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Ailee had been on a long hiatus from music and recently dropped her mini-album titled (Me)moir.
The album has registered low physical sales. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
After a three-year hiatus, renowned South Korean vocalist Ailee has officially returned to the music scene with her latest mini-album, (Me)moir. Since her 2012 debut with Heaven, Ailee has captivated audiences with her powerful vocals, earning widespread recognition through solo tours and contributions to popular K-drama OSTs. However, despite her strong fanbase, (Me)moir has struggled to gain traction, resulting in the album’s low physical sales.
As per the data released by the Hanteo Chart, (Me)moir managed to sell only 120 physical copies in the first week of release, showing a major decrease from her best physical album, Butterfly, and even a fall from her last physical album. The data also shows days when Ailee sold fewer than 10 albums.
Similarly, Ailee’s streaming performance has also seen a decline, with her title track failing to enter Circle Chart’s top 100 following its release. In response to the underwhelming performance, fans rallied behind the singer, expressing their support in various ways. While some revealed purchasing physical copies of (Me)moir to boost sales, others took to social media to highlight her undeniable talent.
One wrote, “Just bought one today to support her (wait for it to arrive next week though), and yes, she deserves better than this—go support her, please!” while another added, “What are these numbers …. I thought she was well-known. Like, I don’t expect her to sell 100 thousand, but how can she not even break 1k?”
One of the fans criticising Ailee’s agency for not carrying out adequate promotions for her comeback wrote, “Her agency is s**t at promoting; I literally didn’t even know she had a comeback; I didn’t see a single teaser/promo/schedule.”
Returning to the album, (Me)moir features the contributions of Pdogg, a renowned BTS composer and in-house producer at BigHit Music. Ailee herself played a significant role in the creative process, producing three tracks, including the title song, MMI. Her agency, A2Z Entertainment, highlighted the album’s depth, stating, “The title track ‘MMI,’ along with the other songs, showcases the musical spectrum of ‘Artist Ailee,’ maximizing sensory beats, refined sound, and her signature vocal prowess. Above all, it presents a more candid side of Human Lee Ye-jin, focusing on the present and expressing herself with greater honesty.”
Having made her musical comeback, Ailee is now ready to kick-off music show activities, starting with M Countdown and Music Bank in the coming days.
