K-Pop
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As K-pop acts continue to set new records on charts like the Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard Global 200 and World Digital Song Sales, the artists are doing so with material that showcases them at their best and the unstoppable chart force that is K-pop. ILLIT managed to set a new standard in the first […]
LISA‘s “Rockstar” has topped this week’s new music poll that features artists in various genres of music.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (June 28) on Billboard, choosing the BLACKPINK rapper, singer and dancer’s new solo single as their favorite new music release of the past week.
“Rockstar” brought 73% of the vote on the poll, securing a notable edge ahead of new releases from Camila Cabello (C,XOXO), Megan Thee Stallion (Megan), Imagine Dragons (Loom), Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan (“Cowboys Cry Too”), and others.
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“Rockstar” was released under the new partnership between RCA Records and LISA’s management company, LLOUD Co., which she founded earlier this year. The song was first teased on TikTok earlier this month when LISA joined the social media site and set a Guinness World Record by gaining 1 million followers in just over two hours.
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LISA co-wrote “Rockstar” with Brittany Amaradio, James Essien, Lucy Healey, Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee and was produced by Tedder and Homaee.
“Gold teeth sitting on the dash, she a rockstar/ Make your favorite singer wanna rap, baby, la la/ ‘Lisa, can you teach me Japanese?’ I said, ‘Hai hai’/ That’s my life life, baby I’m a rockstar,” LISA raps on the chorus.
LISA went to her native Thailand to shoot the dance-heavy music video, taking over the streets of Bangkok for the shoot. The clip features Thai transgender influencers Chinnawat Promsri, Bruze Kachi-sarah and Aëffy.
Trailing behind “Rockstar” on this week’s poll is the “other” category, with 16% of the vote, followed by Camila Cabello’s fourth studio album, C,XOXO, which brought in nearly 5% of the vote.
See the final results of this week’s poll below. Check out Billboard‘s Friday Music Guide to catch up with more must-hear releases from this week.
In a debut that has set new records for the K-pop industry, ILLIT emerged as a new pop titan upon its March start this year, earning its place as an undeniable new artist to watch — and as Billboard‘s first-ever K-Pop Rookie of the Month, for June 2024. The five-member act of Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee and Iroha formed through HYBE’s reality show R U Next? has rewritten K-pop’s global expectations with an explosive, addictive entrance into the international music scene.
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ILLIT’s debut single “Magnetic” made chart history by entering the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 91, a feat unprecedented for a K-pop group’s first song. Their Super Real Me EP also impacted the Billboard 200, with a No. 93 debut, and hasn’t left the World Albums chart since it first entered the listing, notching 13 weeks so far. The group’s international appeal was further cemented as “Magnetic” secured spots in the top 10 of the Global 200 and Global 200 Excl US charts, and still remains on both tallies as of the chart dated June 29.
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“We couldn’t believe our eyes,” Wonhee says. “We’ve never dreamt of seeing ‘Magnetic’ on the Billboard chart.”
Moving from reality show contestants to chart-topping artists has been a whirlwind. While ILLIT’s road to debut wasn’t without some minor challenges (a last-minute lineup change saw the departure of Youngseo, originally slated to be the sixth member), the quintet dove into dance rehearsals, vocal training, language lessons and fitness routines, with Yunah mentioning that a pre-debut appearance at Paris Fashion Week in February for Acne Studios also required practice to ensure their chicest walks and poses. Initially announced to the world with the name I’ll-It, changing to ILLIT was not only more visually pleasing and accessible, but was designed to better “emphasize the meaning behind the name of ‘I Will ( ) It,’ to represent the potential for infinite possibilities,” its management home HYBE shared.
While partially attributed to its association with an industry powerhouse like HYBE, their label BELIFT LAB (which also houses ENHYPEN) and the visibility from R U Next?, ILLIT’s breakthrough goes beyond mere circumstance. An addictive blend of sugary-sweet vocals, ready-to-go-viral choreography, and, well, magnetic personalities that viewers fell in love with during their show all struck a chord with a global audience, one hungry for the next K-pop breakout.
With an all-star team including HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, longtime BTS and TXT producer Slow Rabbit and singer-songwriter Salem Ilese all assisting on Super Real Me, the set’s four tracks point to ILLIT’s promising range, demonstrating where the five members could take their future pop stylings.
