[Interview] Chuu: "Love in the AI Era... I Chose My Lower Register Over Familiar High Notes"

First Full-Length Album Released After 8 Years Since Debut
Emphasizing 'Unreserved Love' Without Calculation
"Like a Canary That Sings With Its Life"

Singer Chu. Provided by ATRP

"I want to love without calculation. Expressing it freely and without holding back, without ever looking back-that is my 'Chugumi' (the beauty I pursue)."

Singer Chu (26, real name Kim Jiwoo) has released her first full-length album, eight years after her debut. Meeting with the press at a cafe in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on January 7, she said, "I want to show a new tone that I haven't been able to share before."

Chu debuted in 2017 as a member of the group LOONA and has since succeeded as a solo artist. Having broadened her musical spectrum with mini albums like "Howl," she expressed her determination to further expand her musical world with her first full-length album, "XO, My Cyberlove."

The theme of this album is love in an era where reality and the virtual coexist. Chu explained, "In the digital age, people can express their feelings with just an emoji, and love can be conveyed through videos alone." She added, "I captured the changing ways of love and the diverse forms of emotion in nine tracks."

The title track, "XO, My Cyberlove," is an 'analog pop' genre song that blends sparkling synthesizer sounds with 1980s sensibilities. Chu said, "It's a love story from the perspective of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI's love may be an unattainable emotion, the process of learning love from humans felt both sad and beautiful to me." She shared, "Before recording the song, I watched the film 'I, Robot' (2004) to immerse myself emotionally."

Instead of her usual clear and high notes, she put her weighty and rich lower register at the forefront. Chu emphasized, "Since my LOONA days, I have mainly sung in higher registers, but my color is completely different in the low and high ranges. I always wanted to sing a song entirely in my lower register, and this time I was able to satisfy that longing."

She also made changes to her performance. On this stage, Chu emphasized smooth dance lines instead of her usual energetic style. She explained, "The choreography was so difficult that I felt like a tin doll, but I tried to portray the process of AI feeling and seeking love through the dance." She added with confidence, "The lyrics blend naturally into the choreography, creating a stage that feels like a piece of acting."

Singer Chu. Provided by ATRP

The track "Let’s Meet There When the First Snow Falls," which expresses her love for her fans, is about her desire to meet fans all over the country despite her busy schedule. Chu said, "Please enjoy the various forms of love, such as 'Lemoncello,' which expresses an addictive love with a tangy freshness like a lemon, and 'Tiny Tiny Heart,' which conveys the wish to be a comforting home for someone."

In particular, the track "Canary" is a dark pop ballad that best represents Chu's definition of love. She said, "Just like a canary, a small and fragile being that emits powerful energy when protecting something, I want to sing for love, even if it means giving my life."

For Chu, love is "giving without reservation." Her way of loving is cooking for her elementary school friends and listening to their worries all night. She expressed her gratitude, saying, "My friends are like the axis of rotation who silently stayed by my side even when I was caught up in absurd controversies. Thanks to them, I constantly remember why I sing."

Having strengthened her basics through vocal lessons after becoming a solo artist, Chu stated, "Rather than focusing only on the end goal, I want to do my best and be faithful to the process as much as I can." She added with a smile, "Still, I definitely want to win first place on a music show one day."