Before 'Stay', a YUQI solo primer — from 'Giant' to '雨终曲'

At 1 p.m. KST on October 8, i-dle's YUQI releases the 2nd mini album '二十七(27)'. The title comes from YUQI's current age, 27, and YUQI took part in writing the lyrics and music for all six songs, including the title track 'Stay'. With well over ten solo songs out by now, it can be hard to know where to start. So we picked seven, in order, from the first solo single in 2021 to last month's Chinese single. For each one, we also separated the vocals out of the official video and measured the middle pitch.

2021 'Giant'

The first track on the first digital single, 'A Page'. It's the story of a girl who keeps moving forward like a giant despite hurt and fear, and YUQI shares the lyric and composition credits. It's pop rock made grand with a drumline sound, and the music video is an animation built on YUQI's idea. Apple Music

2021 'Bonnie & Clyde'

The second track on the same single, a dance-pop song influenced by '90s trance house. It sings that even if the world turns its back, you can make it through with a 'ride or die' on your side. Of the seven, its vocal middle pitch is the lowest, hovering around middle C, right in the center of the piano. Apple Music

2024 'FREAK'

The title track of the first mini album, 'YUQ1'. The album is laid out like a day's timetable, and this song is the opening scene: '9 a.m., OMG, I overslept!'. Over a bossa rhythm and band sound, YUQI proudly sings 'Certified Freak' about being different from everyone else. It's also the song where the voice sits highest of the seven. The middle pitch is the G above middle C, seven semitones higher than 'Bonnie & Clyde'. One semitone is one piano key, so that's seven keys up. Apple Music

2025 'Radio (Dum-Dum)'

First revealed in YUQI's solo stage at the Seoul shows of i-dle's 2024 world tour. Before the song was even released, the special clip had passed 15 million views, and it was used in advertising too. It's a mid-tempo boom-bap hip-hop track carried by a rhythmic acoustic guitar and bass, and again YUQI took part in writing the lyrics and music. Apple Music

2025 'FENDI'

A song YUQI co-wrote for the 100th anniversary of the fashion house Fendi. It was first performed at the after-party of the Fall/Winter 2025-26 show. It's hip-hop driven by 808 bass, the long, heavy low end named after an old drum machine, with a melody on the guzheng, a traditional Chinese string instrument, laid on top. You can hear YUQI's low-register rap too. Apple Music

2025 'M.O.'

The title track of 'Motivation', the first single from an artist who has been surprising fans every September around YUQI's birthday. Just as it was introduced, a low, solid voice over '90s boom-bap hip-hop, its middle pitch is D, five semitones below 'FREAK'. In the music video, there's no low end until 0:13, when the voice, drums and bass all come in together. The same single also has 'Gone' ('아프다'), a rock song with a warm guitar sound, along with its Chinese version, '还痛吗'. Apple Music

2026 '雨终曲 (One Last Rain)'

A Chinese single released on September 15, from '联名2', a creative collection produced by 汪苏泷 (Silence Wang). At 2:41 in the official video, the sound stops almost completely for about a second and a half, then starts again at 2:43, much quieter. It feels like the stillness left after the rain. Apple Music

October 8: '二十七(27)'

Six songs: the title track 'Stay', plus '快乐', 'Chamomile Tea', 'I Like You', 'Feels Right' and '银河之舞'. Siixk Jun and BOYTOY, who have worked with YUQI since 'YUQ1', are back, and '银河之舞' was first performed on stage at the Macau show of i-dle's world tour 'Syncopation'. The track list image showed a swing, chamomile, sunlight through leaves and sunflowers. The release is at 1 p.m. KST on October 8.