Get to know Billboard‘s K-Pop Rookie of the Month better below, with the ILLIT members sharing most of their personal and group stories, and previewing what’s to come next.
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Congratulations on your debut, ILLIT! You’ve started so strong with both your debut single and EP entering high on Korea’s charts, as well as on Billboard‘s U.S. and global charts. How did it feel to earn such a strong reaction?
MOKA: It was mind-blowing how so many people loved “Magnetic.” We are very happy that it’s enjoyed and loved by numerous listeners. We’ll try our best to show a better version of ourselves. Thank you!
WONHEE: We couldn’t believe our eyes! We’ve never dreamt of seeing “Magnetic” on the Billboard chart. We’re super happy that so many people are loving “Magnetic.”
While R U Next? and coming from a beloved company can help, do you have any theories as to why your debut resonated so strongly with fans worldwide?
YUNAH: I think the cute, bubbly and hip vibe of our songs represents the charms of K-pop and pop combined well, capturing the audience’s ears and hearts.
MINJU: I can’t believe all the love our global fans are showing us and I’m very grateful. I think they recognize and appreciate the efforts we put into the performances.
Can you explain the meaning of ILLIT to you, and your first reactions to the unique group name?
IROHA: When I first heard the name, I thought the meaning behind it was wonderful. It means “we can be anything,” and that we have infinite potential to become whatever we want to be as a team.
WONHEE: What I loved was how it has such a beautiful meaning to the name. I was so happy to know that we’ve got a name that’s solely ours.
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What were the months between the finale of R U Next? and debut like?
IROHA: After R U Next? we moved into the dormitory together and took dance, vocal and language lessons.
YUNAH: Yes! We are dorming together right now. Immediately after the show, I spent time taking lessons and exercising, preparing for the debut. As for the fashion week, we focused on practicing walking and posing in front of the press wall.
When did you find out that “Magnetic” was your debut single and what was your reaction?
MOKA: I think we found out sometime in the winter!! I remember how everyone was excited about the song, and I personally thought the song would be perfect for ILLIT.
WONHEE: I vividly remember how all of us were in awe and shouted “Woah!” Because it was that good!
What other songs are your favorites on the album?
WONHEE: I love “Midnight Fiction” the most, because it has its own aura of warmth that’s delivered with cute and whimsical lyrics.
IROHA: I love all of our tracks, but I have to say it’s “Lucky Girl Syndrome” because my heart gets filled with happiness and I truly feel like a lucky girl whenever I perform for it.
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Are any or all of you interested in songwriting, composing or production?
MOKA: We actually haven’t tried [those] yet, but our imagined dreams were reflected in “Midnight Fiction.” It was very interesting to see our stories turn into the lyrics. I’d love to work on lyric writing whenever I have the chance.
Can U.S. fans expect to see you anytime soon?
IROHA: I’ve never been to the U.S. before, but I can’t wait to visit and meet our fans there!
There is inevitable pressure and scrutiny that comes being a public figure. How are you remaining mentally and emotionally strong? Do you have advice or tips for those who might also be going through challenging times?
MOKA: I picture myself achieving my goal, which I find very comforting and nurturing. So I’d recommend this method.
WONHEE: I still sometimes have some difficulties controlling my nervousness, but my tip is to take a deep breath right before I say something. This helps me relax a bit.
Looking ahead, what’s next for ILLIT? Any chance you’re already planning your first comeback?
YUNAH: We are all working hard for what’s to come — which I want to spoil so badly, but I shouldn’t! [Laughs.]
IROHA: Like YUNAH said, we’re working very hard on it, so please stay tuned!
Anything else you’d like to add at this time?
MINJU: I’m forever grateful for all the love we received for our debut track “Magnetic.” We’re working hard to come back with better music and performances, so please stay tuned!
YUNAH: I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for the love our fans have been showing us. And thank you Billboard for letting us share our stories!
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NewJeans took the stage at Tokyo Dome for its Bunnies Camp 2024 fan meeting on Wednesday (June 26), the first of two days the breakout K-pop group performed at the venue for its first-ever headlining show in Japan.
The five-member girl group set a record as a non-Japanese act for shortest period of time since debuting to perform at Tokyo Dome. Tickets for the two-day event quickly sold out to draw a total of 91,200 fans, proving the “Supernatural” group’s overwhelming popularity in Japan where various talented K-pop acts seek to expand their influence.
