B.I Takes A Confident Step Forward With ‘Illa Illa’

South Korean rapper and producer B.I has finally dropped his much-awaited debut LP Waterfall. The record is led by the single “Illa Illa” and its accompanying music video. The release follows a plethora of short films and promotional trailers which tease various tracks from the album.

Written and produced by B.I in collaboration with South Korean producers Millenniumm, Kang Uk Jin, Diggy, and Sihwang, “Illa Illa” is a track about moving on from a painful past and looking forward to a happier future. B.I addresses the loneliness and depression around abandonment and the difficult process of gathering enough strength to move forward on his own. “I’m lost alone on a lonely island/ Emotional anemia, war in my head/ To put in my feet in the waves of memories/ It’s so cold enough to freeze my heart.” Towards the end of the track he is determined to persevere and has faith in himself to keep going: “Stargazing by the rolling waves/ I won’t shed new tears/ Though I know it will crumble/ I’ll probably build a sandcastle again.”

The music video begins with B.I walking out of the ocean looking confused and exhausted. From there he wanders alone through various locations, including the alleys of a city and an empty performance hall with a lone piano. He seems to gain confidence and joy as the video progresses and the mood shifts as he stands on a rooftop watching fireworks with his friends, eventually embracing all his experiences–including his sadness. The video finally concludes with him enjoying a drive across a bridge on a bright day with a smile on his face and ends with a couple of behind the scenes clips of him recording the track in his studio.

Waterfall is B.I’s first album release after his departure from K-pop group iKON in 2019 and comprises a total of 12 tracks. The record features collaborations with Epik High’s Tablo and R&B star Lee Hi. In 2020, the musician was appointed as the executive director of the agency IOK Company and established its subsidiary, 131 Label. In 2021, B.I returned to music with the single album Midnight Blue (Love Streaming) and the tracks “Re-Birth” and “Got It Like That.” B.I also featured on and co-wrote “Acceptance Speech” off Epik High’s tenth studio album Epik High Is Here.