The 10 best Chung Ha songs, according to the singer herself
“I think I was pretty brave and adventurous,” Chung Ha muses while looking back on everything she’s done in her career so far. “I feel like I did some different genres and different tastes.” Though, that’s definitely something of an understatement.
Since Chung Ha went solo following the disbandment of her former group, I.O.I, she’s tried her hand at a multitude of sounds. She’s strutted to the heart of the dancefloor in the likes of ‘Stay Tonight’, moulded K-pop in her image on ‘Roller Coaster’ and delivered heartfelt ballads in ‘Byulharang (160504 + 170607)’. Put her back catalogue so far on shuffle and you’ll be treated to a smorgasbord of styles, but each made to feel distinctively her.
Ranking the best songs from that collection would be a daunting task for anyone, not least the person with the strongest personal connection to her work. Ever up for a challenge, though, Chung Ha has given NME her definitive selection of her 10 best songs so far.
Honourable mentions:
‘Flying on Faith’ (2021)
‘XXXX’ (2022)
‘Good Night My Princess’ (2022)
‘Bad Boy’ (with CHRISTOPHER)’ (2020)
‘At The End’ (2019)
‘Cherry Kisses’ (2018)
“It’s a sophisticated summer song that I’d love to perform at concerts. Honestly, I only admit it now, but I considered this song as the title track for the ‘Blooming Blue’ album. As soon as I listened to it, it became my personal favourite. I was just more naturally drawn to it! So, someday, I’d like to re-record this track and share it. I’d love to do an English version – the first version I received was actually in English.”
‘Chica’ (2019)
“This song became a catalyst for forming the team ‘La Chica’, who are my friends and basically family. They’re my closest unnies</i?, the ones I’ve always collaborated with since ages ago. The first time Simeez, Rian and Gabee came together as a complete team was for my song ‘Chica’. Since they clicked so well, they decided to form a team. While thinking about what to name the group, they ended up creating the group ‘La Chica’ using the song name. Seeing how everything turned out so well for them now, listening to this track brings a sense of pride, and we did a good job working on it.”
‘PLAY’ feat. Changmo (2020)
“The choreography had elements from a bunch of genres, and while putting together the choreo, we transformed it to have a more musical feel. Performing this on stage was a bit chaotic for me – just watch the performance and you’ll understand instantly why. But trying out something new like ‘dance sport’ was fun and brought a lot of joy.”
‘Dream Of You’ with R3HAB (2020)
“I didn’t have much time to practise and prepare the performance for this song, so there’s some regret about that. But despite that, it received so much love, and I wish I could have promoted this song more. [I think it connected so strongly because] the performance stole the spotlight! Without any elaborate promotions, we shot just one video in a short timeframe, and I’m grateful for the overwhelming positive response. And, it’s extra special since it’s a track produced by the fantastic R3HAB, whom I truly admire – big thanks to him for collaborating with me.”
‘Stay Tonight’ (2020)
“I collaborated with famous dancers like Love Ran, La Chica and Coming Out for the performance of this song. We worked on this song before all these dancers individually became popular in Korea. The choreography came together quickly at that time, and the energy was just fantastic. It was so much fun, and I wanted to express a genderless style through my performance. Collaborating with incredible individuals on a project I had in mind was truly fulfilling. Seeing these talented dancers finally shining and succeeding made me feel proud and fortunate, and it once again struck me – the performance turned out so well thanks to their skills and dedication.”
‘Killing Me’ (2021)
“This is the first song that was produced with 100 per cent of my opinions and input. It holds significance because it’s the first time I’ve showcased the music I really want to make. Unlike songs like ‘Gotta Go’ and ‘Roller Coaster’, which strongly embrace the K-pop sound, this track doesn’t lean heavily into that style. I chose a song with a sound that I love, participated in the production, and filled it with various colours. It was wonderful to introduce a song I adore without feeling the pressure of how well it performs. I hope this song eventually receives the recognition it deserves.”
‘Love Me Out Loud’ (2022)
“This was my second fan song. I wrote ‘Love Me Out Loud’ during the pandemic when I was really missing performing for my fans. I pictured their loud cheers while writing it. So, when I get to do a concert later, I’d love to end it with this song and have my fans singing along with me.”
‘Byulharang (160504 + 170607)’ (2021)
“It’s my first fan song, so there’s a special attachment to it. Even though my fandom name has changed now to HAART, the name 별하랑 (Byulharang) holds significant meaning for both my fans and me. Byulharang are the fans who’ve been there with me since the beginning. The fans not only picked the name, but it also holds a beautiful meaning [to become each other’s stars and move forward and grow together]. Even though the name has switched now, my fans’ essential meaning and identity will always be Byulharang.”
‘I’m Ready’ (2024)
“I think this song allowed me to showcase the colours of my performance style quite well. Even when I first heard it, it felt like a performance track, and the outcome turned out great. The lyrics carry such a meaningful message, so I chose it as my second favourite. It really explains my state of mind right now and really fearlessly not caring, just wanting to be on stage.”
‘Eenie Meenie’ feat. Hongjoong of ATEEZ (2024)
“Naturally, I am currently most attached to this song because it’s my newest release. I had many concerns about this song and whether my voice and this hip-hop dance track would blend, but I chose it as the number one because it is equally fresh and new. Hongjoong definitely elevated the whole song – he gave me that last decoration that we needed. [His part] might sound very short, but his rhythms are very dynamic.”
Chung Ha’s new songs ‘Eenie Meenie’ and ‘I’m Ready’ are out now on Spotify, Apple Music and more.
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Rhian Daly
NME
