María (EP)

In February 2019, Hwasa made her debut as a solo artist with the digital single "Twit", which she co-wrote and co-composed.[2] The song was a commercial success; topping the Gaon digital, download and streaming charts in South Korea, achieving a "Triple Crown".[3]

On June 15 at midnight KST, Hwasa revealed the first teaser image for the album along with the release date. It was also revealed that the EP and title track would be titled "María" (which refers to her baptismal name).[4] On June 16, a video introduction titled "Nobody Else" was released in which she is shown in different locations as she tells a story in a voiceover.[5] On June 22, the track list for María was shared, containing seven songs, including the title track "María", the previous single "Twit" and a new song produced by Zico titled "Kidding". It also contains a song featuring rapper DPR Live called "I'm Bad Too".[6]

At seven tracks, María is the longest EP in Hwasa's catalogue. Musically, the album is a K-pop record that contains influences of dance, R&B and Latin pop. The lead single of the same name was composed by Hwasa, with her working with producer Park Woo-sang and shows her growth as a singer-songwriter. Hwasa also wrote the lyrics for "LLM" and composed "Why".[7]

The opening track of the album, "Intro: Nobody Else", is a song with profound lyrics against a dramatic soft piano and synth melody convey how sometimes behind a dazzling demeanor, dark thoughts still hide and play on a person’s mind.[8] Co-composed by Hwasa and producer Park Woosang, “María” combines elements of trap and synth with an upbeat Latin pop section over the bridge, which makes a slightly strange segue into a ballad-y string section. The lyrics describe the struggles that come with fame, outlining the emotions that need to be suppressed and the effect being in the public eye has on one’s mental health.[9] Produced by Zico, "Kidding" is a song with a "playful R&B melody" that gives the song a bit of a 90s personality. The song tells the story of an unfaithful lover. "Why" is a dynamic contemporary ballad with a trap synth beat. The song is about an unrequited love.[8] Hwasa's collaboration with DPR Live, "I'm Bad Too," is a dynamic song that features R&B and Latin influences. Hwasa wrote the song about her friendship with DPR Live.[8] "LMM" is a "soul stirring track" with a orchestral tone, piano and violin based melody.[8] The final track, "Twit," is a bouncing pop melody that features chirpy trap beats and tropical house elements as the artist switches between chanting raps and her soaring, powerful vocals.[10] The song was co-written and co-produced by Hwasa with Dohun Kim and Woosang Park.[11]

María debuted and peaked at number five on the Gaon Album Chart for the 30th week of 2020.[20] It placed at number 18 for the month of June, selling over 47,000 copies that month.[21] The EP also debuted at number seven on the Billboard World Albums and 81 on Billboard Top Current Albums Sales charts for the week of July 11, 2020.[22][23]