Evan releases debut single "Ride or Die," previews solo EP "Death of Me"

Evan, the singer-songwriter formerly known as Heeseung in the K-pop group Enhypen, has released his debut single "Ride or Die" and announced a solo EP, "Death of Me," due September 7, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Evan's exit from Enhypen made global headlines and shocked the K-pop community, and he said the new project came as he felt he "didn't know who he was anymore." "In life, there are happy moments but also moments that are tough. That is just a natural part of life," he told the Times of coping with the attention around his departure.

Evan said the song grew directly out of that period. "I needed a way to make them feel calm and that's why I released the song," he said of writing "Ride or Die."

The EP's title carries its own meaning for the singer. "For me, death is when my music is forgotten by all of the audience. That death hasn't arrived yet," he said. "I wanted this album to be a mirror and I can see myself more clearly through it on a deeper level."

Evan will make his U.S. concert return this month, first at the Grammy Museum's Spotlight program on Friday, then at KCON LA on Sunday, a festival he called "a bridge that connects K-pop and K-culture with a global audience."

Performing solo has meant carrying a show alone for the first time. "The attitude that you should have as a solo artist is very clear, you have to take the lead on stage until the end," Evan said, adding that he hopes to plan his own solo tour "someday." MusicSuey tracks new pop releases, including "Ride or Die," on the release calendar.