After the mainstream success of her 2017 club song “Raingurl,” Yaeji briefly stepped back from the underground dance scene, since then releasing a mixtape and her critically acclaimed debut album With a Hammer last year. The New York-based artist now returns to her club roots with her new single “booboo” and a simple choreography to rave with it on the dancefloor. 

The title, Yaeji shared on social media, refers to the Korean expression signaling an alarm, while also being an endearing name she calls her friends. The self-referential dance track, released by XL Recordings, is both introspective and whimsical, reflecting on her sudden success and celebrating her underground dance community.

Of her inspiration for making the song, Yaeji shares: 

"i think with anything - a little breathing room, a little break - distance makes the heart grow fonder. with the overpowering attention that came from raingurl, i took a break from clubbing, dance music, and the underground scene, but in that time away from it all, it's allowed me to gain new perspective and a deeper appreciation for it.”

In the days leading up to the song’s release, Yaeji teased the track with videos of her dancing to its repeating lyrics: “Booboo, don’t touch me.” She now incorporates the dance in her live performances, including at this year's Pitchfork Festival.

Yaeji debuted the new club single during her third Boiler Room performance at the Brooklyn Mirage in July. Along with “booboo”, her set featured the original demo version of her hit “Raingurl”, an unreleased track by Aliyah’s Interlude, and a remix of Nintendo's Mii Channel tune, a crowd-favorite. 

Later this year, Yaeji is scheduled to perform at several upcoming European festivals and a DJ set at the Outline Festival in New York. Find more of her upcoming dates below:

8/23 at Lost Village Festival [Live Set] in Norton Disney, UK 
8/24 at Field Day Festival [Live Set] in London, UK
9/6 at Festival Palomosa [ DJ Set] in Montreal, CA
9/21 at Outline Festival @ Knockdown Center [DJ Set] in Queens, NY
10/31 at Club To Club Festival [DJ Set] in Turin, Italy