Querencia | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 15, 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Studio | MNH Studios | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 60:47 | |||
Language |
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Label | Genie Music | |||
Producer |
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Chungha chronology | ||||
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Singles from Querencia | ||||
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Querencia is the debut studio album by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released on February 15, 2021, under MNH Entertainment and 88rising. Originally set for a January 4 release, the album was delayed to February 15 after Chungha tested positive for COVID-19 on December 7, 2020, to focus on her recovery. It is the singer's first full-length album since her debut in 2017. The concept of the album lies in its title, "Querencia" which is a metaphysical concept in Spanish referring to a place where "one can be one's true self".
Querencia consists of 4 themes: Noble, Savage, Unknown, and Pleasures, and contains a total of 21 songs. The album features guest appearances from the DJ and record producer R3hab, Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa and South Korean singer-songwriter Colde. Singer-songwriters Sumin and Baek Yerin were also involved in the making of this album, the two artists co-wrote "Bother Me" and "All Night Long" respectively. The album is primarily a pop record that combines EDM, synth-pop, R&B, afrobeat, house, korean ballad and latin-pop elements.
The album received both commercial success and generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented the wide variety of music genres featured in the album as well as the singer's musical growth. Querencia was supported by five singles: "Stay Tonight", "Play" featuring Changmo, "X", "Bicycle" and "Demente", the first two became top ten and twenty hits on the Gaon Digital Chart. The album also includes the singles "Everybody Has" and "Dream of You" with R3hab.
On March 10, MNH Entertainment announced that Chungha had signed with American agency, ICM Partners, for her America and global promotions. [1] [2] [3] On April 12, 2020, Chungha released an ad image titled "pre-release single #1". According to the image, a photo teaser, an online cover image, and a music video teaser would be revealed on April 20–24. The image contained a dreamlike moonlight and hand-shaped sculptures that stretch toward it. [4] On the April 21, the official cover of the single was revealed. [5] The music video teasers were released on April 22 and 23. [6] [7] On June 18, Chungha released a teaser video for the second pre-release single titled "Play" and later announced that it would be released on July 6, 2020. [8] [9] [10] On July 1, the official cover of the single was revealed. On the same day the music video teasers were released. [11] [12]
On November 18, the singer dropped a series of teasers on her social media channels and one of which states a new collaboration single "Dream of You" between the singer and an unnamed artist, which would be released on November 27, accompanied with "X", that was set to be released on December 10. [13] [14] Chungha also announced that her first studio album would be released on January 4, 2021. [15] On November 23, 2020, the unnamed artist was revealed to be Dutch DJ and record producer R3hab. [16] The performance video teaser was released on November 25. [17]
On December 7, it was confirmed that Chungha has tested positive for COVID-19. [18] She also missed the live press conference for the new show "Running Girls", but made appearance as her parts were shown in the premiere. [19] On December 9, MNH Entertainment announced that Chungha's pre-release single "X" and upcoming studio album Querencia would be delayed to focus on her recovery. [20] [21] On January 11, 2021, Chungha announced that "X" will be released on January 19, while Querencia will be released on February 15. [22] On January 12, it was announced that "Bicycle" will be released on February 15, as the fifth and primary single off of the album. [23] The same day, the singer revealed the album track listing. [23] On January 14, Chungha shared the online cover of the album. [24]
The album incorporated elements of dance, disco, latin pop, pop, EDM, afrobeats, synth-pop, dance-pop, house, salsa, tropical house, indie rock and other many genres. [25] [26] Querencia is Chungha's first full-length album which consists of a total of 21 tracks. [27] The standard edition of the album is about one hour long. [27] It features guest appearances from the DJ and record producer R3hab, Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa and South Korean singer-songwriter Colde. [27] At twenty-one tracks, Querencia is the longest material in the singer's catalogue. [27] The album makes heavy use of acoustic guitar, [28] [26] bass guitar [29] and fuzz guitar, [28] pianos, [29] funk bass, [30] drum machines, [26] synthesizers [30] and sentimental string instruments. [30] [29] The word "Querencia" is Spanish and it has the meaning of a resting place. Continuing to touch on multiple genres and themes, Querencia is conveniently split into four sides: "Noble", "Savage", "Unknown" and "Pleasures" – each marked by one-minute interludes. "Noble", the album's opener, "buzzes through echoing beats and industrial noise", while "Savage" "takes the listeners into the pumping sounds of a club" and "Unknown" "delves deeper into the night with a skittering break beat". [26] Transitioning into the ballad-filled side of Querencia, "Pleasures" sets up for "a vulnerable side of the singer". [26] [31] Through these four themes, the singer wanted to show a person who takes on challenges and musical concepts without being limited to one concept. [32] Chungha participated in the composing and writing of "Bicycle" and "Byulharang (160504 + 170607)". [26] [33] [34] NME compared the album to Dua Lipa's second studio album Future Nostalgia , stating that "instead of mirrorball-flecked sounds of the 70s, Querencia takes listeners on a globe-trotting trip through a melting pot of sounds and influences". [26]
"The producers came up with the idea of the four components. I can't say that I have all four sides of the album in me, but I can certainly say that they show various aspects of me. I wanted to show in my own color that I'm a person who takes on challenges and musical concepts without being limited to one concept."
