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EXCLUSIVE: NewJeans is bathing in success and Super Shy about it; But what’s their secret?
NewJeans’ Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, join us for an exclusive conversation shortly after the release of Super Shy from the upcoming album Get Up.
NewJeans are K-pop magic-makers. If we were to put a name to the wave of change that these girls aged 15 to 19 have brought in with their debut less than a year ago, it would be a nod to setting themselves apart from their peers with a quintessential presence. The Hype Boy hitmakers are fairly new to the game but you’d think otherwise with how they have been taking charge of their perception. They’ve moulded it to become a rare, unequalled phenomenon that has only boosted the industry, benefitting it in ways unprecedented.
About NewJeans
Debuting on July 22, 2022, with almost no prior introduction to the group- apart from Minji and Hanni’s brief appearance in BTS’ Permission to Dance music video and short animated teasers released on July 1 announcing the revelation of something on the said date- NewJeans released Attention, followed by the release of Hype Boy which became a viral sensation, and Cookie. Since then, the quintet's rise to fame has been a wonder to witness. Their inclinations to the R&B and pop music styles of the late 90s and their effective promoting techniques have played right into the wants of the short-form-content-loving 2020s, pedalling them quite ahead of their fellows.
About NewJeans’ Super Shy and second EP Get Up
Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein have made it big in numbers and overall impact not only in the field of music but also in the fashion world as all five of them individually as well as collectively have raked in luxury brand deals and numerous endorsements rivaling the best of the best in the industry. Shortly ahead of the release of their second mini-album Get Up, which will also have triple title tracks- a concept the group swiftly brought in with their debut- the group collaborated for a Super Shy dance challenge with YouTube Shorts called the #ImSuperShy challenge, meant to propel their new track further to their global audience, inviting them to try the easygoing steps. Consequently, the group has created a series of its own Shorts clips to encourage the fans, who have been dedicatedly enjoying the release of Super Shy driving it to chart at #2 on YouTube's Global Top Songs chart, having initially debuted in the top 10 across multiple regions.
Interview with NewJeans
Soon after the group and I exchange pleasantries and run over how their day’s been going, with Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein all cheerfully replying to my annyeonghaseyo, I express a break in the audio and Danielle chimes in, “Really? How about now?” presumably moving closer to the mic. The girls sound just as refreshing as they’ve always been on camera and I can totally imagine them huddling in to be more audible. The K-pop stars speak about their new song and future plans in an exclusive telephonic conversation.
How are you feeling after the first performance of Super Shy?
NewJeans: It was really exciting.
Danielle: It was a big mix of excitement and nervousness because it’s been such a long time since we’ve performed on a broadcasting show stage so we were really nervous. It was so fun to see our Bunnies in person and this was the first time we saw our lightsticks in person as well at the broadcasting station so it was really nice to see them up after a lot of time. It was a lot of fun. There was a lot of support, [it was] so sweet!
How would the NewJeans members introduce Super Shy to someone who is new to the group’s music?
Minji: Super Shy is the first song to be released from our 2nd EP Get Up and it's one of the three title tracks. It’s a really lively, fun song that anybody can relate to if you’ve ever felt nervous or shy about approaching somebody you like. So I think it’s kind of a really refreshing song that will brighten up your summer and put you in a good mood.
With busy schedules how do you like to unwind or turn to content like YouTube? What do you usually watch?
Hanni: Personally, I really enjoy watching interviews. I think I just like watching people talk and conversate and it’s kind of cool to listen about people’s experiences and what they’ve been through recently, what their interests are, what they think about a certain thing, it’s really entertaining for me. So I watch a lot of interview videos, which is ironic. But I really enjoy interview videos.
Haerin: Whenever I have free time, I tend to watch YouTube a lot. I tend to let the algorithm find me good videos. I really enjoy being able to find out new information or little trivia or interesting stories through videos so I do tend to watch such videos a lot.
What is NewJeans' opinion on being able to promote their songs via dance challenges?
Danielle: I think it’s cool to see how mainstream short content has become recently and it’s fun and entertaining. We really enjoy watching the short content our fans also put out online. And I think it’s so unique and there’s so many different ways that you can do it so the variety and the easy accessibility makes it really fun and entertaining.
How was NewJeans’ first fan meeting experience?
Danielle: Personally, well I think all of us agree, that the whole thing was just unbelievable really, like the venue full of Bunnies and how they sing along to all our songs. All of us were really excited and nervous to meet our fans on stage. I hope we get so many more chances like this ‘cause it was such a blast.
What do you think has been the secret to the global success of NewJeans?
Minji: I think having a good song and a performance is really important but also at the same time, the artist’s mindset and the vibe that an artist carries does affect the music and how the audience relates to it. So perhaps if we had to find a reason for our success it is probably that we are really just enjoying ourselves on stage and having a great time performing. I think that really connects with the audience.
The large popularity also comes with its own great responsibility. Do you think the pressure has ever gotten to you?
Hyein: Just to have a lot of people who are so interested in our music and also give us a lot of love doesn’t really feel like pressure to me. I’m just ever so grateful for all the support that our music receives. It is because we have so many listeners who appreciate our music that we’re able to try out new things and take on a new challenge. It is like a fun challenge to me.
What fashion items describe the members’ personal style the best?
Hanni: These days to me it’s sunglasses I guess.
Danielle: Right now because it’s summer, right now it is caps and hats.
Haerin: Just like Danielle said, I also really like adding hats as an accent piece to my outfit. Especially during summer, there’s a lot of different colorful mesh caps that are out in the market so I really enjoy picking and choosing outfits and making use of the hats.
What are your plans for Super Shy?
Hyein: It is the second time we are showcasing our music during summer so we’re really excited and actually really nervous about it. And I’m looking forward to showcasing all the different sides of us through this promotion.
Would you ever want to perform in India?
Hyein: I would just love to visit anywhere there are people who enjoy our music. I really hope to meet our fans in India someday.
And with that, we bid goodbye until next time when NewJeans has probably broken another string of records, given rise to a new global style trend, or both.
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