In August, a social media account for a brand new Ok-Pop group posted “MEOVV” with 5 black cat emojis and an animated graphic of a cat’s paw. The not-so-cryptic publish was the primary for the extremely anticipated woman group MEOVV — a quintet from iconic Korean producer Teddy Park’s YG Leisure sub-label, The Black Label.
Pleasure for MEOVV — comprised of members Sooin, Gawon, Anna, Narin and Ella — inbuilt Ok-Pop areas on-line because the group’s September debut approached. The woman group is The Black Label’s first, nonetheless, Park isn’t any stranger to shaping hit teams, having produced a lot of Blackpink’s discography, together with a number of hits for Ok-Pop megastars like BigBang and 2NE1.
“Meow,” the group’s first single, launched in Sept., had a quintessential woman crush sound (woman crush is a well-liked Ok-Pop idea that showcases heavier music, buying and selling within the bubblegum pop woman teams have usually been categorized by for highly effective anthems filled with self-confidence). MEOVV’s newest pair of songs — “Poisonous” and “Physique” — successfully encapsulate the duality of the group.
“Poisonous,” an all-English “unhappy woman” tune, as 16-year-old Ella places it, exhibits the group’s softer aspect. It’s, as Ella says, a somber tune a couple of troubled relationship: “Collectively, we’re so poisonous / However my life is nothing with out you,” the women belt out within the refrain.
The place “Poisonous” is all about feeling one’s emotions, “Physique” is an undeniably catchy, energetic anthem, filled with the boldness Ok-Pop followers have come to anticipate from a Park-produced group. “Add it the way you need 4 plus 4, why you gotta ask? Yeah, I ate / Tag, it ladies, MEOVV, babe,” Narin raps on the tune.
Beneath, MEOVV shares with The Hollywood Reporter how they keep shut as a bunch, which artists encourage them and what they hope for the longer term.
What was the expertise like making your two new singles “Physique” and “Poisonous and your debut, “Meow,” since that’s fairly latest as properly?
ELLA I feel one of many largest issues for us was making the “Poisonous” music video. We have been speaking with the director on the route we have been going to go in with taking pictures the music video, it was all actually natural and simply our chemistry with one another caught on digicam. We had a whole lot of enjoyable taking pictures it. We have been simply type of messing round. That was the vibe. It was actually memorable.
GAWON Lately, it’s been a whole lot of moments of our “firsts.” Our first time going to a giant stage, first time performing right here, performing there. I feel on this interval of getting so many firsts, it’s simply actually thrilling and we’re excited for what’s to come back.
New Jersey native Gawon, 19, is a major vocalist and rapper in MEOVV.
Courtesy of The Black Label
Has there been a second in all these firsts that stands out to you as probably the most “pinch me” second for you?
NARIN I feel it was positively a surreal second for us to carry out at MAMA [Awards] on such an enormous stage. We even received the favourite rising artist award, which suggests a lot us. We have been genuinely having fun with performing there. I feel that was our pinch me second.
Have been you anticipating to get a lot love even earlier than you debuted? Lots of people have been actually excited to see your debut. How has that been for you?
NARIN I feel earlier than we received to debut, we have been all targeted on enhancing and getting higher at all the pieces. So, we didn’t actually have that actual view of our future and we didn’t anticipate this a lot love. After we have been in a position to carry out on these type of phases and have been honored with these awards, we have been really realizing that type of love and help from followers. I feel it was actually memorable. Actually joyful moments.
ELLA [It’s] as a result of I feel we have been so targeted on working actually exhausting to make the very best product for folks to look at and only for us. All of us wish to do our greatest, so after we received that award, and after we’re seeing all of the love from everybody — I feel it makes us proud, and it’s a rewarding feeling.
MEOVV’s Narin, 18, is a major vocalist and rapper within the woman group.
Courtesy of The Black Label
I do know It’s most likely exhausting to decide on a favourite, however do any of you have got a favourite tune you’ve launched to date?
GAWON For me, Lyn [Narin] and I co-wrote “Poisonous,” so I feel I’ve a extra particular connection. I’ve an emotional connection to the lyrics and the tune, and it’s additionally the kind of music that I take pleasure in listening to every day, so I feel I’d select “Poisonous.”
ELLA It all the time adjustments, however proper now, I’m in my “Physique” period as a result of generally I simply wish to be a baddie. [Group laughs]. A baddie listening to “Physique,” very hip hop. However generally once I’m in my feels or having a “Poisonous” woman, like a tragic woman winter, I’ll hearken to “Poisonous.” However proper now, I’m a baddie.
Because you’re fairly early into your profession, are there any artists that you simply’ve actually seemed as much as or hope to have careers much like as you’re working and pushing forward?
