SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) — K-pop girl group i-dle has returned with a bold new look, sound, and name. Their latest comeback marks a fresh start for the group.
On Monday, i-dle released their eighth EP, titled We Are. This is their first album in 10 months.
“It feels like a complete change, from the music genres to our styling,” said member Yuqi at a press conference in Seoul.
Member Shuhua added, “We tried new things not only in the music but in everything.”
Previously known as (G)I-dle, the group dropped the “(G)”—which stood for “girl”—after all members renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment late last year.
Yuqi explained, “I have wondered why ‘girl’ was part of our name since our debut. We always planned to remove it once our name was well known. Now, I think we have found our true name.”
She continued, “Since this is a new beginning, we wanted to start by rebranding with a new name.”
Unlike their past albums that began with the letter “I,” such as I am, I feel, and I Sway, their new album starts with “We.” This change reflects the group’s fresh start.
We Are contains six tracks, including the lead single “Good Thing” and the pre-release song “Girlfriend.” All members helped write and compose the songs.
In the lead track “Good Thing,” i-dle used an 8-bit sound, a style they had never tried before.
Team leader Soyeon, who helped write, compose, and arrange the song, attracted attention at the press event with her short haircut and oversized sunglasses.
She said, “This song brings back memories because it uses autotune sounds that were popular around 2009-2010. Younger listeners find it fresh and new. The lyrics tell the story of someone confronting a cheating lover.”
Yuqi said she felt “electrocuted” when she first heard the song. She described it as a new style for the group.
“This made me realize that even a girl group in their eighth year can try something new,” she said.
Since their debut in 2018 as (G)I-dle, the group has grown into one of the leading K-pop girl groups. They have released many hit singles, including “Tomboy,” “Nxde,” “Queencard,” and “I Hate Being Sick.”
All five members agreed they became closer and stronger while renewing their contracts.
“We fight and make up a lot, but I believe staying together was the right choice. I can make music because of these members,” Yuqi said.
Minnie added, “We have become more solid after rebranding.”
When asked about their future plans after renewing contracts, Soyeon said, “We promised to explore many kinds of music for a long time. We want to be artists who feel natural in any genre — whether it’s a pure ballad, trendy band music, or a seasonal spring song.”
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