monday's event.
"'Selfish' is a very tight-knit song. During the recording, I wanted to deliver this energy as much as possible so I focused on pulling out the power in voice. In terms of the performance, the choreography also spares no moments, and rather than taking out moves, I worked on raising my stamina for the choreography," YooA said.
The album also includes three other tracks, "Lay Low," "Blood Moon" and "Melody." Along with the music video of "Selfish," the new album comes with three official music videos. The videos for "Lay Low" and "Melody" were unveiled before the album's official release.
"It was my first time in Europe, and I remember the people applauding after we quit shooting," she said. "The location was a tourist spot and I was worried that I'd have to act in front of many people. But the people clapped and cheered for me as soon as we cut. It was really gratifying and I felt confident that I'd be loved in Spain."
She explained that "Blood Moon" was her favorite among the three non-singles because she personally favors her lower vocal tones. She added the bass-heavy tune well expresses the song's fantastical atmosphere.
YooA, whose real name is Lyu Siah, is a seasoned singer in K-pop terms, having debuted as a member of Oh My Girl in April 2015.
"If I had focused on delivering the unique lovely and buoyant spirit of Oh My Girl as a member of the group, soloist YooA was more about showing my vocal dynamics. So as I practiced, I concentrated on drawing out vocal textures to match each of the four songs. That's why the four songs all stand out," YooA said.
Still a fledgling musician as a soloist, YooA said there was more to show from her, including composition and lyric-writing, which she is still working on.
"I'm writing songs and lines as a hobby now. I don't feel its at a stage to reveal to everyone yet," she said, adding, "I hope to open them up step by step, wisely, when a long enough time has passed."
The 27-year-old said her ultimate goal as a solo musician was to share good vibes.
"I hope that anyone watching my performance or listening to my music could be reinvigorated. I hope to become an artist who shares happiness and joy. That's all I wish."
