Happy IU Day: Defining moments in the songstress’ musical journey feat Good Day, Twenty-three, Pieces & more

Weaving magic with her soulful voice and poetic lyrics laced with sincerity, singer-songwriter and actress IU turns 29 today. With her undeniable talent and star quality shining through in every project that she takes on, IU’s musical journey to her present stardom has seen many a twist and turn. Today, we’re taking a look at 5 defining moments that represent important epochs in IU’s musical career.

Debut Song: ‘Lost Child’ (2008)

With her stage name representing the meaning that “I and You become one through music,” a 15-year-old Lee Ji Eun made her debut as a singer named IU in 2008 with her debut single, ‘Lost Child’. Though she was awarded the ‘Rookie of the Month’ for her debut EP ‘Lost and Found’, which included ‘Lost Child’, the album did not garner much commercial success.

Turning Point: ‘Good Day’ (2010)

IU’s 3rd EP ‘Real’, released in December 2010, included the lead single ‘Good Day’. The song saw IU topping multiple music programs’ charts, and brought her immense praise for her vocal ability, especially because of a section in the song that sees IU singing three high-pitched notes in semitone increments. ‘Good Day’ was also ranked number 1 on Billboard magazine’s list of ‘100 Greatest K-pop Songs of the 2010s’, and increased IU’s fan base to a more varied demographic. 

New Challenge: ‘The Red Shoes’ (2013)

Now twenty years old, IU released her 3rd studio album ‘Modern Times’ in 2013. The album saw a big shift in IU’s sound, taking on a more mature and sophisticated vibe, thanks to its 13 tracks which ranged from folk to swing, bossa nova, jazz, and Latin pop genres. Out of these tracks, the lead single, ‘The Red Shoes’, went on to place at number 1 on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart.

Coming into her own: ‘Twenty-three’ (2015)

The release of IU’s 7th EP ‘Chat-Shire’ in 2015, brought forth the iconic lead single ‘Twenty-three’. With IU taking on greater creative control on the album, and being credited as its executive producer, the EP, and ‘Twenty-three’ in particular, offered us an honest, uninhibited insight into IU as a young adult, with vulnerabilities being balanced by mischievousness and imagination galore. ‘Twenty-three’ also went on to top national music charts upon release, while the EP peaked at number 4 on Billboard’s ‘World Albums Chart’. 

‘Pieces’ - EP (2021)

Comprising 5 unreleased songs, ‘Pieces’ was a compilation mini-album representing sides of her that were never revealed publicly before, released by IU in December 2021. At the time, IU had explained the meaning behind the title through a special teaser video, saying, “These songs are individually precious to me, and are part of my memories, but rather than a perfect picture, I think it is more fitting to describe them as pieces of a picture. So, these five songs (pieces) create one complete image. I thought it would clearly express what I wanted to convey if I named this album ‘Pieces’.” 
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