K-pop soloist IU has announced the title for her upcoming fifth studio album, alongside a brand-new teaser image.
Titled ‘BYLAC’, the album will mark IU’s long-awaited follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2017 LP ‘Palette’, which included the hits ‘Through The Night’ and ‘Ending Scene’, plus fan favourite ‘Can’t Love You Anymore’ featuring Oh Hyuk of Hyukoh.
Earlier today (February 18), IU also shared on social media a new concept image from the album. The mysterious black-and-white portrait of the singer is a notable departure from her earlier promotional material for her latest single ‘Celebrity’, which featured IU in a vibrant ball gown.
In a similar post on Instagram, IU added that her album is expected to arrive “soon”, though an official release date has not yet been announced. Check out the teaser image below:
IU 5th Album Teaser ‘BYLAC’#아이유 #IU #BYLAC pic.twitter.com/Gt23TjBAwL
— 아이유(IU) 공식 트위터 (@_IUofficial) February 17, 2021
IU previewed her upcoming project last month with ‘Celebrity’, a track NME described as an elegant synth pop toast to imperfections in a four-star review.
‘BYLAC’ will mark the singer’s first musical project in nearly a year. In 2020, she released two singles: ‘Eight’ with BTS’ Suga and ‘Give You My Heart’ as part of the soundtrack for Korean drama Crash Landing On You. In 2019, IU released her Love Poem EP, which included the song ‘Blueming’.
Last month, IU was also cast in Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda’s upcoming Korean debut, Broker. She will join a star-studded cast lineup featuring Parasite’s Song Kang-ho, Bae Doo-na of Sense 8 fame, and Kang Dong-won. The movie is set to follow a group of individuals whose lives become intertwined after they discover a mysterious ‘Baby Box’. No other details surrounding the film, including a release date, has been confirmed.
