No fear, just 'Bish Bash Bosh': Mimi takes her solo leap

Girl group Oh My Girl's Mimi has taken her first step as a solo artist with “Bish Bash Bosh,” a single she sees as a step toward the next level as an artist.

“I think 'Bish Bash Bosh' is like a stepping stone for me to reach the next level,” Mimi said in a press release Thursday. “The song captures my entire story as Mimi, as well as the direction I want to take and the mindset I want to carry forward.”

Released Thursday, the single is Mimi’s first solo project in 11 years since her debut as a member of Oh My Girl in 2015.

"'Bish Bash Bosh' is a hip-hop track built on heavy, powerful breakbeats that expresses the message, 'I'm ready to follow the path I want to take as an artist,'” she said.

The rapper took part in the entire creative process behind “Bish Bash Bosh,” including writing lyrics, composing and producing. One of her main goals in creating the song was to give listeners the courage to take a step forward, openly sharing that there were times when she herself struggled to do so.

“The message I wanted to tell through my song was to not be afraid to take a step forward and to confidently enjoy ourselves as we open new doors,” Mimi said. “There were certainly times when I couldn't do that myself, but I've grown into someone who can now embrace change and enjoy it, and that's something I wanted to share with listeners.”

“It tried to capture the idea that 'taking a step forward is no big deal,'” she added. “I also wanted to express the message that 'we can do it' in a powerful yet playful way, just like the meaning of 'Bish Bash Bosh' — getting something done quickly and easily.”

Mimi also said her first solo project gave her an opportunity to grow not only musically but also as a person, with that growth reflected in both the song and its visuals.

She described the song as Mimi herself, adding that she wanted to showcase her free-spirited side while incorporating DJing performance into the project. DJing is not something she picked up just for her solo debut, she said, noting that she has been doing it for the past several years.

“Rather than just putting on an act, I wanted to authentically capture the different sides of myself that I've developed throughout my career through rap, performance and more, and show people who I truly am as 'artist Mimi,’” she said.

Kicking off her path as a solo artist, Mimi showed love and gratitude to her fans, Miracle.

“I can never thank you [Miracle] enough, and I'm also sorry for making you wait so long,” she said. “Thank you for waiting for me and for always showing me so much love. I'll do my best to see you more often and return all the love you've given me. I love you with all my heart.”

BY KIM JI-YE [[email protected]]