K-Pop
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“There is a phrase, ‘If you have no expectations, there will be no disappointment,’” (G) I-DLE’s Minnie explains when it comes to her mindset for the group’s newest full-length album. “I actually didn’t want to have high expectations, but it will be great if we get good results.”
In 2022, (G)I-DLE embarked on a bold new chapter with its first full LP, I NEVER DIE from 2022. The pivotal moment marked a creative renaissance for the group — with the single “Tomboy” named Billboard’s best K-pop song of the year — and propelled it to new chart heights with hit albums and signature singles. Less than two years later, (G)I-DLE is already back with its second full-length album, aptly titled 2, that shows the group’s heavy involvement in writing and producing songs discussing female empowerment, trusting one’s instinct, destiny, and love.
“Since a lot of people are waiting for (G)I-DLE music, we wanted to come out with a new concept that no one expected,” leader Soyeon says of the LP promoted by the bold and bass-driven single “Wife” (that’s gone viral for its lyrics and breaking into the general public, more on that below) and the booming, big-room anthem “Super Lady.”
Despite a packed 2023, which included the release of their Korean EP I Feel and their debut English EP HEAT — which peaked at Nos. 41 and 25 on the Billboard 200, respectively — (G)I-DLE wasted no time returning to the studio.
“I started working on our songs when we were heading towards the end of our world tour,” says Minnie. “Although I did not have enough time, I worked on the songs non-stop and was able to make ‘Vision’ and 7Days within 10 days.” Shuhua adds, “Whenever we had a free moment, we practiced and recorded our songs.”
The album also marks a significant milestone for member Miyeon, who contributed lyrics for the first time.
“Excluding my solo songs, this is my first time participating in the lyric-making for (G)I-DLE album,” the vocalist shares. “I had so much fun and was able to work with a lot of excitement since it was my first time. Although some parts were lacking, this whole process was a new experience, and I am really glad that our [fandom] NERVERLANDs liked it as well.”
Throughout the creative process, (G) I-DLE’s members took active roles in also shaping the album’s direction, from refining choreography to fine-tuning the concept.
“We all were involved together,” Soyeon says. “We communicated with the choreographer to revise the details while learning the choreography for our title track single ‘Super Lady’ because I wanted to do something that wasn’t so obvious.” Yuqi adds that “most of the choreography and concept were centered around Soyeon, as she is the producer of the group, but all of our members gathered together to share our opinions.”
While high chart rankings are undoubtedly a goal, the quintet also emphasize the importance of connecting with listeners.
“First, I want to thank you for listening and showing a lot of love towards our songs,” Miyeon says to those tuning in. “When preparing for this album, I thought, more than ranking on the charts, I hope each and every person who listens to (G)I-DLE songs can relate to our songs and enjoy them.”
Yuqi sums things up by saying, “Of course, it would be great to rank high on the charts, but I don’t go around thinking about rankings when making music. I want (G)I-DLE music to be delivered to as many people as possible. That’s the biggest and most meaningful goal!”
Read on for (G)I-DLE to break down every track of their new 2 album, track-by-track, below:
“Super Lady”
Image Credit: Cho Gi-Seok 88Rising
K-pop stars TWICE dropped their first song of 2024 on Friday (Feb. 2), the high-energy tribute to friendship “I Got You.” The group’s third English-language single is the first taste of their upcoming 13th mini album, With YOU-th (Feb. 23).
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The video for the song finds Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu snuggling up together inside a ship’s cabin as it is tossed by stormy seas. “A little reckless around the edges/ Call it young, dumb love and it’s just enough,” they sing over a bubbly new wave-style beat reminiscent of a double-time homage to A-Ha’s 1985 classic “Take On Me.”
Comfortable in their cuddle puddle as the waves turn placid, the women get led to shore by a bandmate in a lighthouse, where they bust out some elegant choreo by the beach. “No we’ll never fall apart/ Even million miles apart/ We were lightning from the start,” they sing before diving into the joyous chorus: “Ooh/ No matter what you got me, I got you/ And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
The soaring tribute to friendship is packed with shots of the band members dancing and holding hands in fields of gold and making pinkie swear promises to each other. It even includes a dreamy animated sequence in which they dive under the waves to frolic with marine life before winding down with the singers striking Titanic-like poses on the bow of the ship as they soak up the sun.
