Yerin Opens Up About Vocally Demanding New Album "REACH YOU"

GFRIEND member and soloist Yerin returned with her fourth mini-album "REACH YOU" on June 9, using the project to reflect on her growth as an artist and the message of hope she hopes to share with listeners.

During a media showcase held at Rolling Hall in Seoul's Hongdae district on June 9, the singer opened up about her evolving musical identity, the album's star-filled imagery and the challenges she faced while recording.

Since making her solo debut in 2022, Yerin has continued to build her own musical identity through releases such as "Ready, Set, LOVE" and "Rewrite." Looking back on that journey, she reflected on how each project has revealed a different side of herself by saying, "I think the album is more about discovering another side of myself." and "even with previous albums like 'Rewrite', I often wondered whether I really needed something entirely new.”

Yerin's fourth mini-album "REACH YOU" centers on the idea of moving forward despite uncertainty. While the destination may not always be clear, the singer said she wanted to convey a message of hope through the project. The album consists of five tracks, including title track "Shooting Star," alongside "Polaris," "Spring Fever," "Orbit" and an instrumental version of "Shooting Star."

As her solo career continues to evolve, Yerin said each release naturally ends up sounding different because she is still learning more about herself as an artist. Yerin continued, “that’s why each album feels different. I always want to show a new side of myself. It makes me happy because it feels like I'm getting to know myself better.”

Yerin revealed that she even used tools such as ChatGPT while thinking about how different listeners might interpret the meaning behind "REACH YOU," admitting that deeply analyzing ideas does not always come naturally to her.

"Ever since I was young, songs related to stars always moved me emotionally. So by coincidence, this album ended up having many songs about stars and the night." Yerin said the album's recurring imagery of stars and the night sky was not entirely planned. However, the theme emerged naturally during the creative process.

Both title track "Shooting Star" and B-side "Spring Fever" were produced by PATEKO, who has previously worked with artists including IVE, fromis_9 and Lim Young-woong. "Shooting Star" captures the moment someone pauses amid everyday life to look toward the night sky and reflect on their hopes and dreams. Descending from a quintessential J-Pop style, the track is highlighted by a guitar lead which further adds a hopeful and expansive energy as Yerin’s vocals blend through the song.

"Despite it being my own song, it is a song that for the last five or six months has given me comfort, when I listen to it I feel like I can accomplish anything" Yerin shares as she talks a bit more of the title track. "It gives you that feeling of being overwhelmed with emotion and believing you can achieve anything." she adds on.

Beyond the title track, Yerin also highlighted "Polaris," a synth-pop song that blends band instrumentation and synthesizer elements. It has a high contrast between both instruments as it follows a dreamy melody which allows the album’s opening to be a sort of guiding star for both listeners and Yerin as she embarks on this new journey.

During her performances of both "Polaris" and "Shooting Star," the backing track occasionally sat prominently in the mix, at times making Yerin's softer vocal delivery difficult to distinguish from the audience area. Given the emotional nature of both songs, a slightly lighter instrumental balance may have allowed more of the nuances in her vocals to come through.

The challenge of delivering the songs was something Yerin herself acknowledged during the showcase. "The songs were actually quite high for me, so recording was difficult. But if we lowered the key, I worried the emotions wouldn’t come through, so I practiced a lot." Yerin shared, "If I wasn’t satisfied with a recording, I’d come back the next day and record again."

Through "REACH YOU," Yerin said she hopes to offer comfort and empathy to listeners navigating their own struggles. "We all fall down and struggle," she said, "during those times, I hope my songs can provide even a little comfort." Looking ahead, the singer said she hopes people will continue to recognize her first and foremost as a singer, adding that she wants to become known as an artist who can deliver strong live performances.