By Naomi Rodriguez | 18 March, 2024
CHUNG HA with Hongjoong of ATEEZ for Jacket Shoot. Provided by MORE VISION Ent.
I’ve been following CHUNG HA since her beginnings on Produce101. Since her audition, she has been marked as one of the greatest and strongest performers in K-Pop. One thing about her is her determination despite all the ups and downs she’s been through in the group I.O.I and as a soloist. Upon her leaving MNH Entertainment, fans didn’t know what the future may hold for her. However, she moved in silence; now she is signed under MORE VISION - a new label established by Jay Park. MORE VISION reps multiple dance crews, Honey J, formerly Jessi, and now CHUNG HA. A powerhouse of performers under this label, CHUNG HA fits right in and is empowered as a strong dancer along with singing.
This long wait was worth it and we get to experience CHUNG HA in a new light.
CHUNG HA teased her new comeback with her B-Side performance trailer, “I’m Ready.” Within the visuals itself, it was reminiscent of her viral song “Stay Tonight.” Due to her previous training in Waacking, there is a clear inspiration and appreciation of Vogue and Ballroom dance, which is embedded in queer culture, and is something that she brings into her work as a soloist. Many people continue to give props to CHUNG HA for highlighting her dancers, especially those with focus in this genre, and giving them the space to be their utmost selves as performers.
The song itself is a clear proclamation of her fearlessness as a soloist, “I'm never burnin' out / Never gonna be hidden no more / Watch me be loud / 'Cause I'm ready to get this, ready to get this.” This is a reminder to the world to take note of her artistry, and know that she is no longer holding herself back.
Whether by coincidence or not, coming back during Women's History Month feels beautifully timed for the type of person CHUNGHA is. From her newest song “EENIE MEENIE” to tracks like “Chica”, she makes sure to include any form of women empowerment in her work. “EENIE MEENIE” serves as a reminder of the autonomy of choice and decision. This is simply put in her lyrics, “ Ladies, we keep it movin' / Movin' forward with no regrets, yeah / 'Cause I'm feeling at my best / I ain't takin' no less.”
“EENIE MEENIE” feels just like CHUNG HA - yet it’s still a unique step she has taken in her music. Her title tracks in the past were always a refreshing pop track no matter the season while “EENIE MEENIE” experiments with the idea of refreshing Hip-Hop in terms of styling, dance, and composition of the song itself. CHUNG HA also doesn’t often have a feature in her titles, only time before was her debut with Nucksal! Coming back to the scene with a new image and new influences in music with having ATEEZ’s leader and main rapper Hongjoong as a part of this process has been fruitful to CHUNG HA’s artistry.
It’s exciting to see CHUNG HA experiment new forms of sound while inviting others to participate. With such a strong message in her music, Hongjoong seemed like a perfect choice because of his extensive credits in song-making for his own group. Personally, the uniqueness of his voice as a rapper really highlighted the musicality and unique instrumentation of “EENIE MEENIE.” Hopefully we get a performance of them together soon! It is fun to hear CHUNG HA use her voice in creative ways to express this new version of her music and era as a soloist.
As a long time fan, I’ve seen every era and album CHUNG HA has ever come out with, and I think this is one of the most fun I’ve seen her have so far. She has teased new music already for the later quarter of the year, so be on the lookout for more from such a talented performer. Be sure to check out her latest comeback here!