“I Got You” is the follow-up to the nine-member group’s previous English-language singles, “The Feels,” which landed their debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 83) and “Moonlight Sunrise” (No. 84).
The JYP Entertainment group is in the midst of their Ready To Be world tour, which will play Mexico City’s Foro Sol Stadium on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 3), before moving on to a pair of dates at Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo (Feb. 6-7) and a gig at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 16.
Watch the “I Got You” video below.
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NMIXX is officially the top up-and-coming artist in the United States as the group re-enters Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart (dated Feb. 3) at No. 1, thanks to its new EP, Fe3O4: Break.
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The project, released Jan. 15 via JYP Entertainment/Imperial/Republic Records, debuts at No. 2 on the World Albums chart and No. 171 on the Billboard 200 with 8,000 equivalent album units earned in in the U.S. in its opening week (Jan. 19-25), according to Luminate.
Emerging Artists marks the first currently active Billboard chart that NMIXX has topped. (The group hit No. 1 on the since-discontinued Hot Trending Songs chart in March 2023 with “Young, Dumb, Stupid.” The group charted five other songs on the ranking during its run.)
NMIXX is the first K-pop group to lead Emerging Artists in 2024. Nine K-pop acts reigned in 2023: BOYNEXTDOOR, (G)I-DLE, IU, NCT Dream, NewJeans, P1Harmony, The Rose, V and xikers.
NMIXX is also the first JYP act to hit No. 1 on Emerging Artists. The company’s other signees to reach the chart include Day6, Itzy, Stray Kids and Xdinary Heroes.
NMIXX previously charted on Billboard’s album rankings with its EP Expérgo. The set reached No. 5 on World Albums and No. 122 on the Billboard 200 in April 2023.
NMIXX, from South Korea, has been active since 2021. The group is comprised of members Bae, Haewon, Jiwoo, Kyujin, Lily and Sullyoon. Last April, Billboard named NMIXX a K-pop group to watch.
The Emerging Artists chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200. (The Artist 100 lists the most popular acts, overall, each week.) However, the Emerging Artists chart excludes acts that have notched a top 25 entry on either the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, as well as artists that have achieved two or more top 10s on Billboard’s “Hot” song genre charts and/or consumption-based “Top” album genre rankings.
Through K-pop’s rapid changes in the last three decades, a constant standard has been JYP Entertainment’s particular attention given to its female groups.
From Wonder Girls becoming the first Korean-pop act to crack the Billboard Hot 100 to the likes of TWICE and ITZY making inroads with U.S. label deals and arena tours, plus a Japanese group NiziU who’s had a No. 1 single on the Japan Hot 100 every year since their 2020 debut, the company has lived up to its company tagline as a “leader in entertainment” with noted strict guidelines for dating, dieting, media engagement and more. So when a mid-interview miscommunication over the interview time with JYPE’s latest girl group abruptly ends the conversation when the schedule can’t spare another 10 minutes, the fleeting encounter feels like it mirrors the meticulousness and unwavering standards to success set by K-pop industry giants like JYP. Especially for the high stakes with VCHA, a first-of-its-kind “global” girl group, there’s no room for missteps.
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VCHA began with a bold vision outlined by JYP founder J.Y. Park and Republic Records founder Monte Lipman: their A2K competition series set out to create “the first American artist made out of the K-pop system.” Amid increasingly heated competition from industry heavyweights like SM Entertainment, HYBE and Geffen Records with similar projects, JYP and Republic pulled ahead in this next-generation pop race, culminating in the six-member girl group that’s helping evolve the definition of K-pop and changing how companies like JYP and Republic traditionally operate.
Unlike the Korea-based counterparts who famously undergo years of rigorous training, VCHA embarked on a whirlwind journey encompassing vocal and dance training, character assessments, and even “star quality evaluations” through 22 episodes of A2K where the final lineup of members Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee — who range from ages 18 to 14 — were revealed in September 2023 and made their official debut just four months later, today, on Jan. 26, 2024 via “Girls of the Year” by revealing its digital single and music video.
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After four buzz tracks hinting at their sound like “Ready for the World” and “Y.O.Universe” (the latter of which performed on public Korean TV channels like KBS and MBC alongside other K-pop acts), “Girls of the Year” marks the official start of VCHA and what midwest-born, 18-year-old leader Lexi says “really emphasizes confidence, self-worth and what we strive to be, which is, obviously, girls of the year.”
