After years of hiatus, former Miss A sensation MIN returns with her new EP, “Prime Time,” which documents her transformation from K-pop idol to empowered artist while claiming her true self. “Prime Time” is a brightly woven tapestry of sound across genres that heralds the beginning of a new chapter in this musician’s illustrious career.
MIN has been on her music journey since childhood, influenced by the greats Michael Jackson, Prince, and Destiny’s Child. Following in the steps of BoA, the original Queen of K-pop, MIN was musically ambitious from the get-go, debuting with Miss A under JYP Entertainment in 2010. Her period with Miss A was short, but also a gale-force wind of success that brought her a sharp realisation of being bound by a stereotype in the K-pop industry. “I felt like after being in K-pop for so long, you had to be very moldable, and you have to fit a certain way, look a certain way, dress a certain way, etc.,” she reflects. This desire to find herself propelled her to the city of New York, a place she thought would bring back the spark of artistry that had slipped away.
“Prime Time” was produced by MJ the “Boaz” and embodies MIN’s journey of self-realisation and self-empowerment. This EP is a toast to how resolute she was to do work that referred to her authentic self. The recording felt unburdening for MIN; there was no pressure or timeframes on her. “That was just how it was, and it came very naturally according to what I wanted to hear and do. It might not sound that interesting, but in terms of my career, very refreshing,” she says.
The title track, “PRIME TIME, is a big, strong power ballad, which has a lot in common with the vibes of Lil Cherry’s vibrato pop melodies, her-rapping style, and electronic elements. It is an auditory celebration of freedom from the trappings of MIN’s past, in a Compellent manner to soak individuality and self-assurance in the audience. The EP ends on a very personal note with “Happy Plant (A Call From Grandma),” the contents of which are profoundly touching. This is a recording on the phone between MIN and his grandmother in Korea, who excitedly narrates how the Dracaena fragrans in the house have bloomed, a rare event as she describes it. Very much like the flowering of this so-called “happy plant,” this can be paralleled to life’s continuous shifting, very much the same way growth and beginnings continue to surge no matter what difficulties are said to come across one’s path.
Through this intimate conversation, MIN seeks to remind the listener about those special people who occupy one’s life.
Her transitioning into K-pop, then into the ever-grinding music scene in New York, led her to draw from such vast influences and bring the music world newfound freedom and a sound. Besides her solo works, MIN is also a Broadway performer in the first ever all-Asian musical on Broadway, “KPOP.” It is through these milestones with Miss A, as well as continued success in the game, that one can indeed express timelessness and resilience.
“Prime Time” is thus indeed a proclamation of truth and power, making anyone who listens end up traveling on the same journey MIN has toward self-discovery and artistic freedom. In this single, it seems that MIN has taken the past and the present and merged them into an entirely new sound that she has laid claim to make her own. It celebrates how far she has grown, conquered, and made it while keeping it real.
You can find more of MIN at:
You can listen to ‘Prime Time’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.