The group Ceya (Nam Gyu-ri, Kim Yeon-ji, Lee Bo-ram) is returning as a full lineup to mark their 20th anniversary since debut.
The female vocal group Ceya, which represented the Korean ballad scene in the mid-to-late 2000s, announced their reunion and revealed plans to release a pre-release single and hold a fan meeting in March, and to release a full-length album in May.
The three members of Ceya, Nam Gyu-ri, Kim Yeon-ji, and Lee Bo-ram, said, "On this meaningful year of Ceya's 20th anniversary, we have reunited with one heart for the fans. Through long conversations, the members decided to repay the fans who have waited for 20 years."
They added, "This reunion is not simply a calling back of memories but a new beginning as artists," and said, "Now we want to show Ceya's music that we truly want to perform, not formulas for past success or decisions made by others."
They also said, "When we were in our 20s we sang as if we were studying, but now we want to present real music of ours containing stories we have personally experienced and felt," previewing a matured vocal tone and deepened sensitivity.
Although the Ceya members belong to different agencies, they plan to continue Ceya's collective activities by directly establishing a project corporation under the name Ceya so the members can pursue autonomous musical activities.
The pre-release song scheduled for release in March is a Ceya-style sentimental ballad that contains 20 years of time and the meaning of the reunion; Ceya members participated directly in writing the lyrics to send a loving greeting to fans who have waited a long time and open the prelude to a new chapter. Also, on the day of release they will hold a fan meeting at Idles located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to meet fans who have waited 15 years.
For the full-length album in May, producers who worked with Ceya during their peak, such as Park Geun-tae and Kim Do-hoon, will participate to realize Ceya's signature music, and various songs including tracks with lyrics directly written by Ceya's members will be included.
Since their debut on March 12, 2006, Ceya achieved great success with numerous hit songs such as "A Woman's Scent," "Love's Greeting," "Shoes," and "Crazy Love Song," and established a unique position by shaking up the music scene with overwhelming vocal ability and harmony.
In their debut year they swept new artist awards at major award shows such as the Seoul Music Awards, SBS Gayo Daejeon, and MKMF, and in 2007 they established themselves as a top-tier group by winning the grand prize in the digital music category at the Golden Disc Awards.
They were especially lauded for succeeding as a skilled three-member female vocal group in a market centered on male ballad groups, and have been regarded as a milestone for female vocal groups that emerged afterward.
After announcing their disbandment in 2011, many fans continually hoped for a reunion, and although their full-lineup appearance on "Sugarman 3" in 2020 raised expectations for a reunion, it fell through due to various circumstances, leaving regret. With this reunion realized after 20 years, the music industry's attention is focused on the new music and sincere stories Ceya will present.
Ceya's 20th anniversary pre-release single is scheduled to be released through various music sites in March.
[Photo] Provided by Ceya.
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