Yoon Mirae Returns with Melancholic Winter Track “Breath”
Spring may be known for bringing new beginnings, but winter has us in a chokehold of bittersweet nostalgia. The legendary Yoon Mirae captures that feeling with her reflective new single, “숨 (Breath),” released December 23rd. As her first solo release in nearly a decade, this track is a reminder of why her artistry continues to awe and leave listeners breathless.
The Return of the Queen
Natasha Shanta Reid — better known by her stage names Yoon Mirae, Tasha, or simply T — is an American-born South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer who has long been a trailblazer as one of the first Black Asian American artists to make her mark. In addition to her longstanding solo career, she is also a founding member of the hip-hop group MFBTY alongside husband Tiger JK and Bizzy.
In recent years she teamed up with Tiger JK, F.Hero, and Billkin for the uplifting track “Self Love” in 2022. Most recently, in 2024, she collaborated with Gaeko on J-Hope’s “Neuron” from Hope on the Street Vol.1. Now, after eight years, Yoon Mirae is stepping up solo to the mic.
Breath of Fresh Air
“Breath” is a minimalist ballad that pulls Yoon Mirae’s soothing voice into center focus. Stripped down to delicate guitar and her melancholic vocals, the track highlights her retrospective longing woven throughout the lyrics. Every day moments that feel both specific and universally relatable come alive with her hums. Lyrics like “when your hand was in my pocket” and “the coffee would go cold” transport us back into intimate, nostalgic memories. At the same time, lines such as “Every street makes me think of you for no reason” and “I quietly look for you somewhere among the people passing by” ground us in the present, emphasizing the absence of the person those memories are tied to.
Her master lyricism shines in the chorus, where every word is carefully chosen to evoke both emotion and imagery. She sings in her wistful, raw tone, “Winter falls inside me becoming white memories/Even as I walk these streets without I still see you/Memories fall inside me turning into white memories/The snow falls and a winter just like you comes.” Her poetic wordplay turns simple concepts like snow and winter into layered metaphors for her yearning, creating a deeply haunting and resonant story lyrically and sonically.
Winter Memories
The singer-songwriter released the first teaser for her comeback on December 22, and it was full of cryptic imagery. Immediately, we were swept up into what seemed to be a murder-mystery with a haunting, whimsical wind instrument melody and a car speeding away with a woman’s hand hanging from the trunk. The teaser closed with Yoon Mirae’s powerful exhale, fading the scene to black and leaving us with anticipation for what she plans to deliver to her eagerly awaiting fans.
The second teaser, released shortly after, puts Yoon Mirae front and center. She’s seen behind the wheel of the same car that sped away in the first teaser, this time accompanied by a noticeably calmer, gentle guitar strum. And just like the first teaser, the clip ends with a loud exhale.
The official visualizer serves as a perfect complement to the track. Building on the second teaser, Yoon Mirae is seen driving through the wintery Korean countryside, picking up passengers along the way — including her husband and long-time music partner, Tiger JK. While the passengers change in both number and composition, Yoon Mirae remains constant, always casting a glance behind her and through her rearview mirror.
The Next Inhale
“Breath” might be a quiet return, but it already has us holding ours in for what comes next from Yoon Mirae. In a message about the single on Instagram, she thanked her fans for waiting, adding that she missed them so much. Evident that the industry has been missing her unique tone and touch, the “Breath” visualizer racked up over 200k views in just 12 hours. We are left piecing together our own theories about the story Yoon Mirae has crafted…and, most importantly, wonder what her next work will reveal.
Listen to “Breath,” now available on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. Stay up to date with Yoon Mirae on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Want to dive into something intergalactic? Check out our breakdown of YENA and Hatsune Miku’s interdimensional collab here!
