Solar Collaborates with Taiwanese Singer 9m88 for Chinese Debut Single “Floating Free”
Photo: MAMAMOO Official X
MAMAMOO’s Solar released her first Chinese single, “Floating Free,” on June 11. In collaboration with Taiwanese soloist 9m88 (pronounced as “Joanne Baba”), the song represents Solar’s ambition to connect with her Chinese fandom. This digital single, sung entirely in Mandarin, brings a global message of unity and friendship. “Floating Free” will be released physically on the EP of the same name on July 4; the EP contains additional physical-only songs with “Floating Free” sung solely by Solar, the song’s Korean version, and an instrumental version.
K-Pop Girl Groups Releasing Chinese Music
Prior to this single, none of the MAMAMOO members, nor as a group, have released Chinese songs. Chinese restrictions on Hallyu content since 2016 likely played a major impact on the lack of Chinese original songs from Korean artists and Chinese versions of Korean releases. Even then, unless a Chinese member makes a solo debut, girl groups rarely make songs catered towards the Chinese market these days. H1-KEY’s Chinese version of their hit “Rose Blossom” is one of the few that come to mind.
South Korean officials anticipate that China may lift the ban soon, and K-Pop companies are preparing. RBW, the company behind MAMAMOO, landed a partnership with Chinese music streaming platform NetEase Cloud Music last month. This deal grants Chinese consumers access to RBW’s music catalog, which includes the discographies from other acts like ONEUS, ONEWE, and PURPLE K!SS. This lines up with Solar’s Chinese-focused promotions months prior to the release of “Floating Free,” including her fansigns in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
“Floating Free”
The concept of “Floating Free” comes from the idea of friends who live in different regions. According to 9m88, who wrote the song with Solar, the lyrics speak of “two friends far apart, always keeping space for each other in their hearts.” Though they keep in contact through social media updates, that connection pales in comparison from their in-person chemistry. The song comes with a retro synth pop sound sure to resonate across cultures.
The music video, filmed in Taiwan, tells the story of Solar and 9m88 travelling to meet each other. It takes advantage of the night scenery and sea-side locations. For this debut, Solar’s dedication to learning Mandarin comes off both surprising but heartwarming. When she held her first fansign in Shanghai in January, she said she managed to have “short, very simple conversations”—now she is holding full interviews in Mandarin without needing a translator.
With “Floating Free” topping music charts in Taiwan, “Floating Free” has received a positive response in that region. She also successfully completed her [Floating Free : Between] fan concert in Taipei on June 22. Even more than a decade into her career, Solar is still finding new ways to challenge herself and to reach new heights.