An upbeat, bubblegum-pop anthem with hooks ready to get lodged in young listeners brains, “Girls of the Year” also encapsulates a subtle yet poignant message of feminism and self-empowerment with lyrics like, “No more doubtin’ and no glass ceilings.” Speaking to Billboard in their new home base in Los Angeles, the Florida-raised, 17-year-old Savanna sings that line on the track and personally connects with the lyric when “going deeper because of the meaning itself.”
“Girls of the Year” embodies the essence of VCHA’s mission—to inspire and empower a new generation of fans who aren’t as bound or preoccupied by cultural, language and country barriers. With all six based in the U.S. or Canada, the VCHA members’ backgrounds range from white and Latino to Black, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hmong.
Texas native Kendall recognizes the diversity they represent and the chance to be a role model.
“‘Girls of the Year’ is such a statement, but to us, it really means to be able to become a group or someone that other people can proudly look up to,” the 17-year-old says. “To be able to represent different communities is honestly such an honor because we all had people from our cultures or from our nationalities who we looked up to growing up and they made such a big impact on our lives. So, for us to possibly be able to grow into becoming those people for others is really what being a ‘girl of the year’ would mean to us.”
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VCHA is in good company with Republic Records signees like Taylor Swift, TWICE, Ariana Grande, Stray Kids and ITZY all cited as different inspirations to the members. The girls will open for upcoming stadium shows their JYP/Republic label mates TWICE are holding in Las Vegas, Mexico City and São Paulo — something of a dream for youngest member Kaylee, who says TWICE is the first artist she remembers connecting with from a young age.
“I can’t say that I’m nervous or excited because I can’t think that it’s actually going to happen,” the 14-year-old Philly singer says. “It feels like a dream rather than something that we’re going to be performing on stage opening for TWICE. It just seems so unreal to be able to do something like this so early in our career.”
In fact, K-pop concerts traditionally do not have opening acts, marking yet another way VCHA is shaking up the system’s formulas with a page from the western playbook. “This is something that was all kind of unexpected,” Lexi adds, “We’re just super honored to be able even to do something that’s not really done.”
To prepare for the upcoming shows, the sextet has all-day training sessions, rehearsals and content creation that begin around 10:30 or 11 a.m. local time once youngest members Kaylee and KG, who are 14 and 16 respectively, finish schooling, which they take earlier in the mornings via online learning classes. Kaylee and KG point to some difficulty in balancing school and group work but have the older members to help them study.
With VCHA’s release of “Girls of the Year,” coupled with the easy-listening, R&B-pop cut “XO Call Me” as a b-side that Kendall notes is part of the “new sounds” they’re excited to show, the teens are moving into unknown but exciting territory that feels more centered on deeper, heartfelt messaging than the maximalist showmanship found in most K-pop debuts.
Take the moment in the “Girls of the Year” music video where Camila walks from her dance rehearsal into a massive VCHA concert where she catches her glammed-up, onstage version performing, and the two exchange smiles—a moment of recognizing her journey that included years of auditions and competition shows like The Voice Kids in Canada and France, to now debuting in a group backed some of the world’s most proven players in pop.
See what all the VCHA members had to say about their growth, looking back at honest moments from their character evaluations in A2K to where they stand today.
The role of leader is an important one in K-pop and Lexi, you’re the leader of VCHA. How has your role shifted from someone who was known to help the contestants in A2K to now leading VCHA?
Lexi: Obviously, I’m super grateful to be the leader to help organize things in this group. Although I have the title, I do think that I get so much help from the other members — like, everyone helps me out so much. Even though I’m the leader, I think that we all help out a lot in the group for us to be able to be successful and work hard.
I do do a lot of the organization things like setting up our times for when we should practice or spreading things out for what we should do throughout the day and for what’s coming up. I help us try to stay on task too. Sometimes I’ll have to communicate [with the label teams] just a little bit for things like our schedules.
I remember Camila was voted co-favorite team mate with Lexi during A2K evaluations. You’re also the eldest member, and you said a lot of that motivated you to kind of help take care of and encourage your members. What does that relationship look like now?
