Debuted in 2020 as part of the girl group Weeekly, Yoonie, also known as Shin Jiyoon, broke the long wait after departing from the group in 2022 by releasing her solo debut track, "Yellow Light," earlier this year. Five months later, Yoonie dropped her second solo single titled "Madagascar."
The 22-year-old singer notably worked on every stage of this project, from penning the lyrics and producing the song to illustrating and animating the music video, proving herself to be a well-rounded artist. Beyond these, she also recently demonstrated her DJ skills by gracing the stage as DJ Swan in South Korea and Thailand.
Following the release of "Madagascar," allkpop chatted with Yoonie to discuss the process and preparations behind the single, the artists she wishes to collaborate with, and more. Keep reading to learn more about Yoonie!
Yoonie's shout-out to allkpop:
allkpop: First of all, congratulations on your 2nd solo single “Madagascar”! How long did it take you to prepare for this one, including writing the lyrics, composing, drawing, and making the animation for the music video?
Yoonie: The overall process took 5 months! And the music video took 2 weeks! Writing the lyrics was not very difficult because the story came up in my mind right after I decided to write a song about Madagascar. Composing didn’t take too long as well. My professor in school helped me arrange the song, and finally, the final track came out.
allkpop: You took care of everything, which is impressive. How satisfied are you with the outcome?
Yoonie: Actually, I’m really satisfied! I want to enjoy everything in music — the process, results, people’s reactions. I’d love to enjoy everything. Of course, there are a lot of imperfections and flaws, but I don’t care… Because I was happy making this song and my family loved it! There's nothing I want more than that.
allkpop: What was on your mind while you were working on the song, and what inspired you to write about Madagascar in particular?
Yoonie: First of all, I wanted to draw a picture of my imagination freely. Not only for the illustration and music video but for the sounds and melody too. It was really fun! And the reason why I wrote a song about Madagascar is really simple. It’s because I really love various animals and nature, and I’m very interested in exploring the natural ecosystem. In Madagascar, there are a lot of endemic species. I was really interested in Madagascar and I wanted to write a song about exploring there.
allkpop: You’re also currently studying at a university. How was the experience so far going back to study after being in a K-Pop group to now building your solo career?
Yoonie: It was so good! I have experienced a lot of things I couldn't do. Going on a school field trip, attending a school festival, and enjoying school life. And through those steps, I learned so much about life, music, and more. These experiences helped me recreate my new world of music.
allkpop: You collaborated with YANGJEONGMAN on “Yellow Light.” I wanted to ask you if you have any dream collaborations, be it in or out of K-Pop? Which artists do you want to work with?
Yoonie: I really want to make a lot of collaborations with various artists, especially self producing artists such as DPR Live, eaJ, and Jay Park! And I’m really obsessed with KISS OF LIFE! I want to write a fancy song for Julie unnie. She’s incredible! I love her voice and her amazing stage presence. I also love Laufey and beabadoobee. There are so many phenomenal artists. I love living in this world! (laughs)
allkpop: You debuted as a member of Weeekly at the age of 18. What sparked your interest in music and becoming an idol?
Yoonie: Since I was really young, I grew up listening to K-Pop. I think that since then, my passion for K-pop has grown inside me. I started to dream about being a K-Pop idol without even noticing.
allkpop: How often do you write music? I heard that your goal back then was to write 100 songs. How many songs have you created so far?
Yoonie: I guess there are more than 120 songs so far. To be honest, I write music very irregularly. If there’s a growing idea, I start to write a song right away. But If I can’t think of a good concept, it’s a no-day week for me.
allkpop: Are there any musical genres you want to experiment with or try for your future songs?
Yoonie: I’d love to produce a hard D&B track! And I want to make a decent jazz song!
allkpop: Lastly, please feel free to share with us your goals and a message for allkpop readers and your supporters!
Yoonie: Thank you for having me today! My goal is to be a worldwide singer and give people hopes and dreams. For allkpop readers, I want you guys to join my journal! It’s going to be fun. Thank you for reading this! Love you all!
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