IVE’s global reign continues: Group growth, viral hits, and 'IVE EMPATHY'
IVE’s global reign continues: Group growth, viral hits, and 'IVE EMPATHY'
We talk with K-pop group IVE about the themes of the new album "IVE EMPATHY" and how 2024 was defined for them.
SEATTLE - IVE has been one of the biggest names in K-pop since debut in 2021.
The six-member group under Starship Entertainment has released some of the most popular songs over the last few years, including "LOVE DIVE" and "After LIKE," and their growth and success continued last year as well as they embarked on new adventures.
If they could describe the year in one word, YUJIN says, "worldwide, because we had a world tour last year, and we had lots of festivals like Lollapalooza and Summer Sonic so I think 2024 was worldwide."
The group performed in front of some 420,000 fans in 28 cities around the world for nearly a year, showing their popularity with global fans.
Now they are kicking off 2025 with the release of their album, "IVE EMPATHY."
"We’re talking about empathy, which is connection, so the ‘Rebel Heart’ is including lyrics about empathy, and also our second title track ‘ATTITUDE’ is talking about confidence in a very energetic way, so I think we have very various messages in our songs," explains WONYOUNG.
"REBEL HEART," which has over 23 million views online so far, depicts the group’s youth and growth, which is not just relatable to fans, but also the members themselves.
"I was assigned to play someone who is embarrassed by their taste for unique and special things, someone who cares deeply about what others think. I realized that this character actually reflected a lot of my true self...I came to understand that I could embrace and express myself in a way that felt authentic. It became a moment of self-reflection that helped me reconnect with who I truly am," explains REI.
While "REBEL HEART" is what the group released ahead of the album release to show that new side of themselves, "ATTITUDE," which WONYOUNG had a hand in writing, is the official title track, showing the fun and confident side of the group that fans have loved since debut.
"If I stumble, luck is always on my side," and "I’m that girl" are lyrics from the track showing confidence and independence, and WONYOUNG says she wants to give fans "lucky power" when they listen to the song.
For a group constantly producing viral songs, they say--more than feeling pressure to keep up that success--what they want to show is more growth and even better songs to listeners.
Member LIZ also had a hand in writing this album with the song "Thank U."
"‘Thank U’ is a track that reflects IVE's growth process. Since it’s our song, I wanted to portray our story and thought a lot about our debut era. I wanted to cover the journey from when we first met to where we are now, highlighting how we've grown together. As I reflect on our journey, I find myself falling into memories of those early days. I also believe that DIVE will enjoy discovering those moments," she says.
The group’s journey has been full of success, viral moments, and while they considered 2024 to be worldwide, they are continuing that this year with even bigger plans, including taking the stage at Lollapalooza Paris in July.
In a message to fans, leader YUJIN says, "To DIVE all over the world, thank you for supporting us every day, every night, and I hope all the people in the world enjoy our new album, ‘IVE EMPATHY.’ Thank you!"
The Source: Information for this article comes from original interviews from FOX 13 Seattle's Clint Edwards.
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