Camila: Actually in my family, I’ve always been the youngest so I’ve always been well taken care of. I learned a lot from my mom and my brother, and how they made me feel always so safe and comfortable. I wanted to do that as well if I was ever in a group. Being here, it’s the same thing since we last talked; I think because I’m a very empathetic person, I always feel what other people feel. I always try to make people comfortable and make sure everyone’s okay emotionally.
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Savanna, J.Y. Park said he had doubts about your seriousness but you shared how you know nerves aren’t helpful. I loved your attitude and answer then. Is that a mindset you continue today?
Savanna: If I was to explain this more, being in gymnastics at a very young age led me to learn different techniques to not let my nerves get the best of me since, if I was in a nervous state, I would perform worse— especially on events where I had to balance on a four-inch beam. Although I was definitely nervous, I applied this learned technique of mine during the evaluations of A2K. I think I still have this mindset today as we do nervewracking activities but I try to calm the members down and let them know that we’ve worked our hardest up to this point and to try to relax, trust your practice, and give it your all.
Kendall, I remember you were super-focused on both your and the group’s growth during Boot Camp with many moments practicing on your own. How are you today with leaning on your members?
Kendall: I would say that the more time we spent together and the closer we became, the more I was able to rely on my members. As a person, I often tend to think to myself and enjoy spending time on my own, but it’s nice to have a support system with the other girls that I can always lean on.
J.Y. Park also said very honestly that he thought KG had a “solid style fixed in you” that couldn’t work in a group. But not only did you prove you could adapt, you’re in the group! How do you feel you’re evolving as an artist today?
KG: Yes, J.Y. Park was exactly right. I had a very fixed style and unique way of singing where I fell off my words, and that type of singing is not usually found in K-pop groups. I can sing many different styles, so removing what he didn’t like was not difficult for me but his advice made me a better singer and fit for this group so I really appreciate it. I think being an artist or performer means you’re always constantly evolving and, right now, I’ve evolved into the K-pop world.
Kaylee, you anticipated that you could be the “Moodmaker” of the group. Do you help set the group’s tone?
Kaylee: We all have different personalities and all of us are so fun to be around! So everyone has the potential to become a mood maker of the group.
K-pop girl group ITZY announced the dates for their second world tour on Thursday (Jan. 25). The spring/summer outing will find the quartet hitting 18 countries across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Europe and North America on the BORN TO BE swing that is slated to kick off at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul, South Korea on Feb. 24.
The follow-up to their 2022 debut world tour, CHECKMATE, will have the group performing in Latin America, the U.K., Europe, Australia and New Zealand for the first time. The 27-city tour produced by JYP Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation will touch down in North America on June 6 for a show at WAMU Theater in Seattle, WA.
It will then run through shows in Oakland, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Newark and Chicago before winding down on June 28 with a gig at the Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort in Toronto. The final run will feature shows in Taipei, Taiwan (July 20), Manila, Philippines (August 3) and Hong Kong (August 10).
The dates will feature 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.”
Tickets for the Asian dates can be found on the local promoter’s websites, with the Mexican date presales beginning on Feb. 5, followed by a general onsale beginning Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. local time here. The Santiago date presale begins on Jan. 29, followed by the general onsale on Jan. 31 at 12 p.m. local time here. European and U.K. date presales will begin on Feb. 1, with the general onsale beginning at 10 a.m. local time on local Live Nation site on Feb. 2 and the North American ticket general onsale beginning Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. local time here.
Check out the ITZY BORN TO BE tour dates below.
