K-pop girl group NMIXX thrives on change.
Consisting of members Haewon, Lily, Sullyoon, Bae, Jiwoo and Kyujin, NMIXX debuted in 2022 as Korean entertainment giant JYP Entertainment’s latest girl group. Within the nearly 4 years since their arrival on the scene, NMIXX has stood out in a highly saturated music ecosystem. As a substitute of following trends, the group has dabbled in quite a lot of genres, often merging multiple into one song to form their unique sound, dubbed MIXX Pop.
On their first full-length album, Blue Valentine, the group is taking a cue from a few of their more popular B-sides. The melancholic pop-rock of the title track showcases the group’s strong vocals and has already earned some long-overdue domestic success. It’s steadily climbing the Korean charts, currently sitting at No. 51 on the Melon top 100 chart on the time of publication.
The album is all about love, the group explains. “On this album, we put in quite a lot of love stories that perhaps persons are going through, have already went through or possibly will probably be going through,” Haewon tells The Hollywood Reporter. The 22-year-old, the group’s leader and major vocalist, is gathered amongst her fellow group members for a late-night Zoom conversation from their headquarters in Seoul.
NMIXX spoke with THR about why they’re suited to try different genres and the pressures that include bringing their music to the world.
That is your first full-length album. Are you able to tell me about it?
HAEWON Blue Valentine is about so many various emotions that you’re feeling whenever you undergo love. All of the tracks on the album discuss love, but we decided to make use of different genres, in order that when any person hears it they are saying, Oh, it’s all about love. But there will be so many various ways to specific that through different music genres and performances.
What does it mean to you to finally put the album out, and what are you most looking forward to?
LILY I believe it’s a really big deal in K-pop. After I have a look at our sunbaenims [Korean word for a senior in the same field], all of their first full albums were very iconic. I actually hope that our first full album, Blue Valentine, can find yourself as a really iconic album in NMIXX’s discography. Our fans have been looking forward to it for therefore long, so we actually need to point out them the very best possible album that we are able to provide you with.
Lily, 23, and Haewon, 22, of NMIXX for his or her latest album, ‘Blue Valentine.’
JYP Entertainment
You’ve done an ideal job at trying recent sounds while still keeping true to your identity as a bunch. Are you able to tell me concerning the lead single?
LILY I believe this title song was very recent for us in a way. We’ve done quite a lot of different genres, but each time we’ve a comeback, I believe it’s so recent to us. This time was no different. Initially, for me, after I first heard the song, I used to be so shocked. I couldn’t even imagine a dance. I assumed it was very, very recent for us, and I used to be type of nervous if we could pull it off. But I do think we actually did work hard on the performance and the recording process. I believe it got here out really good in the long run.
What makes it the precise single for NMIXX?
LILY NMIXX’s signature sound is that we are able to do any sound. With our genre MIXX Pop, we’ve tried all several types of music each time we come back. We obviously still keep the soul of NMIXX inside all of our songs. But we — to not toot our own horn — but I believe we’ve the abilities to back up any genre that we do. I believe we are able to do it because we’ve worked hard with the intention to try various things.
As a bunch, you might be very focused on vocals. You appear to put your vocal performance first, but you might be also doing very intense choreography. You are attempting different sorts of choreography — your dance for the song “High Horse” involves mind — than people might associate with a K-pop group. Are you able to tell me more about your process?
KYUJIN Since my trainee years, we’ve trained in many various genres, choreography sensible and dance sensible. Now we’ve trained each vocal and dance, but we practice lots as a bunch, so we learn lots from one another.
LILY You mentioned the song “High Horse.” That was one in all the toughest dances that we’ve done, and on the time we were all really nervous [about] if we were going to give you the option to sing [it] live. At the top of the day, we pulled through with hard [work and] perseverance. I used to be very happy with us in that moment, and I believe it’s definitely a proud moment for our fans.
Sullyhoon, 21, and Jiwoo, 20, of NMIXX.
JYP Entertainment
Are you able to tell me concerning the “Blue Valentine” choreography and music video?
SULLYOON There are two very special things [about this music video]. We filmed the video in a really special location [Los Angeles]. The second is that we also used a really unique filming technique. But all of those [fans can] see after they watch the music video.
BAE When you actually watch the behind the scenes video, you’ll even be more surprised, so take a look at each of them.
JIWOO There’s also an easter egg, when it comes to the choreography, since it directly translated the concept of the album.
On this album, you revisit your debut song, “O.O,” breaking it up into two songs based on the sonic changes. That feels very full circle in your first full-length album. What was it prefer to return to that?
LILY It’s definitely a really special moment on the album. We’ve performed it during our concert events. Our fans know of the existence of those two different parts, but after we performed it, our fans were at all times asking us to release it as an actual album track. I’m really comfortable that we could give that to them. You’re right, it is basically full circle because that is our first full album. The proven fact that we got to release other versions of our debut song could be very special, they usually come at the top of the album.
Do you’re thinking that having those tracks included on the album made you reflect on the time since your debut in 2022?
ALL Absolutely.
BAE We recently had a shoot that made us reflect on our debut, in order that definitely brought up quite a lot of memories. To place our debut song on our first full length album definitely means lots.
JIWOO It was our debut song. We’re presenting the song with a more grownup [approach]. We’ve definitely evolved, and the attitude or the way in which we present the song can also be different.
LILY We were babies when “O.O” got here out. Now have a look at us, we’re all grown up.
Kyujin, 19, and Bae, 20, of NMIXX.
JYP Entertainment
You’re at a brand new point as a bunch. You’re releasing a full-length album. You’re coming up on 4 years as group. Do you discover any recent challenges or pressure which may come together with that?
BAE NMIXX’s direction, where we’re headed, is creating this universe or world where diversity is respected. At first I felt pressure. Can music really make that possible? I also felt pressure about doing so many various challenges and trying so many various genres. But now — due to all of the members and seeing how they so beautifully and splendidly execute difficult genres — I now have trust. That trust creates more excitement as a substitute of pressure. After all, our fans, NSWER, are on the forefront of reworking that pressure to excitement as well because they provide us the support and courage.
Haewon and Lily, you contributed to writing lyrics on the album. What was that like?
HAEWON I’ve at all times desired to do it, and now, finally the chance got here, so I jumped on it.
LILY There was also slightly little bit of fear, for me a minimum of. It’s a really, very vital thing. I didn’t want to simply do it frivolously. I desired to be sure that it was something that I used to be happy with. It was also very difficult. But at the identical time, it was price it because I’m really proud that I get to listen to the members seeing the lyrics that I wrote.
HAEWON Considered one of the challenges, for me personality, was that it’s hard for [me] to alter something when my mind is about. But lyrics are something for the fans, [for the] the general public, so I definitely went through quite a lot of revisions to really get them to that time where it could be for the people who are listening to it.