— Chungha discussing the sides of Querencia [35]
"Bicycle" is "a collage of electric guitar, churning synths, bouncy piano and switching tempos" that expresses "the excitement and overwhelming energy of the moment when you step on the pedal" with the R&B, trap and bossa nova sound developed with the introduction of the intense fuzz guitar. [30] [36] "Masquerade" is a song with salsa swings and boogaloo beat where she entices a lover to search for her. [26] [31] [37] "Flying on Faith" is a crunchy pop, electro-pop and R&B track with a vulnerable tone about a failing relationship where her partner stays weighed down by their emotions for an ex. [32] [38] [31] [28] Beginning with a guitar riff that eventually expands into a colourful explosion of synths, Chung Ha sings "She keeps weighing us down / I keep wondering if you wanna stay." [30] The fifth track, "Luce Sicut Stellae", which "possesses mysterious, enticing production" with a bouncy beat, guitar, strings and echoing harmonies, is a "dreamy" and "romantic" track about following the starlight and embracing the moment. [30] "Stay Tonight" is a disco and pop song captivated with its harp and piano riff elements. [39] The future house production consists of booming bass sound in the chorus, 90s house beats, atmospheric electronics and a disco guitar. [40] [41] [39] [42] Thematically, the track is about love. [42] The bass-heavy, house-pop cut, "Dream of You" is an electronic music track with a mix of house beat and a thick baseline. [43] The track has a harmony of sounds including strings, brass, vocoder and synthesizer. [43] The song also delivers "some of the singer's boldest, most seductive lyrics". [43] The disco-tinged gloss song, "Bother Me" is a "classic-sound ING" dance-funk and deep house track with bass guitar, dreamy synths and a propulsive beat. [32] [30] In the song Chungha sings her frustrations and annoyance towards someone who does not reciprocate her efforts. [30] "Chill" was described as a "quintessential" pop track". [28]
"Play" featuring Changmo is a Latin pop-inspired dance track with moombahton and reggae influences. [44] [45] [46] The song is about an exciting secret encounter between two lovers. [46] "Demente" is a "catchy" pop song with reggaeton rhythms, aided by Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa. [47] [26] Lyrically, the song tell a story of a confused love that causes great sadness due to the lack of interest of the other person. [48] The song marks the first Latin and K-pop collaboration for a female Korean soloist and "highlights Chungha's refusal to be pinned down or limited by boundaries – either geographical or genre – meshing Korean, Spanish and the dancehall-derived beats into an infectious, vibrant cut". [26] The bossa nova grooves song, "Lemon" featuring Colde has a funk-influenced R&B songtune, where she sings to her lover. [30] [37] [31] "Byulharang (160504 + 170607)" is a ballad with soft acoustic strums. [30] The track is named after her fandom, with the dates referring to both her debut with girl group I.O.I and, a year later, as a solo artist. [26] "X" is a modern rock pop number characterized by a rich melody. [49] It tells the story of having to rebuild yourself after being brought down by betrayal by others and coming out stronger than ever. [26] "All Night Long" was described as a "glossy R&B slow jam". "Everybody Has" is a sentimental ballad that aims to comfort those feeling worn out and exhausted. [50] [51] The 90s-influenced, "Come N Goes" is dream-pop ode to acceptance that people and the emotions associated with them do not ever completely leave. [31] [30]
According to Chungha's label 88Rising, she explained the album's meaning, where the title refers to "a place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self". The singer also stated that: "This album is my querencia, and I hope it becomes yours too". [52] In an interview held in April, the singer explained that Querencia means "a place to rest and gain energy" in Spanish, saying "she was drawn to the sound and meaning of the word and thought it was the perfect title for her album". [53]
"I first got to know the word Querencia not by its dictionary definition but by heart. So to me, Querencia is really about what makes me myself. It could be time, an object, space, or a particular emotion that's shapeless. It's really hard to define what querencia is. In 2020, working on this album itself gave me the strength to move forward and gave me a sense of stability. So I named it Querencia."
