:Moonlight Sunrise
{{Short description|2023 song by Twice}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Moonlight Sunrise
| cover = Moonlight Sunrise - Cover Art.jpeg
| type = single
| artist = Twice
| EP = Ready to Be
| released = {{start date|2023|1|20}}
| studio = JYPE Studios (Seoul)
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=0}}
| label = * JYP
| writer =
- Earattack
- Nina Ann Nelson
- Kaedi Dalley
- Lee Woo-hyun
| producer =
- Earattack
- Lee Woo-hyun
| prev_title = Talk That Talk
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title = Set Me Free
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Twice English
| type = singles
| prev_title = The Feels
| prev_year = 2021
| title = Moonlight Sunrise
| year = 2023
| next_title = I Got You
| next_year = 2024
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|cKlEE_EYuNM|"Moonlight Sunrise"}}|type=single}}
}}
"Moonlight Sunrise" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Twice. It was released as their second original English-language single on January 20, 2023, through JYP Entertainment and Republic Records. It serves as a pre-release single of the group's twelfth extended play, Ready to Be, released in March. It is primarily an upbeat Miami bass, R&B and pop track that incorporates house, synth-pop, and dreamy elements in its production.
"Moonlight Sunrise" received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised the song's sultry lyrics and its fun, miami bass production, showing a new side of Twice. The track peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Global 200, number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 152 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart. It also became a top-ten charting song in Hungary, Japan, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
Background and release
On December 21, 2022, Twice posted a poster showing the text "Twice / Our Youth" with the caption "First, 1/4 of 2023", revealing that they would release the second all-English single in January 2023, their first since "The Feels" in 2021, and their twelfth extended play in March of the same year.{{cite news |last1=Kwak |first1=Hyun-soo |script-title=ko:트와이스, 내년 1월 선공개 영어 싱글→3월 새 미니 앨범 발매 |trans-title=TWICE, Pre-Release English Single in January Next Year → New Mini Album Release in March |url=https://star.ytn.co.kr/_sn/0117_202212210926522722 |access-date=January 19, 2023 |work=YTN |date=December 21, 2022 |language=ko |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119052412/https://star.ytn.co.kr/_sn/0117_202212210926522722 |url-status=live }} On January 3, 2023, Twice shared their new English single title on their social media account, called "Moonlight Sunrise", to be released on January 20.{{Cite magazine |last=Bowenbank |first=Starr |date=January 3, 2023 |title=TWICE Reveals Details for New English-Language Single 'Moonlight Sunrise': Here's When It Arrives |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/twice-announces-moonlight-sunrise-new-english-language-single-1235193053/ |access-date=January 18, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118053049/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/twice-announces-moonlight-sunrise-new-english-language-single-1235193053/ |url-status=live }} Individual and group concept photos were posted between January 10 and 15. The music video teaser was released through Twice's YouTube account on January 17.{{Cite web |last=Park |first=Jae-hwan |date=January 14, 2023 |title=Twice, English single 'MOONLIGHT SUNRISE' group teaser |url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/438/0000052809 |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=KBS Entertainment |via=Naver |archive-date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118053057/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/438/0000052809 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2023 |script-title=ko:트와이스 '문라이트 선라이즈' MV 티저…로맨틱 분위기 |trans-title=Twice 'Moonlight Sunrise' MV Teaser... romantic atmosphere |url=https://www.newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20230117_0002162184 |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=Newsis |language=ko |archive-date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118053051/https://www.newsis.com/view/?id=NISX20230117_0002162184 |url-status=live }} They performed the song for the first time at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event held in Los Angeles on March 1.{{Cite magazine|title=TWICE Shines in 'Moonlight Sunrise' Performance at Billboard's 2023 Women in Music|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/twice-billboard-women-in-music-2023-moonlight-sunrise-1235277632/|magazine=Billboard|last=Chan|first=Anna|date=March 2, 2023|access-date=September 1, 2024|archive-date=March 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302070411/https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/twice-billboard-women-in-music-2023-moonlight-sunrise-1235277632/|url-status=live}}
Composition