GAWON Even once I wasn’t conscious of what Ok-Pop was, as a result of I grew up within the States — I used to be all the time surrounded by Teddy [Park]-produced music [while growing up], in order that was my first impression of Ok-Pop. I used to be rising up listening to Teddy-produced music, and now being right here working tremendous shut with Teddy and having him as our major producer is so surreal. Generally I’ve these moments, I’m like, “Oh my God, How did I get right here?” It’s tremendous cool. I’m simply actually grateful in these moments, and I feel we’re all simply tremendous blessed to have the chance to work with him and simply proceed his line of music and his legacy within the music business as MEOVV.
ELLA The artist’s at our label, like Taeyang-sunbaenim [from the group BigBang], Rosé-sunbaenim [from Blackpink], Somi-sunbaenim — all of them are such good influences for us. If we see them, they all the time give us good recommendation.
NARIN They’re so supportive.
ELLA It’s cool to be in the identical setting as them, and it helps us develop rather a lot as artists.
MEOVV’s Ella, 16, is an L.A. native and is a major visible and vocalist within the woman group.
Courtesy of The Black Label
How do you guys take time to bond with one another whenever you’re busy on a regular basis?
GAWON Us, we’re working collectively 24/7, and we additionally stay collectively, so we’re all the time collectively. However even when we’ve our days off we’ll nonetheless wish to have enjoyable with one another. We’re one another’s finest pals, and we’ve a whole lot of enjoyable collectively.
ELLA And now we’ve our YouTube actuality present, Catch MEOVV, so it truly is simply us type of hanging out and enjoying video games. I feel that’s additionally a means that we bond.
GAWON We additionally discover a whole lot of enjoyable within the work that we do, so even taking pictures, we’ll all the time be having enjoyable and simply being ourselves and goofing round.
As you proceed to launch new music, already, you’ve been in a position to present totally different sides of your self. However is there something you’re actually hoping to attempt sooner or later that you simply suppose could be excellent for you?
GAWON Even earlier than, we’ve been recording a whole lot of totally different songs. Since our trainee days, we’ve appreciated to experiment with a whole lot of totally different genres and totally different languages and forms of music. We’ve been experimenting with a whole lot of genres within the studio as properly. I feel we’ve rather a lot that individuals may not anticipate, however I feel we’re simply actually excited to launch all of these songs.
Anna, 19, was born in Japan and is a major visible and vocalist in MEOVV.
Courtesy of The Black Label
Do you guys have any targets you’re trying to work in the direction of within the close to future? Say you hit a 12 months out of your debut, what are you hoping to attain by then? Additionally, what are you hoping to attain as a bunch long-term?
ANNA I wish to meet followers everywhere in the world as quickly as doable, so positively that’s a giant aim.
SOOIN As a result of we’re all from totally different elements of the world, hoping to carry out in every of our hometowns could be a giant aim in our profession.
What has the connection together with your followers been like to date? Such as you stated, you have got followers all around the globe. How have you ever been in a position to construct that relationship as you get began?
ELLA After we first met them, it was our M Countdown [Korean weekly music show] stage. However after we first met them, it was type of awkward as a result of we have been so shy. It was the day of our debut, so we have been very recent, very new. Once I first noticed everybody I used to be like, “Oh my gosh.” I used to be so excited that they’re taken with MEOVV, they usually’re listening to our songs. I used to be like, I simply wish to present you the very best of us.
GAWON Since then, I feel our relationship with the followers has developed, positively, as a result of we have been tremendous awkward and shy with one another, however now we even have our fan communication app referred to as Churrrrr. Even after we’re not selling, we’re all the time on that app. It’s like our obsession. We all the time like to speak to them, give them stuff that they won’t be capable to see on stage.
MEOVV’s Sooin, 19, is the group’s major dancer and a vocalist.
Courtesy of The Black Label
When the world hears the identify MEOVV, what would you like them to suppose? How would you like folks to see you as a bunch?
ELLA I simply need them to recollect sturdy and charismatic performances. I need that to simply stick to folks after they watch our performances and even simply content material on TikTok or small apps. I simply need folks to suppose that we’re enjoyable and pull them in, get them . I need a sturdy first impression, particularly because it hasn’t been that lengthy since our debut.
Is there something you wish to say to your followers or somebody who could be checking you out for the primary time?
ELLA I hope you have got as a lot enjoyable as we do as a result of we actually do take pleasure in what we do. We put a whole lot of thought and work into all the pieces — the songs we put out and even our dances. I hope that power bounces off.
GAWON We put a lot love within the work that we do, so we simply hope that will get throughout — and everybody can really feel that.
