Getting Hysteric with Yves
“Hysteric-steric, am I hysteric? / Hysteric-steric, can’t escape it,” Yves sings over a pulsating beat on her new single, “Hysteric”. It’s September 25th, a week after London Fashion Week, and we’re inside The Old Selfridges Hotel, where the crowd is chanting every lyric back at her. It’s an intimate night for fans, organised by fashion label Stone Island and Yves’ record label, PAIX PER MIL.
Born Ha Soo-young, the 29-year-old South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer has been in Europe for a series of performances, and to attend London Fashion Week. “I was really grateful to attend several shows during Fashion Week,” she shares, particularly noting the Natasha Zinko show as a highlight. “The whole thing felt very free and unconventional. I remember not just the clothes, but the moments they appeared in. It felt like watching a performance as much as a fashion show.”
Another stop on Yves’ fashion week calendar was Susan Fang’s catwalk show at the Barbican, where we met briefly. She wore a bright pink, bow-adorned gown, and a week later wears an all-black Stone Island ensemble—a fashion chameleon in her own right.
Debuting as part of the 12-member K-pop group Loona in 2018, Yves has been performing solo since 2024. Later this year she is set to release her fifth EP, CUTE & ANXIETY, led by singles “Hysteric” and “Adam”, the former of which she premiered live at the show. “It felt less like a traditional concert and more like playing my music for friends, dancing and hanging out together,” she tells me. “The feeling was less ‘watch me’ and more ‘let’s enjoy this together.’”
Community is key to Yves’ music. From her debut with Loona to a lawsuit to suspend her contract with the group’s former label and her eventual solo debut, her fans have followed her through every step. Tonight’s enthusiastic crowd is evidence of their loyalty, as she shifts between K-pop, electronic and dance.
“K-pop is where I started, and it’s a big part of who I am. I’m grateful that it gave me a way to introduce myself and connect with people. Being called a K-pop artist doesn’t bother me,” she says. “I just hope the name doesn’t decide in advance what music I’m allowed to make next. It can be a starting point for understanding me, but I hope it isn’t the conclusion before someone has even heard the music.”
As its title suggests, Yves’ new EP, CUTE & ANXIETY, explores the tension between two seemingly opposing themes. But, even with its focus on mental health, the project does not lose its energy because of it. “Just because I’m talking about anxiety, I don’t think the music has to sound sad or dark all the time. I wanted it to be playful and cute but a little uneasy in places, or full of energy with moments where something more vulnerable comes through.”
Since debuting as a solo artist in early 2024, Yves has performed in over 20 countries. Touring has become a large part of her life. “The hardest part is looking after yourself physically and mentally while constantly moving somewhere new,” she reflects. “There are lonely moments, and days when I’m really exhausted.”
For Yves, the struggles of touring are all worth it when she hears a crowd, like tonight’s, singing her lyrics back to her. “It amazes me that people who have been living their own lives so far away from me know the same songs, and that we’re all together in one room that night. It’s like getting to see how far my music has travelled.”
A Few More Questions with Yves:
Recently you’ve collaborated with PinkPantheress, Lexie Liu and Lolo Zouai. What do you enjoy most about collaborating with other artists?
Hearing my voice on the same song as someone I love listening to still feels a little unreal. I never used to imagine myself making music with artists in other parts of the world, so sometimes I think it’s the fan in me who’s most excited.
I love discovering how differently people hear the same piece of music. It’s lovely when our tastes overlap, but I learn a lot when someone brings an instinct or a way of expressing themselves that I don’t have. I’ll think, “I wouldn’t have made that choice, but now the whole thing feels different.” A good collaboration doesn’t have to mean becoming more alike. My favourite moments are when we both still sound like ourselves, but it works as one song. It opens up the way I approach my own music too.
You’ve now spent two years as a solo artist. How has the experience differed from your time in a group?
In a group, there’s a sense of security in sharing not just the stage, but the emotions and responsibilities that come with it. There’s also something special about different people coming together to create one moment.
As a solo artist, my own choices are much more visible. I find myself asking more often what I like, what music I want to make and what I want to show people. That freedom is exciting, but sometimes it can also feel like there’s nowhere to hide.
What are you most excited about when you think about the future of your career?
It’s the fact that even I don’t know exactly who I’ll become as an artist. My taste keeps changing, and I keep discovering new music to love and meeting people who inspire me.
I want to keep trying things and working with people who might lead me towards music I wouldn’t have imagined on my own. I like knowing there’s still so much I haven’t tried. A future version of me might love and make music I can’t even imagine right now. I’m curious to meet her.