K-pop fan meetings often feature segments other than live performances, such as games and chatting among members, to focus on interacting with fans. But NewJeans’ event opted to forgo such frivolities for a more music-oriented showcase based solely on the idea of entertaining fans (Bunnies) through song. In addition to all the tracks from their past EPs and singles — “New Jeans,” “OMG,” “Get Up,” “How Sweet” — the girls performed two off their brand-new Japanese debut single, “Supernatural.” This stance was reflected in the mysterious DJ set by the opening act, South Korean music producer 250 (Lee Ho-hyeong), which focused on remixes of NewJeans songs, but with an emphasis on ambient moods.
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The venue brimmed with intense anticipation before the show began, and when NewJeans actually appeared on stage, the crowd erupted into a fierce frenzy that felt like it would blow off the roof of the stadium. But the five members — including Hyein, who had been on hiatus to recover from a foot injury — showed no signs of nervousness in the face of such a spectacle and went on to hype up the audience with live renditions of their signature songs such as “Attention” and “Cookie,” amplifying the energy of the original songs many times over with assistance from a band consisting of guitarist Kazuki Isogai (SANABAGUN.), bassist Kazuki Arai (King Gnu), keyboardist Yudai Ohi (SANABAGUN.), and drummer Soy. Although there were concerns about Hyein’s condition, she looked well and made a strong comeback, impressing fans with her vibrant, cool performance.
In addition to popular songs like “Hype Boy” and “Super Shy,” the highlights of the day were the solo performances that showcased the charms of each member through a fresh approach — Danielle and Hanni’s sweet duo performance of the unreleased song “Hold It Down,” a strong solo dance by Haerin, and Danielle debuting her beautiful R&B-inspired original track “Butterflies (With U).”
The girls also covered J-pop songs ranging from classic to contemporary to the delight of the audience, including performances of Vaundy’s “Odoriko” (Dancing Girl) by Minji, Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” by Hyein, and Seiko Matsuda’s “Aoi Sangosho” (Blue Coral Reef) by Hanni. Moreover, the girls not only sang these songs, but also created a unique space where the content of each song and the members’ personalities were fused together, as in the performance of “Odoriko,” where Minji threw down her bag with a determined look on her face and started running, a complete change from the cool demeanor she maintained in the first half of the set. NewJeans is known for its beautiful and fragile image, spearheaded by label head Min Hee Jin, and this aesthetic was brilliantly carried through here as well.
The fan meeting also featured guest acts on both days, and J-pop duo YOASOBI appeared on Day 1 (Rina Sawayama took the stage on Day 2) — not as an opening act, but incorporated into the main set. YOASOBI singer ikura joined the group for “Right Now” as if she were the sixth member, surprising the audience with their coordinated formation. The two acts then segued into YOASOBI’s song “Biri-Biri,” smoothly performing the Pokemon-inspired number featuring a cute melody and solid drum and bass beat that perfectly matches NewJeans’ style.
After YOASOBI led the audience to a spectacular climax with its performance of “Idol,” Billboard Japan’s 2023 Song of the Year — unfortunately sans members of NewJeans — the five girls returned to the stage and upped the excitement with an energetic performance of their upbeat hit “ETA,” the audience erupting into a thunderous chorus of “What’s your ETA?” By this time, the band’s groove and the members’ cute but powerful voices and vibrant dance moves were perfectly integrated, and a unique exuberance typical of NewJeans filled the entire venue. Even during the laid-back “OMG,” which the members performed on a moving float, the venue was charged with a strange excitement that had nothing to do with relaxation. To be honest, I was personally concerned that the group’s musicality and a venue with tens of thousands of people might not necessarily be a good match, but on this day, NewJeans completely took over the stadium, a promising result in light of the group’s future performances at large-scale music festivals overseas.
The members closed the main set with “Ditto,” bringing the show to a happy ending with its pleasant groove and familiar dance moves. Answering calls for an encore, the group returned to perform the last song of the evening, “ASAP,” ending the fan meeting in style covered in a huge amount of confetti. The overwhelming satisfaction from the live performance itself — hard to believe it’s only been two years since the group was formed — as well as the tremendous response on social media after the show (with focus on the unexpected covers), will no doubt lead to even greater enthusiasm for the group.