— Chungha explaining the title of the album [38]
The singer released the online cover image of Querencia through her social media on January 14, 2021. [54] The image shows Chungha staring intensely at one place, showcasing a fierce expression and wearing unique vivid color outfit with her hair slicked back, strong enough to break through the glass that is edited onto the artwork. [52] [54] Chungha explained that the cover "symbolizes breaking through any limitations that are visible or invisible – to be who she wants to be". [55]
On January 11, 2021, MNH Entertainment uploaded a teaser poster with the album's name, also announcing the release date. Preorders for the album began the following day. On January 12, Chungha teased the title of the album's lead single "Bicycle" on Twitter. On the same day, the singer posted the album's track list and digital cover two days later. [56] Eighteen months after Flourishing , Querencia was released worldwide on February 15, 2021, through MNH and 88rising in conjunction with the music video for "Bicycle". [26] [31] [37] In celebration of her comeback, Chungha held an online showcase and press conference to talk about her debut studio album and also her recovery from COVID-19, for which she asymptomatically tested positive in December 2020. [57]
For the album's physical release, Chungha and her label opted to have copies manufactured with as many environmentally-friendly materials as possible. [58] According to MNH Entertainment, a regular single-disc CD is packaged with less lamination – save for those all-important photo cards – and sold in paper envelopes instead of plastic jewel cases. [58] Chungha added "We also tried to minimise the use of lamination and other unnecessary plastics, except for photo cards, something very important for our fans," the artist told a local radio show. [58]
"Stay Tonight", released on April 27, 2020, serves as the lead single of Querencia. [59] An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Rima Yoon and Dongju Jang, was uploaded to Stone Music's and Chungha's YouTube channels simultaneously with the single's release. [60] Commercially, the single charted in three countries. In South Korea, the song debuted at number 9 on the Gaon Digital Chart, while peaking at number 4 on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. [61] [62] A promotional CD was made available through special events only. [63]
"Play" featuring Changmo was released as the album's second single on July 6, 2020. [64] An official music video for the song was released on August 28, 2020. The video shows Chungha as a matador to bullfight against a bright red sports car rather than a bull. [44] It peaked at number 14 in South Korea and 17 on US World Digital Songs. [65] [66] The single was later repackaged into a maxi single, which consists of the two pre-released singles, together with "Stay Tonight" peaked at number 7 on the Gaon Album Chart with 12,613 sales. [67] [68]
"X" was released as the fourth single on January 19, 2021. [49] The song peaked at number 100 in South Korea. [69] "Bicycle" was released as the fifth single and title track on February 15, 2021, the same day the album was released. [70] "Bicycle" debuted at number 38 on South Korean's Gaon Digital Chart for the chart issue dated February 14–20, 2021. [71] The song debuted on Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart at number 11. [72] A Spanish version of "Demente" with Guaynaa was released as the sixth single on March 17, 2021. [73]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Beats Per Minute | 76/100 [30] |
Dork | [29] |
IZM | [74] |
NME | [26] |
NME critic Rhian Daly opined that "If its title refers to a place where you can be your true self, then this album reflects its creator as a curious, confident and passionate artist whose songs help make the world feel that little bit bigger again". [26] For Rolling Stone India , Divyansha Dongre wrote that "with her debut album, Chungha demonstrates her versatility as a vocalist" but also "gives the audience a bigger glimpse of her rap and songwriting capabilities". [34] Writing for Nylon , Crystal Bell stated that the album is a "testament to the singer's metamorphosis from a captivating performer into a true global superstar". [38]
Writing for Dork , Abigail Firth deemed Querencia "an album where not only (as she says in the intro) her desires are protected, but where she's in control of them too". [29] Billboard 's Nolan Feeney praised the album's concept and production, writing "Querencia's ambitious and sophisticated sampling of global sounds may mark a turning point for K-pop's international reach". [37] Writing for Beats Per Minute , JT Early gave the album a score of 76/100, describing the material as "an exciting and surprising debut" and stated that the material is "completely unrestrained in its ambition to be one of the 'big' pop albums". [30] In a mixed review, Kim Doheon from IZM said that Querencia's "production, which relies in large part on the artist's versatility, does not create flashy moments, and Chungha, who faithfully performs a given song, does not exceed the level in singing, contrary to passionate dance performances" [74]
