K-Pop Star to Watch: (G)I-DLE
This story is part of Billboard‘s K-Pop Issue.
K-pop has long battled the criticism that it is “factory-produced,” but (G)I-DLE shows how vital a group’s artistic input can truly be.
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Launched as a six-piece in 2018, the group broke K-pop tradition with debut single “Latata,” written and co-produced by 19-year-old group leader Soyeon. Over the course of multiple EPs and a full-length album, she and current members Minnie, Yuqi, Miyeon and Shuhua have increased their songwriting, production and creative involvement.
After original member Soojin departed the group in August 2021, (G)I-DLE took months off before regrouping with new material — a lifetime in the rapid-moving K-pop business, especially for a young act. But the group’s March 2022 debut full-length and first release as a quintet, I Never Die, boldly shook off any doubters with declarative anthems like “Never Stop Me” and the punk-rock single “Tomboy,” which peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Global 200. In November, the I Love EP scored (G)I-DLE its first Billboard 200 entry as lead single “Nxde” hit No. 50 on the Billboard Global 200 — and entered the Mainstream Top 40 chart. “I was really touched that people got to love my music as much as I love my music,” Soyeon says. “(G)I-DLE will continue to show our message through our music.”
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To date, the group has registered more than 329 million official U.S. song streams and 3.3 billion official global song streams, according to Luminate. This has been critical as agency CUBE Entertainment competes internationally.
“(G)I-DLE plays a huge role in expanding CUBE Entertainment’s global business,” says executive vp Seonghwi Jeon ahead of (G)I-DLE’s new music, which will arrive in May. “CUBE Entertainment is doing our best to support (G)I-DLE so they can embody and implement their musical inspiration.”
LISTEN TO: “Tomboy,” “Nxde,” “Latata,” “Hwaa”
This story originally appeared in the April 22, 2023, issue of Billboard.
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