Querencia (album)

The album incorporated elements of dance, disco, latin pop, pop, EDM, afrobeats, synth-pop, dance-pop, house, salsa, tropical house, indie rock and other many genres.[25][26] Querencia is Chungha's first full-length album which consists of a total of 21 tracks.[27] The standard edition of the album is about one hour long.[27] It features guest appearances from the DJ and record producer R3hab, Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa and South Korean singer-songwriter Colde.[27] At twenty-one tracks, Querencia is the longest material in the singer's catalogue.[27] The album makes heavy use of acoustic guitar,[28][26] bass guitar[29] and fuzz guitar,[28] pianos,[29] funk bass,[30] drum machines,[26] synthesizers[30] and sentimental string instruments.[30][29] The word "Querencia" is Spanish and it has the meaning of a resting place. Continuing to touch on multiple genres and themes, Querencia is conveniently split into four sides: "Noble", "Savage", "Unknown" and "Pleasures" – each marked by one-minute interludes. "Noble", the album's opener, "buzzes through echoing beats and industrial noise", while "Savage" "takes the listeners into the pumping sounds of a club" and "Unknown" "delves deeper into the night with a skittering break beat".[26] Transitioning into the ballad-filled side of Querencia, "Pleasures" sets up for "a vulnerable side of the singer".[26][31] Through these four themes, the singer wanted to show a person who takes on challenges and musical concepts without being limited to one concept.[32] Chungha participated in the composing and writing of "Bicycle" and "Byulharang (160504 + 170607)".[26][33][34] NME compared the album to Dua Lipa's second studio album Future Nostalgia, stating that "instead of mirrorball-flecked sounds of the 70s, Querencia takes listeners on a globe-trotting trip through a melting pot of sounds and influences".[26]

"The producers came up with the idea of the four components. I can't say that I have all four sides of the album in me, but I can certainly say that they show various aspects of me. I wanted to show in my own color that I'm a person who takes on challenges and musical concepts without being limited to one concept."

— Chungha discussing the sides of Querencia[35]

"Bicycle" is "a collage of electric guitar, churning synths, bouncy piano and switching tempos" that expresses "the excitement and overwhelming energy of the moment when you step on the pedal" with the R&B, trap and bossa nova sound developed with the introduction of the intense fuzz guitar.[30][36] "Masquerade" is a song with salsa swings and boogaloo beat where she entices a lover to search for her.[26][31][37] "Flying on Faith" is a crunchy pop, electro-pop and R&B track with a vulnerable tone about a failing relationship where her partner stays weighed down by their emotions for an ex.[32][38][31][28] Beginning with a guitar riff that eventually expands into a colourful explosion of synths, Chung Ha sings "She keeps weighing us down / I keep wondering if you wanna stay."[30] The fifth track, "Luce Sicut Stellae", which "possesses mysterious, enticing production" with a bouncy beat, guitar, strings and echoing harmonies, is a "dreamy" and "romantic" track about following the starlight and embracing the moment.[30] "Stay Tonight" is a disco and pop song captivated with its harp and piano riff elements.[39] The future house production consists of booming bass sound in the chorus, 90s house beats, atmospheric electronics and a disco guitar.[40][41][39][42] Thematically, the track is about love.[42] The bass-heavy, house-pop cut, "Dream of You" is an electronic music track with a mix of house beat and a thick baseline.[43] The track has a harmony of sounds including strings, brass, vocoder and synthesizer.[43] The song also delivers "some of the singer's boldest, most seductive lyrics".[43] The disco-tinged gloss song, "Bother Me" is a "classic-sound ING" dance-funk and deep house track with bass guitar, dreamy synths and a propulsive beat.[32][30] In the song Chungha sings her frustrations and annoyance towards someone who does not reciprocate her efforts.[30] "Chill" was described as a "quintessential" pop track".[28]

"Play" featuring Changmo is a Latin pop-inspired dance track with moombahton and reggae influences.[44][45][46] The song is about an exciting secret encounter between two lovers.[46] "Demente" is a "catchy" pop song with reggaeton rhythms, aided by Puerto Rican rapper Guaynaa.[47][26] Lyrically, the song tell a story of a confused love that causes great sadness due to the lack of interest of the other person.[48] The song marks the first Latin and K-pop collaboration for a female Korean soloist and "highlights Chungha's refusal to be pinned down or limited by boundaries – either geographical or genre – meshing Korean, Spanish and the dancehall-derived beats into an infectious, vibrant cut".[26] The bossa nova grooves song, "Lemon" featuring Colde has a funk-influenced R&B songtune, where she sings to her lover.[30][37][31] "Byulharang (160504 + 170607)" is a ballad with soft acoustic strums.[30] The track is named after her fandom, with the dates referring to both her debut with girl group I.O.I and, a year later, as a solo artist.[26] "X" is a modern rock pop number characterized by a rich melody.[49] It tells the story of having to rebuild yourself after being brought down by betrayal by others and coming out stronger than ever.[26] "All Night Long" was described as a "glossy R&B slow jam". "Everybody Has" is a sentimental ballad that aims to comfort those feeling worn out and exhausted.[50][51] The 90s-influenced, "Come N Goes" is dream-pop ode to acceptance that people and the emotions associated with them do not ever completely leave.[31][30]

The singer released the online cover image of Querencia through her social media on January 14, 2021.[54] The image shows Chungha staring intensely at one place, showcasing a fierce expression and wearing unique vivid color outfit with her hair slicked back, strong enough to break through the glass that is edited onto the artwork.[52][54] Chungha explained that the cover "symbolizes breaking through any limitations that are visible or invisible – to be who she wants to be".[55]

"Stay Tonight", released on April 27, 2020, serves as the lead single of Querencia.[59] An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Rima Yoon and Dongju Jang, was uploaded to Stone Music's and Chungha's YouTube channels simultaneously with the single's release.[60] Commercially, the single charted in three countries. In South Korea, the song debuted at number 9 on the Gaon Digital Chart, while peaking at number 4 on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart.[61][62] A promotional CD was made available through special events only.[63]

"Play" featuring Changmo was released as the album's second single on July 6, 2020.[64] An official music video for the song was released on August 28, 2020. The video shows Chungha as a matador to bullfight against a bright red sports car rather than a bull.[44] It peaked at number 14 in South Korea and 17 on US World Digital Songs.[65][66] The single was later repackaged into a maxi single, which consists of the two pre-released singles, together with "Stay Tonight" peaked at number 7 on the Gaon Album Chart with 12,613 sales.[67][68]

"X" was released as the fourth single on January 19, 2021.[49] The song peaked at number 100 in South Korea.[69] "Bicycle" was released as the fifth single and title track on February 15, 2021, the same day the album was released.[70] "Bicycle" debuted at number 38 on South Korean's Gaon Digital Chart for the chart issue dated February 14–20, 2021.[71] The song debuted on Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart at number 11.[72] A Spanish version of "Demente" with Guaynaa was released as the sixth single on March 17, 2021.[73]

In June 2021, Billboard included Querencia on their "Best Albums of 2021 So Far: Staff Picks" list, with Nolan Feeeney stating that Chungha's debut album is "an ambitious undertaking on all levels" and adding that "there's a slinky sophistication that brings Querencia's cosmopolitan sounds together".[77] NME also placed Querencia on their "The Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)" list.[78] South China Morning Post included the album on their "Best K-pop albums of 2021 so far" list, with Tamar Herman opining that it "broken into four-quarters it feels like a guided tour through the musical museum of Chung Ha."[25]