Song Review:: Yeji (ITZY): AIR- Air {Debut}

• Release date: 2025 March 10

• Album tracklist: Air; Invasion; Can't Slow Me, No; 258

• Album runtime: 12 minutes

 So, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Yeji is the first member of ITZY to debut as a soloist, which is super exciting for her! Congratulations! GOLD from last year was my absolute jam, and I'm curious to see what statement Yeji makes with her solo debut. 

I had initially resigned myself for this to be a delicate addition to the milquetoast genre, but was pleasantly surprised to discover there's more strength to the instrumentals than I was expecting. Even in the parts where it's relatively quieter, there's a deep thrum courtesy of the bass. In general, I'm reminded a little of Stranger Things, so that's fun. Genuinely, I'd be unsurprised to discover this song in the show, even though I know quite well that it far, far too young. But it's got a lot of the same traits as songs from the third and fourth seasons especially. Also, that's a sick guitar.

We've got a range in volume. We've got a range in pitch. Everything is well-supported, even at the beginning when she's almost whispering. I get to hear vibrato. This has everything I like to hear in a song. I'm particularly pleased with the strength of her voice. I think it's a good debut for her. It's familiar in some ways, but it's stepping away from the current trend for most of the song. 

There are parts of her choreography that remind me a lot of the boneless sections of Super by Seventeen. And every time I see Super choreography, my brain is like "That cannot be real." I've seen it in person. It's just as insane as it looks. So given that, I'm not yet going to call shenanigans on the beginning of the music show where her movements are uncomfortably unnatural looking, though to specify, I'm not talking about the wirework, because that's clear. But every time I watch the beginning choreography, it's so smooth that I don't like it. I'm laughing a little that both she and Seulgi seem to have a thing against windshields, which is an odd thing to have a thing against, but it's also weird that it comes up in two songs released on the same day. other than that beginning bit, the shadow play is excellent.