YUQI Found Herself And ‘[Motivation]’ From A Friendship Breakup

YUQI [Motivation]

CUBE Entertainment

YUQI is in her baddie era, or at least, in her even more confident and f*ck the haters kind of vibe.

“I’m a free person and I [was] born with confidence,” YUQI says in a call from Seoul. “I just want everybody who listens to my music to feel the confident side of me [and understand the story I’m trying to tell].”

The 25-year-old Chinese artist released her newest single album, [Motivation], today, which includes three songs that play into different genres and languages: English, Korean, and Chinese, showcasing her global appeal. Inspired by a friendship gone wrong, YUQI began questioning what people’s intentions and “motivations” were for befriending her. Did they have good or bad intentions?

“At that time, when I was writing [the title] song [“M.O.], I was mad at someone who I thought was my friend,” the i-dle singer explains. “We became close. I found out she had gotten close to me on purpose in a bad way. Then I realized that some people will come and get to know you because you are famous. You have something they want. It made me mad because [you question], ‘what’s your motivation?’”

“M.O.” is a reference to modus operandi, meaning a person’s characteristic or distinctive pattern of behavior or method of operation, as they carry out their actions. Basically, what are these people’s “motivations?” The English song is inspired by ‘90s boom bap hip-hop, exuding the singer’s self-assurance, autonomy, and fearless nature. The two other songs include a delicate rock ballad, “Gone,” and a Chinese version, “还痛吗,” which expresses the feelings of parting ways.

“I realized everyone has their purpose,” she says. “I realized, fine, I would just do it myself. From now on, I don’t need you. There are lyrics in the song that say, ’No need a friend, no need a check, no need to rain,‘ which means I don’t need the fake friend anymore. I don’t need people like them because they want something from you. That’s why I put [Motivation] in this title. It’s a strong and emotional title.”

The singer made her solo debut in 2021 with the digital single, [A Page], and released her mini-album, YUQ1, last year.

Below, YUQI talks about her new single album [Motivation], how different they are from her previous releases, and who she wants everyone to see her as now.

LAURA SIRIKUL: What can you tell me about the concept for [Motivation], especially the image concept you released?

YUQI: The concept is old school-style of hip hop. That’s my favorite genre. That’s why I chose this message to deliver to the audience. I want everybody to know we are the best and just don’t care about the people around you who had a bad purpose [towards] you. Just do you and think, “I’m the best.” I think I’m the best. Everyone is following me: my style, music, and behaviors. [You tell the haters], “get away and off my set. I’m doing me.” That’s my motivation.

The songs feature a variety of genres and languages, including English, Chinese, and Korean. How did you decide which track and style you wanted for each language?

For “M.O.,” when I first wrote the lyrics, I wrote them in English because it’s my title track. I want the title tracks to be international because I wish all the fans to understand that. The other track, “Gone,” is a little bit more Korean-style because it’s a rock band kind of sound. It’s a rock track. When I wrote this song, I felt some lyrics could be in Korean or Chinese. I wondered what kind of language I should use in this track. In the end, I thought, let’s do both because I want all the fans to understand [the song]. I have fans from all over the world, so I want to take care of all of them. That’s why I decided to use both languages for that track.

What were the influences for each track and/or the album in general?

Last year, I released my first mini-album [YUQ1], and the concept of that album was how the public [perceived me] and how “I should be like” because I’m always energetic and have a bright side. So, the album was cute. But, deep in my heart, I’m a real hip hop lover. This time, I’m going to show the audience [that] YUQI can do hip hop things. Also, she’s not only about hip hop; she can do band songs because I play the guitar. When I produce my songs, I use my guitar to [make] them. I really want to show that side of myself too – the rock star and the hip-hop star. Those two are my favorites, which is why I chose them this time.

With [A Page], the song was a page in your life of all the feelings and recollections of that period. Your debut album, YUQ1, you’ve said, reflects your daily life, presenting the real you. What’s the identity behind [Motivation]? What stage of your life were you in when creating this single album?

