Singer says new EP reconnects her with the dreams that first led her to music Hyolyn (ReH Entertainment) Sixteen years after debuting as Sistar’s powerhouse vocalist, Hyolyn says she no longer feels the need to reinvent herself.Instead, with her fourth EP, “OriginaLyn,” the singer chose to strip away the layers she had built over the years and return to the artist she was before the arrival of concepts, expectations and labels.The seven-track album, her first physical release in four years since 2022’s “Ice,” revisits the music that first inspired her while embracing the confidence she has gained through years of experience as both an artist and the head of her own agency.Unlike her previous solo releases, which often centered around different concepts and genres, Hyolyn said she wanted this album to capture herself as she is, rather than building another character around the music.“As a solo artist, I experimented with many different genres,” she said at a roundtable interview with reporters in eastern Seoul on July 16. “I always felt like I was fitting myself into whatever mood or concept each song required. But this time, I started wondering, ‘Why do I keep trying to add more? Why do I keep wrapping myself in something else? Maybe I could just be myself.’” Hyolyn (ReH Entertainment) That realization led to “OriginaLyn,” a title that combines the word “original” with her name.The lead track “ChecK” immediately reminded Hyolyn of the music she loved as a trainee, drawing inspiration from the early-2000s pop and R&B artists who first fueled her dream of becoming a singer.“The moment I heard the beat, I knew I wanted this song to be my lead track. The instruments and overall mood reminded me of the music that gave me so much inspiration when I first started learning about music and dreamt of becoming a singer,” she said. “I realized it was bringing back nostalgia that I had forgotten while continuing my career and I wanted my listeners to feel the same emotion as I did when I first heard the song.”She said the artists who influenced how the album was shaped included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, Usher, Missy Elliott and Sisqo.“I don’t actually listen to music that often because I end up overanalyzing everything I hear,” she said, with a laugh. “But recently, I found myself going back to older songs. Every time I listened, I kept thinking, ‘How could they have made such timeless music back then?’ It made me remember how excited I was at the time and inspired me to shape my album around nostalgia.” Hyolyn (ReH Entertainment) The idea of nostalgia also shaped the album’s physical design.Instead of opting for one of the increasingly elaborate album formats common in K-pop today, Hyolyn chose an LP-inspired package to reinforce the vintage atmosphere she hoped to create.“When I thought about the nostalgia I wanted the music to evoke, I felt the physical album should reflect that too,” said Hyolyn. “In my mind, ‘ChecK’ is like Y2K reimagined in 2026, so I wanted everything to connect.”Her willingness to lean into unfamiliar territory extended to the music itself. “ChecK” features predominantly English lyrics, a decision Hyolyn described as both exciting and challenging.While she understands “why people say there should be more Korean lyrics (in K-pop),” Hyolyn said her decision was driven by how much love K-pop is receiving globally, and that she wanted to “communicate with international fans through music in a more natural way” through the new release. Hyolyn (ReH Entertainment) Looking back, Hyolyn said “OriginaLyn” ultimately became less about returning to Sistar or recreating the past than reconnecting with the dreams she held before her debut.“The image of Sistar was something only Sistar could have,” she said. “But before Sistar, there was Kim Hyo-jung (Hyolyn’s given name), who simply loved music. I wanted to remember that beginning and wanted to connect with my fans through this new musical journey.”Through “OriginaLyn,” Hyolyn added that she hopes listeners see the new EP as more than just a comeback.“I’ve poured so much love and care into this album,” she said. “Whether it’s commercially successful or not, I’m already satisfied because I feel like it clearly stamps my own musical identity. I hope the album will be able to clearly show listeners that this is the kind of music Hyolyn used to love and still loves to make.”