YEJI Comes Up For ‘Air’ In Surprising New EP (Review)

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In case you haven’t noticed, we have entered the girl solo era of K-pop. Since last year, we’ve seen releases by a slew of members of the most prominent girl groups. TZUYU (of TWICE), IRENE (of Red Velvet), and YUQI of (G)I-DLE had their time in the sun in 2024. They have been succeeded by the heralded releases of all four members of BLACKPINK in the last few months. 

The big question for all of these artists would be: who are they outside of their group? Can they distinctively form a persona apart from the carefully crafted machinations of their own circle? Take the four projects of BLACKPINK’s LISA, ROSÉ, JENNIE, and JISOO, for example. Could each of them thread the needle of stamping their own tastes onto a sound that is wholly theirs, while still resonating with a global audience in the manner BLACKPINK has so successfully done? In my estimation, it seems JENNIE is the only member who has come closest to this. She is leaning into her polarising nature to produce genuine bangers such as ‘like JENNIE’ and ‘Handlebars’.

To pop in today’s universe, you need authenticity, a musical personality that is uniquely identifiable, and some killer songs. The point is, these K-pop solo projects are a tall order indeed.

So it’s with some surprise to hear the debut four-song EP of YEJI. This is the leader of the five-member K-pop group ITZY from the behemoth label JYP. Known for choreography-driven pop singles such as ‘DALLA DALLA’, ‘WANNABE’ and ‘Not Shy’, YEJI had all the same curiosities laid at her doorstep as she stepped out of her enclave with ‘Air’. 

The discovery is that she has arguably answered them with the greatest aplomb of any of her peers so far. The title track unveils YEJI’s voice in a manner previously unheard. She gives her crystal-clear tone space and time to drive a synth-and-bass earworm with an undeniable hook. This artist doesn’t cast aside her known dancing chops either. This performer is occupying most of the accompanying music video as a literal solo performer in a statement of intent.

Always regarded as a jack-of-all-trades, ITZY core member, YEJI leans into this by expanding her palate to explore all corners of the synth-pop sphere. In ‘Invasion’, she reverses course by layering her vocals onto a more chilled-out beat. But much like ‘Air’, it contains a thought-out, snappy chorus about breaking personal barriers that feels much more complex than any in ITZY’s catalogue.

While ‘Can’t Slow Me, No’ sees YEJI dip back into her group’s well with a familiar dance number, it’s the final track ‘258’ that sees her soar. The song explores the overflowing nature of love that extends beyond the boundaries of time. The singer uses that building block to finely produce interweaving vocal runs, paired with some gorgeously crafted melodies that even unsheathe a key change. This is high electronica art.

Amidst a slew of similar releases, this project is the rare reinvention that asks us to re-conceptualise the labels we’ve put on a K-pop group member. ‘Air‘ is an astonishing achievement for YEJI.

Rating: 8/10

YEJI is on Instagram. Stream the EP below or buy here and read more reviews here.

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