Feb. 24 – Seoul, KOR @ Jamsil Indoor Stadium
Feb. 25 – Seoul, KOR @ Jamsil Indoor Stadium
March 16 – Bangkok, Thailand @ Impact Arena
March 21 – Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena
March 24 – Sydney, AUS @ ICC Sydney Theatre
March 26 – Melbourne, AUS @ Margaret Court Arena
April 6 – Singapore @ Singapore Indoor Stadium
April 15 – Mexico City, MX @ Pepsi Center WTC
April 18 – Santiago, Chile @ Movistar Arena
April 24 – London, UK @ OVO Arena Wembley
April 26 – Paris, France @ Zénith Paris – La Villette
April 28 – Berlin, Germany @ Velodrom
May 1 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ AFAS Live
May 4 – Madrid, Spain @ Palacio Vistalegre
May 18 – Tokyo, Japan @ Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium
May 19 – Tokyo, Japan @ Yoyogi National Stadium First Gymnasium
June 6 – Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater
June 8 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
June 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
June 14 – Sugar Land, TX @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
June 16 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
June 18 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre Atlanta
June 20 – Fairfax, VA @ EagleBank Arena
June 23 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
June 26 – Chicago, IL @ Rosemont Theatre
June 28 – Toronto, ON @ The Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort
July 20 – Taipei, Taiwan @ Taipei Arena
August 3 – Manila, Philippines @ SM Mall of Asia Arena
August 10 – Hong Kong, China @ AsiaWorld-Arena
K-pop boy band Seventeen surprised fans during the second night of a two-night stand at Macao’s Olympic Sports Center Stadium on Sunday (Jan. 21) when they busted out a brand-new song, “The Meaning of Meeting.” The sentimental, swooning ballad was released a short time later on Chinese music streaming platforms as a standalone digital single, […]
The ladies of ITZY are certifiable It Girls. Like popular K-pop girl groups before them — including f(x), 2NE1, BLACKPINK and TWICE — ITZY has quickly vaulted to international stardom, appearing on several Billboard charts since its 2019 debut.
2023 was a banner year for the quintet comprised of Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna. During the summer, the group released its seventh EP, Kill My Doubt, which housed lead single “Cake.” The EP became the girls’ fifth entry on the Billboard 200. They made their first appearance on the ranking back in 2021 with their Guess Who EP (No. 148), and have since made one trip to the chart’s top 10 with 2022’s Checkmate: Mini Album EP (No. 8).
To kick off the new year, ITZY launched its sophomore studio album on Jan. 8. Titled Born to Be, the LP features the single “Untouchable,” as well as each group member’s debut solo track. 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.
Since the group’s first Billboard chart appearance, ITZY has placed four songs on the Billboard Global 200, the top 40 hit “In the Morning” (No. 34). On the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, the group has notched five entries, reaching the top 40 with both “In the Morning” (No. 22) and “Loco” (No. 29). In addition, the award-winning group has landed 10 songs on the World Digital Songs Sales Chart, including the top 10 hits: “Dalla Dalla” (No. 2), “Wannabe” (No. 4), “Icy” (No. 7) and “Not Shy” (No. 8).
Check out the full Billboard Explains video on the rise of ITZY above.
After that video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.
BTS‘ Suga is at his high-fashion finest in a series of new images from Italian fashion house Valentino’s “Narratives” campaign. The K-pop superstar who was announced as a Valentino brand ambassador in 2023 looks sharp strutting his stuff to the sound of camera shutter clips in a video announcing the campaign on Friday morning (Jan. […]
KCON just keeps getting bigger. Entertainment company CJ ENM announced on Wednesday (Jan. 10) this year’s plan for the K-Pop and K-culture festival, including its first ever stop in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong date will kick off the festival series, taking place at AsiaWorld-Expo on March 30 and 31. The 10,000-capacity arena will host create […]
Happy new year, MIDZY! ITZY kicked off 2024 with the release of its brand new mini-album, Born to Be, on Monday (Jan. 8). The set, which makes the group’s eighth mini-album overall, is now available to listen to on streaming platforms.
The set features 10 tracks: “Born to Be,” “Untouchable,” “Mr. Vampire,” “Dynamite” and “Escalator” performed by Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna, and for the first time, five solo tracks by each member — “Crown on my Head (Yeji),” “Blossom (Lia),” “Run Away (Ryujin),” “Mine (Chaeryeong)” and “Yet, But (Yuna).”
Born to Be was released alongside the official music video for “Untouchable,” which features the K-pop group facing off against a series of soldiers planning to take them down, as well as deteriorating buildings and pinpoint lasers. “I’m untouchable, it’s already begun/ With this flow, just (Just) going (Going) on and on/ Go on mess it up now, easily knockout/ Whatever it is, I don’t care about/ I’m untouchable, everlasting form,” the girls sing on the chorus of the energetic track.
Lia is notably absent from the music video, as well as promotional materials for Born to Be. She is currently on hiatus from the group while she recovers from a series of personal health issues.
“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.”
Stream Born to Be below and watch the music video for “Untouchable” above.