Built on a reggae-inspired rhythm, new song departs from group's previous music, concepts
Stepping away from its cute, bubbly musical style, Illit aims to break past its lovable, sweet image with its first single, "Not Cute Anymore," which will hit music platforms on Monday evening, showcasing how the group has broadened its horizon.
"We are not trying to simply say that we are not cute through our new single, but we also have many sides to ourselves beyond this cute image that our fans and music listeners haven't seen yet. I am glad to have the opportunity to show how much we've grown," Iroha said in a statement released to local press by the group's agency Belift Lab on Monday.
The title track, "Not Cute Anymore," is built on a reggae-inspired rhythm, setting it apart from the group's previous music and concepts.
"The song is calm yet rhythmic at the same time, so we paid even closer attention to our vocals when recording for the song. I love how the song lets listeners focus on each member's natural voices," Minju explained.
Speaking on what the group paid particular attention to while preparing for the new single, Moka said the five bandmates focused on how they should express themselves on stage.
"When people listen to our new song, they might think of a typical girl-crush concept because we are trying to say that we are not cute. But we wanted to show our own unique take on not being cute by keeping a confident and cool attitude during performances so that our message comes across clearly," Moka went on further.
Moka expressed hope that listeners will recognize Illit's broader sides, saying there is more to the K-pop group than cuteness.
Yunah likened Illit's new song to Pyongyang naengmyeon, a North Korean-style cold noodle dish.
"The song may seem simple at first, but as you listen to it more, you will start to notice its deeper sounds, just like how Pyongyang cold noodles become more addictive over time," she said.
junheee@heraldcorp.com
