Release Date: January 20, 2023
Track Listing
- Moonlight Sunrise
Review
At the end of December 2022, TWICE announced they would make a comeback in Q1 of 2023 with a pre-release English single and their 12th EP.
The lead-up to their next album, the pre-release English-language song Moonlight Sunrise, dropped on January 20th. Unlike their previous English-language single The Feels, Moonlight Sunrise is a more subdued affair harkening back to the group’s Eyes Wide Open era of songs.
This song has a bit of a late 90s Urban pop feel. Given JYP Entertainment’s affection for utilizing popular sounds from the past for their artists, this should not be a surprise for most listeners.
The inspiration for Moonlight Sunrise came during the last day of TWICE’s encore performances at Banc of California Stadium. In an interview with People, Jihyo said:
During the tour, we performed under the moonlight and danced, and the composer of this song was there. He found our performance so beautiful, so that was the inspiration for this song.
Of course, those with less-than-pure minds will interpret the lyrics differently since all pop songs are about sex, right? Regardless of the lyrics’ interpretation, Moonlight Sunrise is an excellent start to 2023 for TWICE and does its job as a teaser for their upcoming EP in March.
