Anna-Claire Olsen, DJ
“My voice, my vision.”
K-Pop icon and member of beloved girl group (G)I-DLE, MINNIE, has released her very anticipated solo EP, “HER.” An already busy soloist, MINNIE has released 10 past singles, many of which belong to the soundtracks of well-known Korean films and dramas, and have even been included in a Webtoon OST. This latest project, her first solo album in 7 years, was released on January 21, 2025, and includes seven tracks with two features of other well-known idols, YUQI from her own (G)I-DLE, and TEN of NCT.
MINNIE explained in an interview held at her agency, Cube Entertainment, that she has been working on “HER” for 4 to 5 years, and started developing the track list last summer. Her aim with this album was to display different sides of her personality in a “collection of her unique charms.” This album did not fall short on that front, with each track having its own separate intrigue and identity.
The album opens with the song “Blind Eyes Red,” which was accompanied by a music video released on January 6, 2 weeks before the song hit streaming services. Rapidly racking up millions of views on (G)I-DLE’s official YouTube channel, this track instantly became a fan favorite. Comprised of heavy bass with a strong trap sound, “Blind Eyes Red” has a very dark and alluring feel, one very well-known by (G)I-DLE fans. The lyrics convey a story of obsession between two partners, and an almost “blinded by attraction” relationship that keeps them coming back to each other no matter what. “He sick of callin’ no one else. He ain’t gon’ call it for me, eyes are blinded red, red.” This song is a very strong opener and makes a big “here she is” impression. This song receives a 7.5/10 from me.
The second track, and title track, “Her,” completely differs from the previous, with that standard, yet never disappointing K-Pop-y sound to it. Also coming with a music video released at the same time as the album, “Her” is all about MINNIE as she is seen in the public, an icon, but not one without depth. She talks about her image as a darling superstar and the many hidden pieces of her personality you don’t see on the front page. “You think you know me? I’m her. Who shot ya? With the tied-up hair? Well, I’m her.” As a ballad to herself, the lyrics can’t help but make you feel like you yourself are a celebrity, all while serving stunning visuals in the music video and concept photoshoots that came with it. I believe this is the best solo title track of all (G)I-DLE members, and it gets a 9/10 from me.
The third track, and one that has been looping in my head, is “Drive U Crazy,” featuring YUQI. A strong blend of R&B and Pop, with a lot of electronic elements, “Drive U Crazy” is all about having a wild personality, but one that pulls you in. “We ain’t gonna stall, I’ma go ahead, I pass the red light. Got no plan in my head.” The mix of YUQI and MINNIE’s voices is the perfect sound for a song like this. Already being in the same group, you know the two of them are going to sound good together. It reminds me of something you would hear in the Fast & Furious movies. This is my favorite song on the album, and I give it a strong 10/10.
The next song is “Cherry Sky.” All about a sort of soft and addicting “high” from love, this song is particularly beautiful due to MINNIE’s soft voice. Some of the lyrics read: “You can ride the rainbow, it’s your fantasy. A little bit of ‘ha,’ a little bittersweet. Once you taste the heavens, you won’t wanna leave.” The vocal layering and bass in the background give it more depth as well, making it overall feel very complete and pleasant to listen to. While the lyrics don’t particularly stand out to me like others on the album, “Cherry Sky” is a display of great production. The song was composed by MINNIE, as well as DallasK (with Chloe Angelides and Liza Owen). DallasK is a well-known American producer, working with artists such as Fifth Harmony, Lauv, Celine Dion, Shakira and more. You can definitely feel the American Pop influence here. This is my second favorite B-side after “Drive U Crazy,” and I will definitely be listening to this song while I’m studying or on a long car ride. I give it an 8/10.
The next two tracks are “Valentine’s Dream” and “It’s Okay.” I group these songs because they are both extremely mellow songs, with lyrics almost entirely in Korean. “Valentine’s Dream” paints an adorable picture of being so happy and in love with someone that it feels like a dream and must not be real. It almost sounds like a lullaby. If there were ever a K-Pop song to be played as a first dance at a wedding, it would be this. It is one of those songs that makes you want to cry from how sweet it is. The outro, in particular, got to me. The English translation reads: “I’m dreaming, walking down a spring road with you and the cherry blossoms fluttering. We lit the flames of love in the warm summer night. Until the leaves fall and the snow melts.” How cute! I give this a 9/10.
“It’s Okay” flips the “Valentine’s Dream” concept on its head, and is about not being able to let go of someone. The song is still soft, with MINNIE keeping her very dreamy, emotion-packed voice, but I cannot say I am a fan of this one. I don’t enjoy the backing track, and I didn’t find myself thinking “Wow she is made for this song” as I have with others on “HER.” I could do without this one, and I give it a 3/10.
The final track on the album is “Obsession” featuring TEN of NCT. The title explains itself, with the song being about obsession. “‘Cause I can’t let it go, no other way. Day or night, I just need you to stay.” This song was also accompanied by a music video released on January 27 with TEN making an appearance. The music video itself is particularly interesting, with the first half being in black and white and changing to color later on. Even as a fan of both NCT and (G)I-DLE, I honestly never thought of MINNIE and TEN collaborating, but they work so perfectly together. In the video, they have great chemistry, and their voices layered over one another is incredibly satisfying. “Obsession” is very synth-heavy and has a spacey feel to it. While it is not a song I would typically put in my playlist or intentionally play, I certainly wouldn’t skip it if it came on. I give this a 6/10.
Overall, I give this album an 8/10. I think MINNIE did an incredible job assembling the tracks in the way she did, and it reads like a diary. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to each track and never found myself getting bored. I was listening to every word wondering what was going through her mind when she wrote it. With all of the (G)I-DLE solo albums and EPs, I can confidently say I enjoyed this one the most. It is very rare for me, as a somewhat picky person when it comes to music, to come out of an album with over half of the songs added to my playlist. If you find any of this interesting, check out MINNIE and (G)I-DLE’s other music; and if you want more music recommendations, consider listening to my K-Pop show, K-Hour, every Monday from 8-9 p.m. on WSYC 88.7 FM to hear some of my other favorites.
