2NE1’s Minzy Returns After Nearly Five Years With New R&B Single ‘CALLING’

Following 2NE1’s reunion activities, Minzy begins a new solo chapter with a deeply personal project shaped by her own songwriting and production.

Minzy is returning to solo music with more than a new song. The 2NE1 member is reintroducing herself as an artist determined to control how her story is written, performed and heard.

The singer will release her new single “CALLING” on September 28 at 6 p.m. KST, ending a four-year-and-nine-month gap between official solo releases.

The project arrives after Minzy reunited with CL, Sandara Park and Park Bom for 2NE1’s anniversary activities and “Welcome Back” tour. After revisiting the music that helped define one of K-pop’s most influential girl groups, she is now turning the focus back toward her individual identity.

What Is Included on Minzy’s ‘CALLING’ Single?

The new release contains three tracks: the Korean and English versions of “CALLING,” along with the B-side “We Almost Were.”

The title track combines soulful R&B with a rich choir arrangement, allowing Minzy’s voice to move from restrained vulnerability to a powerful emotional climax.

Its lyrics follow a person who confronts the part of herself that disappeared in the darkness and chooses to rise again. The line “My heart, which had gone out, comes alive and bursts” captures the song’s central message of recovering the strength to move forward.

That theme carries additional significance for Minzy. Although she has remained active through performances and 2NE1’s reunion, “CALLING” marks her first solo release since 2021. The song therefore functions as both an emotional narrative and a statement about her return.

Minzy Takes Greater Creative Control

Minzy participated in the project’s production, songwriting and composition, giving the release a direct connection to her current musical identity.

For much of her career, Minzy has been recognized as one of K-pop’s strongest dancers. She debuted with 2NE1 in 2009 as the group’s youngest member and quickly became known for her technical control, explosive movement and ability to command a stage.

“CALLING,” however, shifts greater attention toward the artist behind that performance ability. Its R&B foundation gives Minzy room to emphasize her tone, phrasing and emotional range, while the choir adds a larger sense of release to the song’s climax.

The decision to include both Korean and English versions also reflects the international audience Minzy has built throughout her career. Rather than treating the English recording as a separate project, both versions form part of the same artistic statement.

The Choreography Extends the Song’s Message

The concept behind “CALLING” continues through its performance.

A key movement in the choreography uses sign language to express the idea of hearing. Minzy said she wanted to create music that people could experience with their eyes and hearts, rather than only through sound.

The gesture will appear in the “CALLING” music video, which is scheduled to be released alongside the single.

This detail separates the performance from choreography designed solely to create a viral dance challenge. The movement is directly connected to the track’s meaning, transforming its central message into a visual expression.

For an artist whose physical performance has always been one of her greatest strengths, using choreography to expand the song’s emotional accessibility is a natural creative choice.

‘We Almost Were’ Reveals a Different Emotional Direction

The B-side “We Almost Were” explores a relationship that came close to becoming something permanent but never fully reached that point.

The track combines R&B with increasingly prominent rock elements. Its sound becomes heavier toward the latter half as Minzy’s emotional delivery intensifies, giving the unfinished relationship a lingering sense of regret.

The recording also features guitar work from Korean-American musician JinJoo Lee, best known as a member of Joe Jonas’ band DNCE.

Her participation strengthens the track’s live-band character and creates a notable connection between Minzy’s Korean solo work and the international pop-rock scene.

Why This Comeback Matters After 2NE1’s Reunion

Minzy’s solo return follows a renewed period of global attention surrounding 2NE1.

The group reunited for its 15th-anniversary “Welcome Back” tour, which began in Seoul in October 2024 and expanded across Asia before concluding with encore concerts at Seoul’s KSPO Dome in April 2025.

The tour allowed a new generation to experience songs such as “Fire,” “I Don’t Care,” “Ugly” and “I Am the Best” in a live setting while reconnecting longtime fans with the group.

That reunion reaffirmed Minzy’s place in 2NE1’s legacy, but “CALLING” asks listeners to look beyond nostalgia.

She is no longer simply the teenage performer who debuted as part of a groundbreaking group. She is now an experienced vocalist, dancer, songwriter and producer choosing how to present her own musical identity.

The title itself captures that transition. “CALLING” is about recognizing an internal voice and deciding to follow it. For Minzy, the song may represent the clearest expression yet of what she wants the next chapter of her career to become.

Minzy’s new single “CALLING” and its accompanying music video will be released on September 28 at 6 p.m. KST.