–This concert review by neu_mura first appeared on Billboard Japan
LISA is back with the new single “Rockstar,” and she released a music video to match the song’s bombastic title. The BLACKPINK rapper, singer and dancer went to her native Thailand to shoot the dance-heavy video, taking over the streets of Bangkok for the shoot. “Gold teeth sitting on the dash, she a rockstar/ Make […]
ENHYPEN has a jam-packed year coming up, and ENGENEs could not be more excited. Earlier this week, the group announced their sophomore album, ROMANCE : UNTOLD. The seven-man boy band’s follow-up to their full-length 2021 debut, DIMENSION : DILEMMA, is due out on July 12. ROMANCE : UNTOLD “marks the beginning of a new chapter for ENHYPEN. The […]
ITZY is in the midst of their massive Born to Be World Tour, and the group stopped by Billboard‘s studios to discuss the run with host Tetris Kelly.
“The energy and the vibe was so great,” Ryujin shared. “For me, the last tour was learning and this tour was using it, so we really enjoyed it.”
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The spring/summer outing, which kicked off in February, found the quartet hitting 18 countries across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Europe and North America.
The dates featured the debut live performances of songs from the group’s recent 10-track Born To Be mini album, which is their first release to feature solo songs from each member of the group. The eighth EP from the group comprised of Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna — fifth member rapper Lia is currently on hiatus from the group dealing with health issues — includes the title track, as well as “Untouchable,” “Mr. Vampire” and “Dynamite.”
“Lia underwent consultation and examination as she is experiencing extreme tension and anxiety about carrying out her scheduled activities and received medical advice that she needs rest and treatment,” the group’s label, JYP Entertainment shared in a September announcement. “With the artist’s health as our top priority, after careful discussion with the members, we decided that Lia will not participate in scheduled activities starting from today and will take a break for the time being to focus on her treatment.”
Lia followed up the statement with a letter of her own, telling fans, “I felt like I needed to take some time off to love and fill myself first. As I always say, I sincerely hope that MIDZY will be happy. I will work to return in good health.”
Born to Be marks the group’s first Korean-language LP since 2021’s Crazy in Love, which reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
Watch Billboard‘s full interview with ITZY above.
A 92-minute concert film celebrating K-pop girl group BLACKPINK‘s eighth anniversary, BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR [BORN PINK] IN CINEMAS, is slated to hit screens worldwide on July 31. The movie from Trafalgar Releasing and CJ 4DPLEX will celebrate the highest-grossing tour from an Asian act and a female group in history in a variety of formats, […]
On Thursday (June 20) BTS‘ Jimin revealed the full track list for his upcoming second solo album, MUSE. The seven-song LP due out on July 19 will feature the intro song “Rebirth,” as well as “Interlude : Showtime,” the pre-release song “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” (featuring Loco), “Slow Dance” (featuring Sofia Carson), as well as “Be Mine,” “Who” and “Closer Than This” (which dropped in December.)
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Jimin, 28, helped write six of the song according to a release, which also noted that the announcement from BIGHIT Music featured a vintage feel via images of old-school cassette tapes representing each song, with an overarching theme of “love” connecting all the tracks.
The hip-hop/R&B-leaning focus song, “Who,” was produced by Grammy-nominated singer/producer Jon Bellion, along with Pete Nappi, Tenroc, Pdgogg and GHSTLOOP, with a vibe described as “intense bounce and guitar sound.” In addition, the pre-release song “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” draws inspiration from marching bands, “blending hip-hop elements with the big band sound characterized by a large-scale orchestra, creating an upbeat, lively rhythm and dynamic atmosphere thanks to an assist from South Korean rapper Loco.”
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Other contributors to the album include Tommy Brown (Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber), as well as producers Pdogg, GHSTLOOP and EVAN, who also worked on Jimin’s first solo album, 2023’s FACE, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Jimin’s official solo debut came with the 2018 single “Promise.” Five years later, he became the first South Korean soloist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Like Crazy,” followed by FACE‘s “Set Me Free, Pt. 2” reaching No. 30 on the chart.
Jimin is still in the midst of his 18-month mandatory South Korean military service, which he began in December; bandmate Jin recently became the first member of BTS to finish his service.
Check out the announcement below.
Jimin‘s art and muse are one and the same on his sophomore solo album, which the BTS star announced on Weverse Monday (June 17) is arriving later this summer. Titled MUSE, the project will feature seven tracks, including the previously released single “Closer Than This,” which he dropped in December. The album will arrive July […]