In June 2021, Billboard included Querencia on their "Best Albums of 2021 So Far: Staff Picks" list, with Nolan Feeeney stating that Chungha's debut album is "an ambitious undertaking on all levels" and adding that "there's a slinky sophistication that brings Querencia's cosmopolitan sounds together". [75] NME also placed Querencia on their "The Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)" list. [76] South China Morning Post included the album on their "Best K-pop albums of 2021 so far" list, with Tamar Herman opining that it "broken into four-quarters it feels like a guided tour through the musical museum of Chung Ha." [25]
Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Billboard | The 50 Best Albums of 2021 So Far | — | [75] |
NME | The Best Albums of 2021 (So Far) | — | [76] |
SCMP | Best K-pop albums of 2021 so far | — | [25] |
25 Best K-pop Albums of 2021 | 7 | [77] | |
PopCrush | 10 Best Pop Albums of 2021 (So Far!) | — | [78] |
Time | Best K-pop Songs and Albums of 2021 | — | [79] |
Commercially, Querencia debuted at number 1 on the Gaon Retail Album Chart at 1 pm KST with 1518 sales in its first hour of tracking. [80] In addition, all of the album tracks charted within the Top 100 of the notable South Korean streaming service, Bugs. [81] The title track "Bicycle" also debuted at number 2 on streaming services Bugs and Genie. [81] At the end of Querencia's first day, it sold 8921 copies in Korea, marking a new record for Chungha, beating out her Maxi Single by 4891 sales. [82] Upon release, Querencia reached the top three on the all-genre US iTunes sales chart, only behind Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album and The Pretty Reckless' Death by Rock and Roll . [83] On February 27, Querencia debuted and peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard World Albums chart and at number 5 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums, making it her second entry on the latter. [84] [85]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
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1. | "Side A (Noble)" | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | 1:07 |
2. | "Bicycle" |
|
|
| 2:59 |
3. | "Masquerade" |
|
|
| 3:17 |
4. | "Flying on Faith" |
|
|
| 3:06 |
5. | "Luce Sicut Stellae" |
|
|
| 3:11 |
6. | "Side B (Savage)" | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | 1:01 | |
7. | "Stay Tonight" |
|
|
| 3:37 |
8. | "Dream of You" (with R3hab) |
|
|
| 3:13 |
9. | "Bother Me" (짜증 나게 만들어 [lower-alpha 1] ) | Sumin |
| Slom | 3:22 |
10. | "Chill" (Chill해 [lower-alpha 2] ) |
|
|
| 3:26 |
11. | "Side C (Unknown)" | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | 1:01 | |
12. | "Play" (featuring Changmo) |
|
|
| 3:20 |
13. | "Demente" (featuring Guaynaa) |
|
| Rationale | 2:43 |
14. | "Lemon" (featuring Colde) | Colde |
|
| 3:22 |
15. | "Byulharang (160504 + 170607)" (별하랑 (160504 + 170607)) |
|
|
| 3:43 |
16. | "Side D (Pleasures)" | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | 1:03 | |
17. | "X" (걸어온 길에 꽃밭 따윈 없었죠 [lower-alpha 3] ) |
|
|
| 4:15 |
18. | "All Night Long" | Yerin Baek |
| Cloud | 3:45 |
19. | "Everybody Has" (솔직히 지친다 [lower-alpha 4] ) | Armadillo | Armadillo | Armadillo | 3:42 |
20. | "Comes N Goes" |
|
| Vincenzo | 3:31 |
21. | "Querencia (Epilogue)" | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | Vincenzo | 1:34 |
Total length: | 60:47 |
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
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South Korean Albums (Gaon) [86] | 6 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [85] | 5 |
US World Albums (Billboard) [84] | 10 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
South Korea | — | 31,800 [87] |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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Various | February 15, 2021 |
| [27] | |
South Korea |
Kim Chung-ha, known mononymously as Chungha, is a South Korean pop singer, dancer and choreographer. She finished fourth in Mnet's girl group survival show Produce 101, becoming a member of the resulting girl group I.O.I. Following the dissolution of I.O.I in 2017, Chungha debuted as a solo artist with the extended play Hands on Me.
Hands on Me is the debut extended play by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released on June 7, 2017 by MNH Entertainment and distributed by CJ E&M Music. It consists of five songs, including the title track "Why Don't You Know" featuring rapper Nucksal. A music video for the title track was also released on June 7.
The discography of South Korean singer, dancer and choreographer Chungha consists of two studio albums, four extended plays (EPs), three single albums, seventeen singles, and forty-four music videos. In addition, the singer has collaborative and soundtracks for television series.
"Gotta Go" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released as a single on January 2, 2019, by MNH Entertainment and distributed by Genie Music, and was promoted as a single album. Adopting a darker style, the princess concept appears to be a shift away from the "girl crush" image of her previous albums Hands on Me and Offset.
