K-pop Group KiiiKiii Champions Individuality Through Music

interview

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interview ✦

Starship Entertainment’s KiiiKiii has arrived, not with a whisper, but with a vibrant declaration in the form of their debut EP UNCUT GEM, signaling a bold new chapter in the ever-evolving narrative of K-pop. Though, this five-member group (composed of JIYU, SUI, KYA, LEESOL, and HAUM) is not merely following trends; they're chasing their own dreams and desires, carving out a unique space with authenticity and a playful, genre-bending sound. 

Breaking from traditional debut norms, KiiiKiii's approach is as refreshing as it is innovative. Their online presence, an interpretation of Y2K nostalgia and contemporary visuals, sets the stage for a musical journey that defies expectations. UNCUT GEM itself is a testament to this, serving as a strikingly effective collection of tracks that feel like intimate conversations, each one a glimpse into the group's unfiltered world.

From the self-assured anthem "I DO ME" to the sleek dark horse hit “ONE OFF”, and even the celebratory "DEBUT SONG," KiiiKiii's sound is a dynamic blend of pop, hip-hop, and vintage synth melodies that exceeds the typical rookie norms—striving to pursue genuine connections and unbridled self-expression. And with their bold EP out now, the group’s roster is taking the time to break down their quirky songs, grounded themes, and thoughts on debuting as KiiiKiii.

Your debut EP, UNCUT GEM, is described as an "open-ended musical journey." If each track is a chapter in this journey, what overarching narrative or message do you hope listeners discover by the end? 

KYA: We have six different tracks on our album UNCUT GEM. Some tracks have a message that we want to share with everyone and some tracks are about our own story. As a result, I think we prepared an album that shows our bright and positive energy and by the end of listening to it, you get a good introduction to who we are.

LEESOL: The title of our debut EP, UNCUT GEM, itself means an unpolished, rough stone. We wanted to express that each of us are not like bright diamonds, but more that we are striving to become better and more complete even in the face of uncertainty. Each of us have our own charms and we want to show the synergy that happens when the five of us come together through this album.

KiiiKiii aims to blend nostalgic aesthetics with modern self-expression. How do you balance the influences of past eras with the desire to create something entirely new and unique to your group? 

LEESOL: Since we were trainees, we studied visual image references and practiced a lot too. The time we took to do this helped us to balance modern and past style in order to create KiiiKiii’s style and individuality after we made our debut.

JIYU: We prepared a lot but we mostly wanted to make sure we show each of our natural charms to show what makes us uniquely KiiiKiii.

The pre-release singles and "DEBUT SONG" showcase a wide range of musical styles, in a quirky atmosphere. When you first heard the finished version—what surprised you most? 

HAUM: When we first heard the “Congrats on your debut” lyrics of “DEBUT SONG”, we felt very touched and we thought that those lyrics would feel heartwarming to listeners as well. We hope you focus on these parts when listening to it!

SUI: When we first heard the final version of “I DO ME”, we thought that each of our individual voices was captured really well and the free-spirited and dreamy vibe of the song came out nicely.

Each member brings a distinct personality and skill set to KiiiKiii. How does this diversity contribute to your collaborative and performance processes?

KYA: I think the most important thing about being an artist is individuality. All five of us have our own characteristics and unique appealing points but also as one team, we have really great teamwork. When our five voices come together to complete one song, we create a nice harmony while still having our own distinct points that differentiates each of us.

The lyrics of your track "I DO ME" champion personal authenticity. How do you personally define "authenticity" in the context of your music and public image? 

LEESOL: To put it simply, I think authenticity is how much you truly enjoy being onstage and the attitude that comes out when you completely understand the song that you perform.

Personally, “ONE OFF” is my favorite track on the EP because its production is so hypnotic—and it perfectly highlights your vocal skills! What specific emotions or messages were you aiming to convey through the lyrics and vocal delivery in this song?" 

SUI: We wanted to express the things we currently feel when we look back on the past memories that we cherish.

HAUM: The memories we have together are precious to us so we wanted to convey that message in our track. We think it captures emotions that many people can also relate to when they reflect on the past.

"GROUNDWORK" and "BTG" utilize several fun, vintage synth sounds. What generally draws you to these retro elements? 

KYA: We’re a group that enjoys mixing retro and modern elements. I think our tracks have lyrics and melodies that can be considered more modern so we like to add in retro sound effects in order to create a good blend of “newtro” vibes.

In closing, your social media strategy and pre-release rollout have been described as unconventional. How important is it for you to challenge traditional K-pop debut norms with this debut era?

JIYU: KiiiKiii is a team that wants to keep fun and humor alive and we want to make people have questions about us. We have an unconventional style so we wanted to also create a fresh and different social media and pre-release strategy that suits us. It’s important for us that people feel very interested and have fun when they see us so we chose a more unique method of releasing our content.

LEESOL: Through this fun social media and pre-release strategy, we want to show that KiiiKiii is not just an idol within the K-pop industry but that KiiiKiii is a group that wants to be approachable and relatable to the public.

KYA: Our “I DO ME” music video was released before any information about our members was made public. We made this decision because we wanted to pique everyone’s curiosity about our group right at our debut with just our voices, visuals and free-spirited nature.  

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