(G)I-DLE's Minnie is finally going solo after 7 long years, and she's spilling all the details about her exciting new journey!

On January 20, Minnie sat down with StarNews for an interview at Cube Entertainment's office in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, where she shared her excitement and a few challenges ahead of her first solo album.

Minnie’s highly anticipated solo mini-album, 'HER,' is set to drop on January 21 at 6 PM, and fans are already buzzing with excitement. The album features seven tracks, including the title song 'HER,' the pre-released 'Blind Eyes Red,' as well as 'Drive U Crazy' (Feat. Woogie), 'Cherry Sky,' 'Valentine's Dream,' 'It's Okay,' and 'Obsession' (Feat. TEN of WayV).

Not only did Minnie showcase her vocal talents, but she also took on the role of singer-songwriter, writing all the lyrics for the album. The track 'HER' is a catchy pop anthem that features lyrics by Big Naughty (Seo Donghyun) and a funky, minimal bass riff. Fans can expect a fresh and diverse sound from Minnie that highlights her style.

In addition to 'HER,' Minnie worked with Thai artist TEN of WayV on 'Obsession,' a retro-inspired disco-pop track with Minnie's distinctive vocals and TEN’s unique voice adding extra flair to the song.

Minnie has been actively involved in songwriting and composing for (G)I-DLE over the years, collaborating with various artists and expanding her musical range. She previously worked on tracks with Australian-Chinese singer Wenji, Thai rapper F.HERO, and pop singer Anne-Marie, showing her wide musical influence.

During the interview, Minnie shared her excitement about going solo, saying, “I’m so excited and happy. It’s my first solo after 7 years since debut. I’m curious about the reaction from fans who have waited for so long." She also mentioned, "I’ve been preparing for this album for a few years in my spare time. The other members also released their solo albums, and I was waiting for my turn. I thought fall or winter would suit the concept well.”

Minnie’s solo journey is officially underway, and with her raw talent and passion, it’s clear she’s ready to take on the music world in her own way! Fans can’t wait to see what comes next.

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BTS's Jungkook continues to shine on the global stage, and now he’s reached another amazing milestone! His solo track "Standing Next to You" has earned a prestigious Gold certification in Japan, marking his 6th personal Gold certification.

According to the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), Jungkook’s title track from his solo album GOLDEN surpassed an impressive 50 million streams, earning the track Gold certification in the streaming category.

Jungkook has now received six Gold certifications, including hits like the explicit and clean versions of his solo single "Seven," "3D," the BTS solo track "Euphoria," his collaboration "Left and Right," and now "Standing Next to You."

But that’s not all! Jungkook has also earned Platinum certifications for "Seven" (both versions) and "Euphoria" in Japan, after surpassing 100 million streams with these tracks. This gives him a total of three Platinum certifications from RIAJ.

Jungkook’s solo album GOLDEN has been a major hit too, surpassing 250,000 units in shipments as of November 2024, earning him a Platinum disc certification from the Japan Record Association.

Meanwhile, "Standing Next to You" has earned Platinum certification from the Canadian Recording Industry Association (Music Canada), Silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), further showing the song’s incredible global reach.

Even while serving in the military, Jungkook has continued to make history. He ranked 39th on the Billboard Japan Year-End Chart for 2024 with "Seven," making him the only overseas solo artist to land on the Hot 100 chart. Additionally, he ranked 28th on the Streaming Songs chart, marking his highest position for two years in a row.

His album GOLDEN also secured 18th place on the Download Albums chart, holding the highest ranking for overseas artists for two consecutive years, and Jungkook ranked 35th on the Billboard Japan Artist 100 chart.

Earlier, Jungkook received the 38th Japan Gold Disc Awards for "Song of the Year by Download" in the Asian category with "Seven," winning the award two years in a row!

His documentary JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL was released in Japan in October, making a massive impact at the box office. On its opening day, the film earned 100.5 million yen (approximately 9.52 billion Korean won) and debuted at number one, showing his huge popularity in Japan.

Jungkook has also set a record for having the most Oricon Daily Single Chart No. 1 songs by a K-pop solo artist, with seven songs achieving this remarkable feat.

Jungkook continues to break records and dominate the charts, solidifying his place as a global superstar.

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