"Moonlight Sunrise" was co-produced by Earattack and Lee Woo-hyun, and co-written by Nina Ann Nelson and Kaedi Dalley of Citizen Queen.{{cite web |title=MOONLIGHT SUNRISE - TWICE (트와이스) |url=https://www.melon.com/song/detail.htm?songId=36058064 |publisher=Melon |access-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121031757/https://www.melon.com/song/detail.htm?songId=36058064 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Joshua Minsoo |title=TWICE, 'MOONLIGHT SUNRISE' |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2023/01/20/1150388611/twice-moonlight-sunrise |access-date=January 20, 2023 |publisher=NPR Music |date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120205824/https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2023/01/20/1150388611/twice-moonlight-sunrise |url-status=live }} It is an upbeat Miami bass, R&B, and pop song.{{cite magazine |last1=Bell |first1=Crystal |date=January 20, 2023 |title=New Year, New Twice: The Global Pop Phenoms Talk "Moonlight Sunrise" and Conquering Another Year |url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/twice-moonlight-sunrise-album-2023-resolutions |magazine=Nylon |access-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120144149/https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/twice-moonlight-sunrise-album-2023-resolutions |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Na-yul |date=January 20, 2023 |script-title=ko:[팝's신곡]"'moonlight sunrise'"‥트와이스, 사랑의 설렘 담은 러블리 매력 |trans-title=[Pop's New Song] "'Moonlight Sunrise'" ‥ TWICE, lovely charm filled with the excitement of love. |url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/112/0003611008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120054945/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/112/0003611008 |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |website=Herald Pop |language=ko}} The track incorporates a synth-pop arrangement with house influences, a dreamy melody, and lyrics that "explore the urgency of love" In terms of musical notation, the song is written in the key of C-sharp major and has a tempo of 125 beats per minute.{{Cite web|date=January 20, 2023|title=TWICE MOONLIGHT SUNRISE|url=https://tunebat.com/Info/MOONLIGHT-SUNRISE-TWICE/5NcLyVjUgG0yfwHgr5t81w|website=Tunebat|access-date=January 20, 2023}}
In an interview with People, Jihyo said the inspiration for the song came from the final concert of Twice 4th World Tour III at Banc of California Stadium: "During the tour, we had performed under the moonlight and we were dancing, and the composer for this song was there. He found our performance so beautiful, so that was what the inspiration of this song."{{cite news |last1=Schmidt |first1=Mackenzie |date=January 20, 2023 |title=TWICE Release Second English Single 'Moonlight Sunrise,' and It Has a Special Hidden Significance for Fans |work=People |url=https://people.com/music/twice-release-second-english-single-moonlight-sunrise-special-hidden-significance-for-fans/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120051459/https://people.com/music/twice-release-second-english-single-moonlight-sunrise-special-hidden-significance-for-fans/ |archive-date=January 20, 2023}} Tzuyu shared the meaning of "Moonlight Sunrise" during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, explaining that the song is about "wanting to know the other person's heart, and they use the metaphor of 'moonlight' and 'sunrise' to parallel that fluttering heart feeling when you're in love."{{cite web |last1=Ziwei |first1=Puah |title=Watch TWICE perform 'Moonlight Sunrise' on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/twice-moonlight-sunrise-kelly-clarkson-show-live-3413750 |website=NME |access-date=March 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315060104/https://www.nme.com/news/music/twice-moonlight-sunrise-kelly-clarkson-show-live-3413750 |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |date=March 15, 2023 |url-status=live}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = IZM
| rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|author=Lee Hong-hyun|date=February 2023|title=TWICE – Moonlight Sunrise|url=https://www.izm.co.kr/posts?id=31716|website=IZM|access-date=February 5, 2023|language=ko|archive-date=February 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205232356/http://izm.co.kr/contentRead.asp?idx=31716&bigcateidx=8&subcateidx=10&view_tp=1|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = NME
| rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Raj |first=Tanu I. |date=January 23, 2023 |title=On new single 'Moonlight Sunrise', TWICE embrace their evolved ethos with a sultry smoothness |magazine=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/track/twice-moonlight-sunrise-single-review-3384949 |access-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123070040/https://www.nme.com/reviews/track/twice-moonlight-sunrise-single-review-3384949 |url-status=live }}
}}
Rolling Stone India reviewed the song and stated that "it exudes romance with a synth-pop arrangement, further intensified with house influences. The dreamy melody breathes life into the lyrics that explore the urgency of love. The dizzying love confession sees the members of Twice boldly confess their ardor; 'Baby, I don't really mean to rush/ But I'ma really need your touch/ If I'ma make it through the night/ I got the moonlight/ Tequila sunrise/ Uh, come take a shot on me, I got ya'".{{Cite web |author=Divyansha Dongre |date=January 20, 2023 |title=Twice Unlock the Door to Their Heart in 'Moonlight Sunrise' |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/twice-unlock-the-door-to-their-heart-in-moonlight-sunrise/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120070915/https://rollingstoneindia.com/twice-unlock-the-door-to-their-heart-in-moonlight-sunrise/ |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Rolling Stone India}} Joshua Minsoo Kim, writing for NPR Music, said the song was "one of the most thrilling English songs from a K-pop group ever" and praised its "faithful interpretation" of the Atlanta bass genre. Tim Chan writing for Rolling Stone stated that "'Moonlight Sunrise,' a serious contender for pop song of the year. No longer the wide-eyed group that burst onto the scene as teenagers in 2015, Twice get downright sultry and seductive on the Atlanta bass-inspired track. In just three minutes, 'Moonlight' perfectly encapsulates the sheer joy of Twice's music, brimming with sing-along melodies and playful lyrics that get people talking".{{cite magazine |last1=Chan |first1=Tim |date=March 10, 2023 |title=On 'Ready to Be,' TWICE Prove They're Ready to Win |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/twice-ready-to-be-ep-album-review-1234692481/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310144615/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/twice-ready-to-be-ep-album-review-1234692481/ |archive-date=March 10, 2023 |access-date=April 17, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} Lai Frances, writing for Uproxx, "the song's flirtatious lyrics ('I've got the moonlight, tequila sunrise, come take a shot on me, I got ya') on top of a bed of Miami-bass is an invitation to the new side of Twice."{{cite web |last1=Frances|first1=Lai |date=March 14, 2023 |title=TWICE's 'Ready To Be' Is An Ode To Love And Maturity |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/twice-ready-to-be-review/ |access-date=April 17, 2023 |website=Uproxx}} Rolling Stone included the song in their list of best song of 2023, praising the group's change in sound and image writing, "Twice underscored their maturity by showing an artistic range beyond their signature bubblegum pop, with a Miami bass-infused R&B track."{{Cite magazine |date=2023-12-01 |title=The 100 Best Songs of 2023 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-1234879541/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
Commercial performance
"Moonlight Sunrise" marks the group's second entry on Billboard Hot 100, which makes Twice the fourth K-pop group to have two or more songs on the chart, joining BTS, Blackpink, and New Jeans.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Jae-hoon |date=January 31, 2023 |script-title=ko:트와이스, '문라이트'로 빌보드 '핫100' 2번째 진입…K팝 걸그룹 세번째 |trans-title=TWICE enters Billboard's 'Hot 100' for the second time with 'Moonlight'... The third K-pop girl group |url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/003/0011666167 |access-date=March 15, 2023 |website=Newsis |language=ko |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315094935/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/003/0011666167 |url-status=live }}
Track listing
- Remixes EP{{cite web |title=MOONLIGHT SUNRISE (The Remixes) - EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/moonlight-sunrise-the-remixes-ep/1667637130 |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=January 24, 2023 |archive-date=January 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124192517/https://music.apple.com/us/album/moonlight-sunrise-the-remixes-ep/1667637130 |url-status=live }}
- "Moonlight Sunrise" – 3:00
- "Moonlight Sunrise" (House remix) – 3:38
- "Moonlight Sunrise" (Club remix) – 3:51
- "Moonlight Sunrise" (R&B remix) – 3:13
- "Moonlight Sunrise" (instrumental) – 3:00
Credits and personnel
- Twice – vocals
- Sophia Pae – background vocals
- Earattack – songwriter, producer, arranger, keyboard, bass, drum programming, vocal director, recording
- Nina Ann Nelson – songwriter
- Kaedi Dalley – songwriter
- Lee Woo-hyun – songwriter, producer, arranger, keyboard, bass, drum programming
- Lee Kyeong-won – digital editing
- Goo Hye-jin – recording
- Lim Chan-mi – recording
- Lee Tae-sub – mixing
- Kwon Nam-woo – mastering
- Haneul Lee – immersive mix engineering
- Jung-hoon Choi – immersive mix engineering
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Streaming certifications for "Moonlight Sunrise"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|type=single|title=Moonlight Sunrise|artist=Twice|award=Gold|relyear=2023|certyear=2023|certmonth=6|streamsonly=true|access-date=July 25, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streamsonly=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release dates and formats for "Moonlight Sunrise" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format(s) ! scope="col" | Version ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
| scope="row" rowspan="3" | Various
| January 20, 2023 | rowspan="3" | {{Hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Original |
|---|
| January 24, 2023
| The Remixes |
| November 17, 2023
| Jonas Blue remix |