The K-pop ‘spicy’ group ‘Aespa’ made their debut in November 2020 with their single ‘Black Mamba’, which continues to be a milestone in their musical journey. Since then, the girls have released four EPs, including their latest one titled ‘Drama’.
The four members group-leader KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE and maknae NINGNING have several accomplishments on their list, including their Cannes red carpet debut, Coachella debut, being a part of a United Nations’ sustainability project and more, apart from the awards they won for their music.
aespa’s flavours in music are different. They are always a mixed bag of genres which excites and makes you emotional in equal measures. Take the case of their 3rd EP, ‘My World’, where you had ‘spicy’ at the beginning of the tracklist followed by ‘I am Unhappy’ towards the end.
Similarly, with ‘Drama’, while the mini-album starts on a rather fun note with ‘Drama,’ followed by ‘Trick Or Trick’ before it becomes more poignant with ‘Don’t Blink’ and ‘Hot Air Balloon,’ and ‘YOLO’ and ‘You’.
In an India exclusive conversation with aespa members for ‘Drama,’ we chatted about deciding between ‘Drama’ and ‘Trick or Trick’ as their title track, their ‘B’ side tracks, what excited them as a group, sisterhood, being each other’s rock and their relationship with fans, lovingly called as MYs. The members also assured that they would visit India as soon as they find an opportunity.
Excerpts from the interview:
Congratulations firstly!
I equally enjoy ‘Trick or Trick’ and ‘Drama’ as songs. But, I was curious to know if there were any particular reason for choosing ‘Drama’ as the title track because I felt like both ‘Drama’ or ‘Trick or Trick’ could fit that well.
KARINA: ‘Drama’ is much more grand performance-wise, but ‘Trick or Trick’ is equally great, so we actually thought a lot about it. “Should we have two title tracks and show both?” This time though, we wanted to focus more on ‘Drama’ which is why it’s the track we’re promoting, but we did make up for it by showing ‘Trick or Trick’ at our 3rd anniversary fan meeting.
aespa’s vocals have always been their USP. But has there been a song in this album which needed you to really reinvent and try different vocal ranges for a more immersive experience?
GISELLE: While recording ‘Drama’, it’s actually a track that doesn’t include much rapping and instead involves a lot more vocals and singing. The vocal range was also a bit higher than what I usually sing, so I tried to make sure it was easy on the ears when listening to it.
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The first half of the album is dramatic and playful, while the second half totally takes a U-turn in terms of musicality. It becomes more chaotic. Was that the idea behind putting together all of these B-side tracks? According to you, what makes ‘Don’t Blink’ and ‘Hot Air Balloon’ a right fit for the 4th EP?
KARINA: Dramas include a variety of genres, so we tried to include several different types in our album. We set the mood of the album by starting off with ‘Drama’ and with ‘Trick or Trick’â€ætapped into (the genre of) thriller. ‘Don’t Blink’ is romance, ‘YOLO’ is a sitcom, and so on. We wanted to share a wide range of genres at once, which is why we ended up selecting these tracks.
If you could describe each of the other members using a song title by ‘aespa’, how would you?
NINGNING: It’s hard to pick just one because they’re all so different in style…
For WINTER, I’d say ‘You’ because she’s gentle and thin and warm! Yes, she has this cozy warmth to her.
For KARINA, ‘Trick or Trick’? She’s mysterious yet feminine and strong at the same time.
And for GISELLE, ‘YOLO’!
I was watching some behind-the-scenes videos of the members from their stage performances, and it was endearing to see the bond. In the last few years, how has this ‘sisterhood’ helped you improve your skills and overcome dull days?
WINTER: Even the things we couldn’t have done alone were all possible because the four of us were together and helping each other out. That’s why we were able to come this far. Just being there gives (me) strength.
‘I am Unhappy’, in its last comeback, was a song that tugged at heart strings for many. As musicians, life on stage can be tough. Who do you depend on in the team, to bounce off thoughts, ideas, and even worries?
GISELLE: For myself, I’d say it really depends on the situation. I’ll speak with a certain member about one thing, and another about something else. Recently, we all ate together often while we were on tour. More than anything, it’s those small yet fun moments spent together that give us strength. I’m sure everyone feels the same.
‘Black Mamba’ success is something that will always be attached to aespa. Is there pressure to live up to the barometer you have set with that?
KARINA: There is a bit of pressure, but we try not to focus on it. We’re very grateful for all the love and support we receive, and believe we should do our best to live up to the expectations of our MYs in everything that we do. It’s something we’re constantly thinking about and working towards!
Tell me a bit: What does it feel like to take a stage, performing in front of fans, because it must be exhilarating?
NINGNING: Our MYs are always waiting for us and our comeback. They’re always cheering for us and waiting too, so it’s exciting getting to prepare, work hard, and perform for our fans. And making sure that we feel each other’s loveâ€æit feels great being up on stage (in front of them).
I don’t know if you know, but Spotify data shows that aespa is amongst the top 7 K-pop groups with top listeners in India. Indian fans would love it if you visited. Any plans?
KARINA: We will make our way over to India as soon as we can. So keep believing in us, and thank you so much for all the love.
aespa is also known for blending AI-inspired avatars temptingly into their music videos. They are crusaders in terms of using advanced technology. The group is under SM Entertainment.