Jean Carlos Santiago Pérez, known professionally as Guaynaa, is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer. He is known for the song "Rebota", which became his first song to reach the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in April 2019.
"Zimzalabim" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play The ReVe Festival: Day 1, which acts as the first installment of the group's The ReVe Festival trilogy. Primarily an EDM-influenced electropop track that resembles a "colorful parade" and showcases an extravagant soundscape, the song was composed by production duo Caesar & Loui, Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with Korean lyrics written by lyricist Lee Seu-ran, which tells the listeners to "unfold a dream" that is "held deeply" in their heart. Accompanied by an amusement park-themed music video, it was released on June 19, 2019 by SM Entertainment as the lead single for Day 1, and subsequently the first single from The ReVe Festival trilogy.
Flourishing is the fourth extended play by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released by MNH Entertainment and distributed by Stone Music Entertainment on June 24, 2019. "Snapping" was released as the title track on the same day. It is her first EP since the release of Blooming Blue in July 2018.
"Snapping" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha released on June 24, 2019, by MNH Entertainment, Stone Music Entertainment. The track acts as the title track for her Korean fourth extended play Flourishing, which was released simultaneously with the single. As of February 2021, it has over 75 million views on YouTube and 80 million streams on Spotify. "Snapping" placed first on the music show, Show Champion on July 3, 2019.
"These Nights" is a collaboration single by Indonesian rapper Rich Brian and South Korean singer Chungha released on October 3, 2019, by 88rising. The track serves as one of the lead singles in 88rising's compilation album, Head in the Clouds II, released on October 11, 2019 through 88rising Records and 12Tone Music.
"Loveship" is a collaboration single by South Korean singers Paul Kim and Chungha released on January 21, 2020, by MNH Entertainment and Neuron Music and distributed by Kakao M. The acoustic version was released on January 29, 2020.
"Everybody Has" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Chungha released on February 29, 2020, by MNH Entertainment and distributed by Stone Music Entertainment. The song is part of MNH Entertainment's project album New.wav and of Chungha's first full-length studio album Querencia.
"Stay Tonight" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha as the lead single from her debut Korean-language studio album Querencia. The song was released on April 27, 2020, by MNH Entertainment and Stone Music. It was written and produced by VINCENZO, Any Masingga, Fuxxy and Anna Timgren. "Stay Tonight" is a house and disco-pop song.
"Play" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha, which features Changmo. The song was released on July 6, 2020, by MNH Entertainment and Stone Music as the second single from her first Korean-language studio album Querencia. The single was later repackaged into a maxi single, which consists of the two pre-released singles, together with "Stay Tonight" peaked at number 7 on the Gaon Album Chart with 12,613 sales.
"Bad Boy" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha and Danish singer Christopher. It was released on September 23, 2020, by MNH Entertainment, Parlophone Denmark and Warner Music Korea.
"Celebrity" is a song by South Korean singer-songwriter IU. It was released on January 27, 2021, through EDAM Entertainment via Kakao M, and serves as the lead single from her fifth Korean-language studio album, Lilac. A dance-pop and electropop track, "Celebrity" was written by IU, with additional composition by Chloe Latimer and Celine Svanback, and Ryan S. Jhun, Jeppe London Bilsby, Lauritz Emil Christiansen, —the last three also handled arrangement.
"Bicycle" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released on February 15, 2021, through MNH and 88rising as the title track from Chungha's first Korean-language studio album, Querencia. It was originally scheduled to be released on January 4, 2021, however it was delayed after she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Musically, "Bicycle" incorporates R&B, trap and dance-pop beats developed with the introduction of the intense fuzz guitar, and expresses excitement and the feelings of overwhelming energy of the moment.
"Demente" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha and Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa from her first Korean studio album Querencia. It was released on February 15, 2021, through MNH and 88rising. The song is the thirteenth track on the album, and was written by Lao Ra, Guaynaa, Tinashé Fazakerley and Vincenzo and produced by him and Fuxxy. "Demente" solidifies the singer's "versatility as she flawlessly sings in Spanish and Korean" over a reggaeton beat. The song marks the first collaboration between a Korean female soloist and a Latin singer. Lyrically, the song tell a story of a confused love that causes great sadness due to the lack of interest from a lover.
"Killing Me" is a song by South Korean singer Chungha. It was released as a special single on November 29, 2021, through MNH Entertainment, and Stone Music Entertainment.
Bare & Rare is the second studio album by South Korean singer Chungha. The first part was released on July 11, 2022, under MNH Entertainment and 88rising.