Group i-dle (아이들) member Yuqi (YUQI) returns as a solo artist with evolved music.
Yuqi will release her first single, Motivation, at 6 p.m. on the 16th on various music streaming sites. This single includes the title track M.O., the song Apuda, and the Chinese version of Apuda titled 痛 (haitongma).
In the music video for the included track Apuda, which was released earlier on the 10th, Yuqi teamed up with popular Chinese actor Wang Anwu and drew a strong response in the Chinese-speaking market. Apuda is a song that highlights warm guitar sounds, and Yuqi expressed honest emotions faced with the moment of parting.
The title track M.O. is a boom-bap–based hip-hop track. It conveys the message that intuition-derived conviction, unbound by gaze or rules, is the driving force behind Yuqi. Vintage drum loops and a weighty bass blend with Yuqi's deep vocal tone.
The accompanying music video features a colorful concept that evokes 1990s nostalgia. Yuqi's styling, which changes glamorously to match atmospheres from a vintage hair salon to an office to surreal spaces, and the music video's stylish visuals stand out.
Motivation, the single released about a year and five months after last April's mini album YUQ1, features Yuqi participating in the writing and composing of all the songs, showing a more mature musical identity as a solo artist.
Below are Yuqi's comments on her comeback in a Q&A format
Q. It has been about a year and five months since the mini album YUQ1 released last April. Please share how you feel about releasing a solo record after a long time.
Yuqi: While doing various activities, I wanted to give my fans a gift ahead of my birthday on Sept. 23, so I worked on this. I tried my best to make a great album, and I hope fans like it.
Q. While preparing the single Motivation, what became your motivation?
Yuqi: The desire to show my music to many people quickly, and the love from our fans!
Q. All tracks on the single are your original songs. What part did you pay the most attention to while working on them?
Yuqi: The title track M.O. is hip-hop, so I paid attention to creating lyrics and melodies that give a hip feeling. For Apuda, I wanted to properly express precarious emotions, so I put effort into the lyrics and the music video story; I hope you focus on that part when listening.
Q. Please give a brief introduction to the title track M.O. and tell us the points to watch for in this music video that evokes 1990s pop stars.
Yuqi: M.O. is a 1990s boom-bap–based hip-hop track filled with my energy. The music video is truly the hip-hop old school of the 1990s itself. It's packed with the atmosphere of that time, so it will be fun to watch.
Q. Even while busy with producing junior groups, various award shows and global stages, you prepared diverse promotions for this single such as pop-ups and a pre-release music video. Which project was the most impressive?
Yuqi: The deep emotional acting I challenged in the Apuda music video! As my first acting challenge, I worked hard, so I hope people appreciate it.
Q. Do you have any goals you want to achieve through this promotion? Also, please say a word to Neverland, who always supports you.
Yuqi: I feel really proud to have made the concept and music I truly wanted. I hope our fans listen to this single, which is full of what I wanted to do. Thank you.
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