Music

With a breakout hit across international charts this summer, KISS OF LIFE is ready to take an explosive year to the next level with their first-ever world tour.

The girl group’s forthcoming Kiss Road World Tour continues the momentum Julie, Natty, Belle and Haneul gained on the global stage with the infectious single “Sticky,” helping the K-pop act debut onto multiple Billboard charts: The Afrobeat-inspired summer single peaked at No. 7 on the South Korean Songs chart so far, entered the U.S.-based World Digital Song Sales chart at No. 10 in July, while also spending a solid six weeks on the Billboard Global 200 after hitting No. 87, and 10 weeks on the Billboard Glocal Excl. U.S. chart after a No. 47 peak.

With promising results early just over a year into their career alongside the quartet’s international makeup and range of industry experiences, KISS OF LIFE is proving they’re more than just a rising K-pop rookie—they’re becoming a global-pop force all their own.

“We love the song ‘Sticky,’ so it was really an honor for it to get into the charts,” says Julie, the group’s dynamic leader who was born in Hawaii, speaking to Billboard for their first-ever interview with an international outlet. “We really put a lot of effort into the choreography and also the music itself, so it’s exciting to see our hard work paying off. All of us were just hugging each other when we found out the news.”

Seattle-raised Belle, who previously worked as a songwriter for other top K-pop groups, believes their authenticity plays a massive role in why global fans connect to them: “We honestly try to be ourselves in all the music we release. By being authentic, I think our fans and listeners are able to resonate more with the excitement we feel when we sing and perform.”

Youngest member Haneul, born and raised in Korea, adds that the KIOF members’ diverse backgrounds fuel their artistry. “We just respect each other,” the 19-year-old says. “We acknowledge our differences and the path we went through to get here, so that makes us learn from each other and grow.”

The upcoming Kiss Road tour kicks off in Seoul with two concerts on Oct. 26 and 27 before coming to North America for an extensive, 18-date trek beginning in Minneapolis, Minn. on Nov. 10. “We are pretty confident in our performing ability,” teases Thailand-born Natty, whom K-pop fans have watched grow up on K-pop competition shows like Sixteen and Idol School before officially debuting onto the K-pop scene as an artist. “Fans can expect a show with high energy and we’re excited to bring our best to the stage.”

Get to know KISS OF LIFE’s Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul as the members share more about their process, viewpoint, world tour plans and messages to their fans affectionately known as Kissys, alongside exclusive photos below.

I want to begin by congratulating you on earning your first Billboard chart entries with “Sticky.” What were your reactions?!

Julie: We couldn’t believe it! We love the song “Sticky” so it was really an honor for it to get into the charts. We were so happy that people were liking it as much as us and we felt so grateful! We really put a lot of effort into the choreography and also the music itself, so it’s exciting to see our hard work paying off. All of us were just hugging each other when we found out the news; as hard as we worked, we also know that we really couldn’t have done it without the support of our fans—love you, Kissys!

KISS OF LIFE has been rising since your debut last July, but “Sticky” has been a real breakout: Top 10 in Korea, charting in the U.S., your biggest hits on Billboard‘s Global charts. What do you think are some factors that made this such a hit?

Belle: I think we honestly try to be ourselves in all the music we release. By being authentic, I think our fans and listeners are able to resonate more with the excitement we feel when we sing and perform as well. I feel like this song, in particular, really suited all the members, and you could feel that all the members were just having fun and enjoying themselves while recording and performing the song. Also, in regards to the visuals and performance, we focused on just feeling ourselves and being confident which fits well with summer. I mean, it is summer, why not have a little fun with it?!

I also love your latest B-side, “Te Quiero,” co-written by Belle. What did you want to show with “Sticky” and “Te Quiero” that you hadn’t shown previously in KISS OF LIFE?

Natty: We wanted to show everyone our translation of summer! The cool and refreshing side as well as the hot! We just wanted to send good vibes and make sure everyone could enjoy the summer with us. Both “Sticky” and “Te Quiero” are actually our interpretations of summer: “Sticky” would be the exciting, fun aspect of summer where you enjoy yourself to the fullest; “Te Quiero” would be the cooler, more chill and relaxing version of summer that is equally enjoyable. I don’t think we had some mastermind plan of what we wanted to show with these tracks. We just genuinely wanted everyone to enjoy the music while enjoying their summer. You work hard, you play harder!

“Te Quiero” is also significant as another English B-side track, just like “Nobody” with “Midas Touch.” Is there a more prominent reason to include these tracks, and even the English version of “Bad News,” in your larger plans as a group?

Julie: Of course! We always want to keep our international fans a big part of our music. For the Kissys all around the world, we want to continue to make music that everyone can enjoy and listen to. We are adamant in making sure our international fans know that they play a big role in our music. Again, we don’t have a master plan on how or a larger picture that we are strategizing for. We really just want everyone to feel included with our music, wherever they are and whoever they are. We just want to make music that everyone can enjoy and listen to without overcomplicating things. 

Have you begun preparations and rehearsals for your Kiss Road World Tour? What are you looking forward to the most?

Haneul: We are super excited for the tour. Absolutely, can’t wait to meet our Kissys, who have been supporting us throughout our journey. We’ve been working hard with our team in designing the show so that we are able to give all of our fans an amazing experience. There’s a little bit of pressure to show our fans the best version of ourselves but we promise we won’t let you down. I think the most exciting part about touring is really feeling everyone’s positive energy!

Natty: Well, we are actually pretty confident in our performing ability so fans can expect a show with high energy. We love what we do and we are blessed with so many people supporting us while we do what we love. In return, we want to give them the best version of us, so I hope they will all look forward to it. 

Something I always respected about KISS OF LIFE is that you shared yourselves via solo songs from your debut album. Will we get to see more solo stages on tour? 

Belle: Don’t want to give too many spoilers so…I think we can say, “maybe?!” We’ve prepared some new stages so make sure you stay tuned for it.

With that, KISS OF LIFE has also become known for your covers. Your Brown Eyed Girls “Sixth Sense” cover was even officially released, and you’ve done songs by 2NE1, Ciara, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, the list goes on…any special or new covers for tour?

Julie: We always sing, rap, and dance to so many different artists on a daily [basis], so hopefully, we get the opportunity to showcase it to everyone on tour. We just love all different styles and categories of music. For us right now it’s being versatile enough to explore many different types of music and to experiment with sounds so we [can] create our own specific style. There are days we focus on singing, other days we rap, and days we only dance, but we are always working to improve ourselves, so I hope we have the opportunity to showcase it for the world to see! 

The four of you came from very different backgrounds and debuted as adults. Sometimes, it can be difficult for adults to pursue their dreams or even make new friends. How did you all connect and learn from each other to make KISS OF LIFE work as cohesively as it is?

Haneul: We just respect each other. We acknowledge our differences and the path we went through to get here so that makes us learn from each other and grow! A key point in any relationship is trust and respect. The respect comes from acknowledging each other’s past experiences that led them on the path for us to be here. I believe that because we are able to share our respective experiences with each other, we are able to learn from each other and grow as a group, not just individually. We all have something to learn from each other and we respect where that knowledge came from. 

Do you have any other messages for international fans waiting to meet you?

Julie: We always want to say thank you so much for sending your love and support. Although we may be far distances, our hearts are always near! We can’t wait to meet everyone in person and I hope the time comes fast. Love you guys so much and see you soon!!!