MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul Makes Dazzling Japanese Debut With Aurora Single Album

MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul released her Japanese debut single album Aurora on February 5. Aurora contains the title track “Hoshiakari,” the B-side “Because of You,” and a Japanese version of her latest Korean title track, “Is This Love?” MAMAMOO made their Japanese debut as a group in 2018, but Moonbyul is the first member to officially release solo music in that region.

TRACKLIST:

“Hoshiakari”
“Because of you”
“Is This Love? - Japanese Ver.”

Title Track: “Hoshiakari”

Aurora focuses on how people feel connected under the same sky. The title track “Hoshiakari” (ほしあかり), meaning “starlight,” portrays the importance of this in its lyrics. In this rock ballad, Moonbyul sings about treasuring moments as they happen; despite knowing that everything must come to an end, she will embrace memories until she and a loved one meet again. She compares this cycle to one of the moon and sun, which go in and out through the day. Moonbyul wrote the lyrics alongside Kakizaki Hikaru.

The “Hoshiakari” music video shows Moonbyul navigating life while waiting for someone special to return. She gazes at the sky and surrounds her thoughts with the stars and the Milky Way. Moonbyul writes the phrase “満月” (Mangetsu), meaning “full moon,” as she eagerly waits for time to pass. This once negative yearning changes as the pop-rock instrumental composed by FLORA, TOYO, and Ruiz sets the tone for a more positive future.

The B-Sides: “Because of you” and “Is This Love? - Japanese Ver.”

Moonbyul continues with the rock genre on the single album’s B-side, “Because of you.” She joined hands with ONEWE’s Yonghoon and producer Jeon Dawoon to compose a softer, pop-rock sound. “Because of you” carries a similar emotional feeling to “Hoshiakari,” meaning that those who like the title track will likely also enjoy this B-side. The touching lyrics Moonbyul and Yonghoon wrote in Korean were reinterpreted into Japanese by Jeehyun.B and Shiho.

The Japanese version of “Is This Love?” closes out Aurora. Adapted from the original off Moonbyul’s 2023 repackage album Starlit of Twinkle, this Japanese reinterpretation keeps the word 친구 (chingu) in the song’s hook. Jeehyun.B and Shiho helped translate the original’s questions about romance for a Japanese audience.