When I was doing the [A Page] album, I was like a little girl who really wanted to grow up so soon. I wanted everybody to see me as a strong person. That was three years ago. Now, I really grew up a lot. I have my strong identity, character, and personality that have all grown up. I want to show the process of my growth to the audience. Back then, I didn’t know [how] to produce songs. I didn’t put purpose [behind] the songs. [But, producing songs] today, [I have a purpose]. [For example,] talking to you right now. If I were to [create] the song now about this [interaction], I would say, “I just met a new friend and am having a good time,” and I would use [that for a song] like a diary of my life.

With [Motivation], it’s just a process for me now. I want to show the audience what [I’m] thinking about is [reflected in the songs]. I put my message into the music when I feel inspired. That’s how I produce songs.

You’ve done many different genres of music and styles throughout your career, whether it be in i-dle or solo. Is there a style or genre that you have yet to try that you’d like to try?

There are actually a lot of genres I haven’t tried yet. I’m setting a goal [for myself] that the next album [I can do it]. I’m planning to, maybe, have a full album next year. I am producing a lot of songs, so maybe some jazz, more R&B, or melody things—even some traditional Korean trot. I’m open-minded to all the genres. I’m a really emotional person, so I can’t imagine how I will produce next time. I’m excited for that too.

The music industry is really tough. What has been your motivation to survive and thrive in this industry?

I love that question because I really want to share [my thoughts]. First of all, if there were no fans, there would be no idols or artists in this world. The fans and their relationship with the artists/idols are connected. The fans are one of my motivations for why I’m doing this now. I’m a real person who has a passion for dancing and singing on stage. That’s [another] motivation of why I keep doing this. The love for music is another motivation. Also, the love from my family and friends, and the people around the world who support me. The support [around me] is really important. My love for love and support from the people around me [motivates me].

I’m a big supporter of Chinese artists supporting each other in this industry by collaborating and working together. I loved this year’s KCON LA performance with ZEROBASEONE’s Zhang Hao. Will we see more collaborations like that or other collaborations with other artists, whether they are Chinese or from other countries?

I think there will be some. I’m really looking forward to that part because I’m really open-minded to all artists. There are so many good artists in this world. I can’t wait to collaborate with them, not only the Asian artists, but maybe some American stars. I’m just open-minded, but I have to [work] hard because they are so good. I have to get on the same level as them to get the collaborations.

I’m looking forward to working hard on that part. Maybe I can record some tracks with some artists. I don’t know where or when it’s going to be released, but I will make it as soon as possible.

Are there any collaborations that you’d like to manifest as a motivation?

If I ever got the chance, [I’d love the] opportunity [to work with] Dua Lipa. She’s my favorite artist in the world. I really love her. So, maybe in the future, if I got the chance, it’d be her. When I was a trainee, I covered her songs a lot. Her voice and music influenced me a lot. Maybe, if I got the chance, I would really want to collaborate with her. I have to work harder because she’s so big. She’s a superstar.

We know your “Motivations” now. What’s a goal that motivates you to take action?

For this album, I didn’t really set a goal. It wasn’t a thing I thought about. When I produced this album, I just wanted my fans and the audience to know YUQI is doing [her] thing. I can get them these strong messages from [Motivation]. When people listen to “M.O.,” I want [people] to get energy and confidence from the song. That’s my goal for this album, actually.

For my career, I want to keep doing this and doing what I want to do. Maybe one day, people will see “YUQI is a really good artist – an artist who can be respected.” My real goal that I set for myself is that maybe after 10 years or 100 years later in the history books, people will see an artist named YUQI and see that her music was really good. Like Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift, I want to be an icon for this generation. That’s my biggest goal.

Speaking of Taylor Swift, she defines things by the “eras” she’s living in. What era would you say you’re in now?

For this album, I want everybody to see YUQI as really confident. She’s a really confident person who can represent herself. I do what I want to do. Even though I shared with you why I wrote this song, based on a sad story of someone who betrayed me, I want the message to be that it’s okay. I don’t care about their bad behavior towards me, because I can only focus on myself. I do that now. I really love myself and my confidence. I’m going to do what I want to in the future. That’s the strongest message I have for myself. Yeah, the haters can get out of my life.

YUQI’s [Motivation] is available now on all streaming platforms. Physical versions of the album are available online and at select retailers.