When K-pop idols go solo, the outcome can swing in two directions. For DaYoung, best known as a powerhouse vocalist in WJSN (Cosmic Girls) and for her acting roles in dramas like True Beauty, the path is clear: she’s stepping into her own solo spotlight.
With her first single album, gonna love me, right? DaYoung makes the leap from idol to pop-forward artist, proving she’s more than ready to define her sound and vision on her own terms.
A decade after her debut, DaYoung is unveiling her raw, authentic, confident, and undeniably magnetic self through three English-forward tracks that capture both her growth and her passion.
Known for her iconic vocals and radiant energy, she’s now channeling that into music that feels more personal than ever.
We had the chance to sit down with DaYoung for an unfiltered conversation about this new chapter, the “Solo DaYoung era.”
From producing songs herself to conceptualizing the album’s main music video for “Body”, filmed in Los Angeles with bold choreography and deep sultry visuals, she’s deeply hands-on in crafting her solo identity and style. Watch the music video below!
The tracks “Number One Rockstar” and “Marry Me” follow “Body” with distinct energies, yet both feel fresh and successful in their own right. “Number One Rockstar” channels self-confidence, marking her solo journey, while lyrics echo the solo album’s title, and “Marry Me,” a track she had a particularly close hand in shaping, offers a more intense and mature exploration of the toxic, all-too-familiar kind of love.
gonna love me, right? explores themes of love, self-expression, and ambition, with DaYoung declaring not just her authenticity, but her desire to be nothing less than a “Number One Rockstar.”
Still under the Starship Entertainment umbrella, DaYoung is exploring new creative directions with this three-track project and beyond.
In our conversation, she opened up about the importance of releasing music that truly reflects who she is, her hopes for future collaborations, and what she wants both longtime fans and new listeners to take away from this solo era.
She also shared how her years with WJSN, and the stages and experiences she has had with the group, shaped and inspired her approach to this debut, proving that while this is a fresh chapter, it’s also built on the foundation of everything she has achieved so far.
Read the interview below or watch the full video above!
The Knockturnal: First of all, congratulations on your solo debut that’s upcoming. Solo DaYoung is finally here. I’ve been a long-time WJSN (Cosmic Girls) stan, and I’ve loved seeing all the different sides of you, from acting to your fun and bright side in CHOCOME, to your powerful vocalist moments in WJSN. Now you have this single album, and we get to see you. It’s sexy, it’s raw, it’s authentic, it’s confident, and it’s very real.
DaYoung: Thank you so much.
The Knockturnal: I’m such a big fan. When I first saw that you had removed all your posts from your Instagram and changed your username, I knew that this was gonna be a fresh chapter for you.
Stepping into the solo chapter, was it scary to move from a group perspective into your own spotlight, or was this something you had always envisioned for yourself, to have a little bit of a solo moment? I’d love to hear about that.
DaYoung: OK. Yes, it was definitely a little scary to go solo. ‘Cause like, I was always with my group members for the past 10 years, so it always felt like I had 10 of my best friends to get through hard times with.
But now that I’m completely solo, it feels like all of the pressure is on me. Having said that, it has always been my dream to try and be a solo artist with my own voice. I’m really excited about this new chapter.
I would say, don’t worry about my Instagram, because I just wanted people to focus on my new chapter and solo album. So like, all the photos are just archived, so I can bring them back anytime.
The Knockturnal: Well, we’re so excited. You know, this album feels very personal and unfiltered. It really shows us who you are at your core. I want to know how important it was for you to make a project that reflects yourself, especially because you worked so closely on it.
DaYoung: I wanted to show a different side of myself through this project because it shows who I am today. That’s why I made sure to be involved in everything, like the music, the styling, even in the music video.
The Knockturnal: And speaking of, the single album has 3 tracks: “Body,” “Number One Rockstar,” and “Marry Me.” They’re all quite English-focused—again, once again, a new era for you. You collaborated with so many names like Salem Ilese, Eric Nam, and Sad Alex. What was it like to work so closely with other artists, and did they influence the project at all?
