Idles' Yuqi returned with special music for September, which includes her birthday.
Yuqi released the full audio of her first single "Motivation" and the music video for the title track "M.O" at 6 p.m. on the 16th on various music streaming sites.
It is her first release as a solo singer in about a year and five months since last April's mini-album "YUQ1." Yuqi's first solo album "YUQ1," on which she participated in concept planning and songwriting, recorded first-week sales of 550,170 copies six days after its release, becoming a half-million seller, and achieved the no. 1 spot on Circle Chart's fourth week of April albums and no. 2 on the retail weekly chart.
With her first mini-album, which presented a wide range of music not limited to a single genre, Yuqi conveyed a message of embracing differences and confidently expressing her unique personality through the title track "FREAK," spreading her own lively energy.
Yuqi returned as a solo singer after about a year and five months. In the previously released music video for the pre-release track "It hurts," she showcased fresh visuals, top-tier acting skills and high-quality music, recording top positions on Chinese major music platform QQ Music's overall music video chart and generating a strong response that proved her presence.
This album draws attention as Yuqi's first single, released in September when she annually gives fans a surprise present for her birthday. On this album, Yuqi expresses her emotions in a three-dimensional and delicate way through three songs that differ in genre and language. Centered on the self-posed question "What's your Motivation?", from the title track "M.O" to the Chinese version "痛" (Haitongma) and the pre-release track "It hurts," the album marks the beginning of a journey in which Yuqi faces herself more clearly and reveals a clearer direction, showing a more evolved musical identity.
The title track "M.O" is a hip-hop track based on 1990s boom-bap, implementing self-assurance, an independent attitude and charisma conveyed through nonchalance in its sound. Vintage drum loops and a weighty bass form the core, and Yuqi's low, firm vocal tone delivers the song's message with density.
The track "It hurts" is a rock song that features warm guitar sounds and lyrics that calmly unfold the honest feelings faced at the moment of parting. With a minimal band arrangement highlighting Yuqi's delicate yet deep vocals, the song received praise after its pre-release. "痛" is the Chinese version of "It hurts," more honestly expressed in the native language, and is a special gift from Yuqi to fans for her September birthday.
Although presented in different genres and languages, the message Yuqi wants to convey is the same, and through this listeners can glimpse her growth. Yuqi's first single "Motivation," marking her return after a year and five months to unfold her musical world, is available on various music streaming sites.
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