Jihyo, a member of the popular girl group Twice, held a press conference in Seoul on Friday, August 18, to announce the release of her first solo album titled “Zone.” This marks a significant milestone for Jihyo, who has been in the music industry for nine years since her debut. She is the second member of Twice to release a solo album, following Nayeon’s release in 2022.
During the press conference, Jihyo shared that she began working on the album last year. She expressed her desire to showcase new sides of herself as a vocalist and explained that each song on the album explores different genres to highlight her versatile musicality. The album consists of seven tracks, ranging from R&B to Latin, and Jihyo even experiments with lower tones and attempts rap in her solo project.
The lead single from the album, titled “Killin’ Me Good,” emphasizes Jihyo’s powerful and low voice, accompanied by a catchy melody. Jihyo revealed that she wanted to showcase her dancing skills in her solo debut, stating that it would be meaningless for her to release a solo album if she didn’t dance. The lyrics of the song were penned by JY Park, the founder and producer of Jihyo’s label JYP Entertainment.
Aside from the lead single, the album features six side-tracks, including collaborations with artists like 24kGoldn and Heize. Jihyo contributed to all six songs, including the album’s only all-English lyric song, “Talkin’ about It.”
Jihyo expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to debut as a solo artist after nine years with Twice. She believes that everyone has their own individual allure and hopes that her music can be interpreted differently by each listener.
Twice, known for their consistency, positive energy, and chemistry as a group, has been enjoying immense popularity for nine years. They recently held a concert at New York’s MetLife Stadium, making them the first K-pop girl group to do so.
With the release of her first solo album, Jihyo considers her job done. She hopes to stay true to herself and continue to evolve as both a person and a musician.
