CITI’s Singles and Stories

Get familiar with CITI’s discography and get excited for his next chapter!

For those who have not heard your music before, how would you describe it to them? 

I would like to describe CITI's music as a close friend. Everyone makes immature mistakes, and the feelings in songs [that they don’t] want to reveal [help them] receive comfort they cannot find [elsewhere]. [I want them to listen] to my songs [and say], “Oh! I was like that, too.”

How did you first develop a passion for music? 

Of course, I [have] continuously searched for trends and studied [music], but [what made me passionate about it] were human emotions that could not be achieved through research. Like everyone, I look for happy songs when I am happy and sad songs when I am emotional. Since I've been comforted [by] music, I think I've changed and [cherished] music that can comfort me, regardless of genre, and [I hope I can] comfort everyone who listens to my songs. 

How did you choose your stage name? 

I'm from Korea, so I wanted to tell people stories [of what] I experienced for the first time [there], like a children's book. I wanted to [represent my time in] the city in my stage name. 

What are the three biggest sources of inspiration for your music? 

Love, comfort, and dreams. I think love is the only emotion that abandons humanity’s survival instincts. Even if I'm starving to death, I think love, which is a great inspiration to me, is the transcendent power that I [would still] distribute to my loved one.

Please describe your newest single, “Piece of a Dream”! 

I [have] felt [like I have been living in] a world where many people give up their dreams, so I want to comfort people. By saying “We [all] have a dream,” I want to comfort [adults whose dreams that] they had when they were very young became blurry and exhausting. 

How is “Piece of a Dream” similar to and different from your other 2024 releases? 

The similarity is that I focused on easy-listening and set my sights on easy top notes. However, since it's my first time trying out the genre of solo band music that feels like J-pop, the instrumental composition is a little different, and I paid a lot of attention to the intro and outro!

You released four singles in 2023 and three so far in 2024. Do you plan to release a fourth this year too? 

Yes! I'm planning to release a song called “In the car” in November. It's a pop ballad that I really love, so please look forward to it! I want to work harder and release up to five songs [per] year! I'm trying out various genres, so I can't wait to let you hear some songs [that challenge me]! 

Please talk about each of these songs:  

“I got to move”: Originally, it was intended to be a youth drama OST, but things didn't work out, so I made a lyric video and released it in a hurry. This was the first song [for which] I produced a lot of short videos! 

“Divvn”: I made this song two years ago! It was delayed due to the wrong timing. It was a song with hip-hop elements that [I] hadn't [focused on in] a while, so there were objections, but it's a great song! 

“Happy again”: It's probably the best song in Korea. That's why I love it so much. It's a song with a lot of my favorite lyrics. It went smoothly, from [making] the album cover to the music video.

“Today”: It's the most-loved song! I asked a lot of people for advice on the lyrics. Back then, I enjoyed writing songs on the bus, and I worked on the melody on my way home from work.

Are there plans to release a longer project in the near future, or will you continue to release singles? 

There are already 15 singles; I think I've worked hard. But it's true that I want to work on a longer project. I hope that one day I can release a long project, although I will continue to focus on singles without any promises.

Lastly, is there anything else you want to say about yourself or your music? 

I'm going to draw beautiful sketches for you with my songs. Then help me create beautiful sketches with your stories and emotions. 

Check out CITI’s newest single here!

Answers have been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Photo credit: Instagram.