DaYoung: I learned so much from them. It was an honor to work with them, especially with Eric Nam. He brought so many fresh ideas and inspired me a lot. I really feel like my music has grown so much because of these collaborations, and I can’t thank them enough.
The Knockturnal: You also personally worked on “Marry Me” yourself, for lyrics and composition. It’s a really bold, mature track, and it’s relatable for people who are navigating a toxic love but at the end of the day want to just love themselves. Can you tell us what inspired this song and why it was important for you to share this side of yourself in “Marry Me?”
DaYoung: I wanted to create a song that people could really relate to. You know, we’ve all been through tough relationships, and I hope this song helps people move past those experiences and love themselves even more.
The Knockturnal: Now I want to talk about the lead track, which is “Body.” It’s such a fun vibe. It’s fluid, it’s mature, it’s full of confidence. I love the little rap moment where you said, “Face on 10, incredible,” because true that! You know, you were just saying how you had creative ideas in the music video as well. And it was filmed in Los Angeles. It really captured the city’s energy.
How was it like for you to film this video in LA? Why did you want to do that, and how did the visuals represent the track itself?
DaYoung: Oh, and by the way, I’m so happy that you got the vibe! Yes, of course. For the question, I wanted to bring a vibrant and positive energy to the visuals, and I thought LA felt like the perfect place for that.
The Knockturnal: For sure. I’ve lived in LA my whole life, and I would love to know about your stay out here. I remember seeing you back in 2022 at KCON LA with WJSN, the last time, so now you’re back solo.
Was there anything else fun that you did while you were out here, other than filming, that you’d like to share?
DaYoung: I really, really love LA, and I got to visit so many places that I saw on Instagram and YouTube. Oh, I even got to practice and rehearse in studios where so many of my favorite artists have trained. It was fun and surreal.
The Knockturnal: We haven’t talked about “Number One Rockstar” yet. It’s a bit more of a charged energy, and then you have that really explosive ending. Feels like a statement track, highlighting your artistry and your passion for music. Would you say that this song kind of marks the start of your new artist era rather than your idol era?
DaYoung: I want to be both an idol and an artist forever, because there isn’t really a big difference between my idol era and my artist era. This is definitely the start of the next chapter for me.
The Knockturnal: I want to know, has there been any person or artist who has inspired you in your solo era? I watched an interview where you mentioned Ariana Grande is one of your favorite artists. Did she or anyone else influence the way you approached this project?
Looking ahead, is there anyone Solo DaYoung wants to collaborate with in the future?
DaYoung: I’ve been inspired by so many incredible artists like Ariana Grande and Beyoncé. And I’m also a huge fan of Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, so it would be amazing to collaborate with them someday. Like, big, right? So I’m definitely dreaming big.
The Knockturnal: You just gotta manifest. You have to put it all out there. You know, you’ve shown so many sides of yourself with WJSN, and now you’re the second member from that group to debut solo after Seola. Were there any lessons or experiences from your group setting in WJSN that helped guide you through building your own identity?
DaYoung: I’ve had so many amazing experiences and memories performing with my team WJSN, or Cosmic Girls, and that has definitely helped me in so many ways as I step into my solo career.
The Knockturnal: Lovely. And I want to talk about the title of this release, it’s called gonna love me, right? It touches on themes of self-love and confidence. I would love to know what three things you hope listeners will take away from this era of DaYoung?
DaYoung: The three themes are: one is confidence, two is love, and three is dreaming big.
Because the title gonna love me actually has two meanings. One is “gonna love me,” you’re gonna love me, full of confidence, like I know you’re gonna love me, right? And the other is “gonna love me, right?” like you’re asking for someone’s love.
I hope people can reconnect with their forgotten dreams through my song “Number One Rockstar.”
The Knockturnal: Is there anything else that you want to get out to watchers, readers, and fans coming back to support you?
DaYoung: I wouldn’t be here today without them. All of my fans mean so much to me, and I’m always grateful for their love and support. So please keep rooting for me and my music, I hope you are gonna love me.
Stay tuned and follow along with DaYoung’s journey as she continues to grow and shine in her solo ventures, fully embracing her authentic self.
FOR MORE DAYOUNG:
Solo Instagram | WJSN Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify
