LISA is saying hello to her next solo era—quite literally.

Her new single “SaWaDiKa” arrives September 3 in the Americas, opening the road to her new EP, PRESS PLAY, on October 23. The title immediately points toward Thailand, while the project’s official description goes further: this era honors LISA’s Thai roots and her rise as a global artist.

There is also a confirmed release time. The important catch? For fans in Korea and Thailand, the song arrives on September 4 because of the time-zone difference.

LISA’s “SaWaDiKa” Arrives September 3

LLOUD’s official rollout names “SaWaDiKa” as LISA’s first single from PRESS PLAY and gives it a September 3 release date. The campaign has paired the title with a simple message—hello—while previews have leaned into visual references to Thailand.

That makes the single more than a date on the comeback calendar. It is the first clear introduction to how LISA is framing this project: personal, Thai-rooted and made for a global audience.

So, What Does “SaWaDiKa” Mean?

“SaWaDiKa” is a stylized romanization that evokes the Thai greeting สวัสดีค่ะ, commonly written in English as sawasdee ka or sawatdee kha. In everyday use, it is a polite way for a woman to say “hello.”

The last part matters. ค่ะ—often romanized as ka or kha—is a polite particle used by female speakers. English spellings vary because they are approximations of Thai sounds, so “SaWaDiKa” should not be treated as the only standard transliteration.

Why the Thai Connection Matters

LISA was born and raised in Thailand before moving to South Korea as a teenager and building a career that now stretches across K-pop, global pop, fashion, acting and live performance.

That background makes a Thai greeting an especially resonant way to open a new chapter. But the connection is not just fan interpretation: the official PRESS PLAY product description calls the project LISA at her most personal, honoring her roots in Thailand and her rise as a global icon.

In other words, “SaWaDiKa” does not hide the starting point. It puts it in the title.

What We Know About PRESS PLAY

PRESS PLAY is LISA’s next solo project after her debut full-length album, Alter Ego. The official Thailand store describes it as a six-track EP and sets its release date for October 23, 2026.

Apple Music also lists PRESS PLAY as a pre-release for October 23 under RCA Records and LLOUD. Its current listing shows seven items, which differs from the six-track physical-product description. Pre-release listings can change, so the final digital track configuration should be treated as unconfirmed until the full tracklist is officially published.

OFFICIAL PRE-RELEASEPre-add PRESS PLAYView LISA’s official PRESS PLAY page and choose a supported music service.OPEN OFFICIAL PAGE

Is There an Official Release Time?

Yes. The official promotional timing places “SaWaDiKa” at:

  • September 3, 5 PM PT
  • September 3, 8 PM ET
  • September 4, 9 AM KST
  • September 4, 7 AM ICT in Thailand

These are the same worldwide release moment. The September 3 date used in the main announcement follows the Americas, while listeners in Seoul and Bangkok cross into September 4 before the song arrives.

That time-zone split is worth checking before setting a countdown: September 3 is correct, and September 4 is also correct, depending on where you are.

What Hasn’t Been Revealed Yet

The rollout is moving quickly, but several details are still open:

  • The complete, final digital tracklist for PRESS PLAY
  • Full songwriting and production credits for “SaWaDiKa”
  • The song’s full sound and lyrical direction beyond official previews
  • Whether additional pre-release singles will arrive before the EP

Until LISA, LLOUD or RCA publishes those details, teaser-based theories are still theories.

Key Dates

| Release | Date and time | | --- | --- | | “SaWaDiKa” — Pacific Time | September 3, 2026 at 5 PM PT | | “SaWaDiKa” — Eastern Time | September 3, 2026 at 8 PM ET | | “SaWaDiKa” — Korea | September 4, 2026 at 9 AM KST | | “SaWaDiKa” — Thailand | September 4, 2026 at 7 AM ICT | | PRESS PLAY | October 23, 2026 |

So yes, LISA’s next era begins with “hello.” The single arrives first; the larger picture follows when PRESS PLAY lands in October.