NME’s latest star of The Cover, Yves, has created an exclusive playlist to accompany the story’s launch – check it out below.
The K-pop solo artist is on this week’s (April 27) edition of The Cover, a manifestation of NME’s commitment to supporting emerging talent across the globe on a weekly basis. Every week, a rising artist will feature on The Cover – you can read Yves’ profile here, written by Rhian Daly and featuring photography by Wonyoung Ki.
Alongside The Cover, Yves has curated a playlist titled ‘Stretch Before You Move’, featuring songs by the likes of Chet Baker, Erykah Badu, Amelia Moore, Frank Ocean, Palace Floor, and more. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify below and on Apple Music.
Formerly a member of K-pop girl group LOONA, Yves is now in her second artistic life as a solo artist, re-debuting on her own in 2024. Instead of finding an established K-pop label to call her home, she veered into uncharted territory by signing to Paix Per Mil, the independent label founded by Korean hip-hop and R&B producer Millic, and is driven by a desire to do what she wants. “I wanted to make the music that I want and be able to share that with the rest of the world,” she tells NME. “I feel like I owe that to myself – to be able to keep trying what I want to do and keep discovering that.”
Now on her fourth EP ‘Nail’, which arrived earlier this month, she’s cemented her reputation as a versatile artist who can turn her hand to any genre, with hyperpop and house, pop-punk and indie already in her repertoire. “I’m trying to put out the music that feels right to me and the best music that it can be,” she explains. “In K-pop in general, it’s evolved so much that it’s very hard to strictly define and find those lines. I know people are very comfortable when things are more black and white, but I just hope they think of me as just an artist, or just Yves. I don’t want any one genre to define who I am.”
Read Yves’ full Cover story here and find out who else has been on The Cover here.
Every year, NME produces 50 Cover stories, showcasing the future of music via in-depth profiles and exclusive photoshoots. Check out our coffee table book NME The Cover 2024-2025, which features the likes of Kneecap, Lola Young, Amaarae, LE SSERAFIM, Oklou and many more.