Yves Is Becoming the Artist She’s Always Wanted to Be
For Yves, stepping into the spotlight has been a journey of self-discovery. After years of sharing the stage as a member of a K-pop group, the South Korean singer is embracing her individuality and finding new ways to express herself as a solo artist. From her fourth EP, NAIL, and collaborations with artists like Lolo Zouaï to international tours and fashion magazine covers, Yves is proving that her creativity knows no boundaries.
With growing confidence and a desire to explore new sounds, she’s less concerned with fitting into a particular image and more focused on becoming the artist she wants to be. In conversation with Galore, Yves opens up about her musical evolution, finding freedom in fashion, connecting with fans, and why she’s more excited about what’s ahead than what she’s already accomplished.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
How does it feel to go from being known as a K-pop group member to stepping fully into your own spotlight on these worldwide stages?
When I was in a group, I was used to sharing the stage with other people and building the energy together. So when I first started as a solo artist, having all of that attention focused on me felt exciting, but also a little overwhelming.
Touring changed that a lot. The more stages I did, the more I stopped thinking, “I have to fill this whole stage by myself,” and started thinking about how I could share the space with the audience instead. Now I actually enjoy the spotlight. I don’t feel like I have to fight against it anymore. I can just stand in it and see what kind of version of myself comes out that day.
What was the most unforgettable moment from your spring headline run across Europe, North America, and South America—and did any crowd reaction change how you perform?
One of my favorite memories was celebrating my birthday with fans in Chicago and Toronto. My birthday is in May, so for a lot of years I spent it in rehearsal rooms or on music video sets because I was always promoting. It was the first time I got to spend my birthday onstage with fans, so it felt really emotional. I think those are the kinds of memories that stay with you longer than you expect.
I also learned how much the audience can change the way I perform. Fans in Europe and North America are very expressive — they sing loudly, dance, and react to everything — and that gave me a lot of energy. It made me loosen up more and react to what was actually happening in the room instead of only thinking about what I had prepared. I realized that a show isn’t something I make alone. The audience changes me too, and I think that’s when the performance becomes real.
You’ve just announced a fall Asia and Australia tour—what do you want fans to experience differently this time around?
For a lot of people on the Asia and Australia tour, it’ll be their first time seeing the NAIL songs live, so I hope they get to see a slightly different side of me this time. I also feel much more comfortable onstage now. Before, I was thinking a lot about doing everything exactly right. These days, I enjoy reacting to the crowd and the feeling of each city more, so I think every show can have its own personality.
More than anything, I hope people can just disappear into the music for a little while. Even if it’s only for the length of the show, I want it to feel like a break from everything else. I think the best kind of show is one where you look at the time afterward and realize you forgot about everything outside the room.
The EP “NAIL” (and what’s next): Your fourth EP dropped this past spring—what part of you is most “you” in NAIL, and what can we expect from the new music you’re planning later this year?
On NAIL, I was more involved in the writing and composition, so I was able to put a lot of the thoughts and emotions I was having at the time directly into the music. “It” probably feels the closest to me. It isn’t about anything huge or dramatic — it’s about appreciating the people around me and the small things in everyday life. I think the way I notice those little things says a lot about who I am.
The process for the next project has been different. We did these long internal interviews where I had to unpack thoughts and feelings that I normally wouldn’t really explain out loud. In a way, it became a process of looking at myself more closely and finding new ways to translate those emotions into music. I’ve also been trying sounds and vocal approaches that are new to me. I don’t want to explain too much yet, but I think people will hear a side of me that I haven’t really shown before.
Being on the cover of NME (July/August) and Hypebae (Summer 2026) feels like a big shift in visibility—what do you think those visuals capture about your current chapter?
I really love magazine shoots because I like trying on different versions of myself through clothes, makeup, and styling. I had been following NME and Hypebae for a long time, so getting to work with them — and especially being on the covers — was obviously really meaningful to me.
But I think what I liked most was that the shoots didn’t all show the same version of me. When I first started solo, I was thinking a lot about, “What is the right way to show Yves?” Now I feel much less pressure to find one answer. I’m more comfortable with the idea that I can contradict myself a little. I don’t think I need to choose one image and stay inside it forever.
That’s probably why those covers feel accurate to me right now.
Your single “NAIL” features French-Algerian artist Lolo Zouaï—how did that collaboration happen, and what did you learn from making something that connects across cultures?
“NAIL” has a very dynamic structure, and I felt like the song needed another person to enter and change the atmosphere rather than me carrying the same energy all the way through. I especially wanted the second verse to feel different, and Lolo came to mind. We reached out, and I was really happy that she wanted to be part of it.
I had actually made my own melody for the second verse before that, but when I heard what Lolo sent, it was nothing like what I had imagined. I loved that. It was one of those moments where you realize, “Oh, I would never have thought of doing it that way.”
That’s probably what I like most about collaboration. You don’t have to become more similar to each other. Sometimes the exact thing that doesn’t sound like you is what the song was missing.
You’ve been featured on underscores’ “Do It (Yves Remix)” and PinkPantheress’ “Stars + Yves”—what draws you to remix work, and how do those tracks influence your own sound?
I like remixes because you’re entering a world that already exists, and then you have to figure out how much of yourself you can bring into it without losing what made the original special. When I’m working on my own music, every direction is possible. But with a remix, there are already boundaries — another artist’s melody, mood, identity. Weirdly, those boundaries make me think more clearly about what actually sounds like me.
My favorite moment is when you hear the final version and both artists still sound completely like themselves, but somehow it makes sense together. Sometimes I learn more about my own taste by working inside someone else’s song than I do when I have complete freedom. I think those experiences slowly expand my own musical language.
“DIM” hit #1 on U.S. TikTok viral charts and topped Global Top 200 K-Pop Shazam—when you see milestones like 13M+ streams, how do you stay grounded while still staying hungry creatively?
I think I’ve learned not to give numbers too much power over how I feel. If you expect too much, it hurts when things don’t happen the way you imagined. But if something goes really well and you hold onto that feeling for too long, I think that can also stop you from moving forward.
So when something good happens, I try to really enjoy it and be grateful for it in that moment. But I don’t want a number or a chart position to become the reason I make the next song. I’ve always been a pretty ambitious person. Sometimes that ambition can make me hard on myself, but it also means there are still so many things I want to try.
I’m more curious about the music I haven’t made yet than the things I’ve already achieved. For me, curiosity lasts longer than satisfaction. I think that’s what keeps me moving.
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter (@taylorwinter)
Photographer & Editor: Shamylle Estevez (@shamyllle)
Assistant Photographer & Creative Director: Estrella Gonzalez (@estrellaamayya)
Wardrobe Stylist: Kukseon Hyun (@kukseonnh)
