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| K-pop girl group NMIXX poses during an online press conference, Tuesday. Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
By Dong Sun-hwa
From Wonder Girls to TWICE to ITZY, some of the most celebrated girl groups in K-pop history were formed by JYP Entertainment, which was established by singer-producer Park Jin-young in 1997.
Hence, when the record label announced last year that it would launch another all-female group, K-pop fans around the world and industry insiders were more than excited to see them. Knowing this, JYP came up with an unheard-of strategy. It released a limited edition of the group's upcoming album ahead of its official release, without disclosing any information about the members or the songs. Even so, the album's pre-orders have already hit 60,000.
Amid such high hopes, NMIXX arrived on the music scene on Feb. 22, dropping its first album, "Ad Mare" ― which means "to the sea" in Latin. The seven members were initially set to hold a press conference on the same day, but they pushed the date back to March 1, after group member Bae tested positive for COVID-19.
During the event, the members of NMIXX explained how they are distinctive from others and what the group hopes to accomplish in the future. NMIXX is a combination of the letter "n" and the word "mix." According to the members, "n" refers to "now," "new," "next" and "n," a mathematical symbol representing an unknown number. So, its group name hints that NMIXX has the best combination of members, seeking to display never-before-seen styles and magnetism.
"It is such a huge honor to debut as a girl group of JYP," leader Haewon said. "We feel more motivated rather than pressure. We truly appreciate groups like TWICE and ITZY for helping us gain the spotlight right from the beginning of our career. We will spare no efforts to live up to JYP's name."
Jinni elaborated, "We will follow the examples of other groups, while trying to showcase our unique magnetism."
Sulyoon added that all members strived to become all-around players, excelling in all fields ranging from singing to dancing.
"Ad Mare" is fronted by the lead single "O.O" ― which is also an emoji expressing surprise. According to NMIXX members, the song is a vibrant tune with a dynamic flow that blends different genres including trap and Baile funk.
"The title itself is our expression of confidence," Jinni explained. "We are telling people to get ready to be surprised by NMIXX, a team armed with freshness."
It seems NMIXX is already making a splash in the music scene. The music video for "O.O" exceeded 40 million views on YouTube as of Tuesday, with "Ad Mare" selling more than 200,000 copies during the first week of its release.
"'Ad Mare' signals the beginning of our journey to utopia," Bae said. "Through this album, we want to show our strong willingness to embark on our journey despite our deep-seated fears."
Wrapping up the session, the group members revealed their goals and ambitions.
"We want to make our name known to people around the world," Jinni said.
Haewon added, "We want to grab the attention of K-pop fans and those who are new to K-pop. I want to say that we are a rainbow-like team with diverse charms that can bring positive energy to people."
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