On August 20, CUBE Entertainment announced that i-dle’s leader SOYEON will return as a solo artist with an album releasing in early September.

While no dates or details have been confirmed at present, fans who attended SOYEON’s EBS Space Gonggam recording on August 18 report that the album has a total of eight songs. She performed all songs at the recording, including tracks spanning rock, upbeat pop and ballads.

The solo release will be SOYEON’s first since 2021, when she debuted as a soloist with the first mini album Windy. Five years on from Windy, the upcoming album arrives with room to show how far SOYEON has developed as an artist

SOYEON debuted as the leader of i-dle – formerly (G)I-DLE – in 2018 with the mini album I Am. Since then, the group has gained popularity for songs like “Nxde,” “TOMBOY,” “Queencard,” “Wife” and “Mono (feat. skaiwater).” Each of these contain narratives surrounding the subversion of gender norms and sexism; “Nxde” speaks out about sexualisation, “Wife” about the expectation that women become housewives, and “TOMBOY,” “Queencard” and “Mono” flip the narrative to encourage self-expression and the rejection of gendered restrictions.

Not only as the group’s leader, but also as one of its producers, SOYEON sits at the heart of these empowering messages. She famously wrote and produced the i-dle’s debut title track “LATATA” and has continued to contribute over the years with a substantial level of creative control, especially since being named one of the group’s executive producers ahead of “TOMBOY” in 2022. At the time, such a significant involvement in the internal workings of releases was much less common for idols than it is now with the current wave of self-produced artists, emphasising SOYEON’s ability and making her stand out.

In 2026, this has developed into SOYEON establishing a separate identity beyond her role as an idol, taking on the stage name icebluerabbit within songwriting and production credits. She performed the unreleased “icebluerabbit” during i-dle’s recent World Tour [Syncopation] in confirmation that the name represents her, following its appearance on the credits for “Mono.”

With a new solo album, SOYEON will cement this new identity. It will likely see her showcasing her skill as a multifaceted artist and producer beyond the scope of i-dle’s concept, allowing for the exploration of her sound and intentions as an individual.

An official announcement regarding the date and name of the upcoming release is expected soon, ahead of an intended early September release.