Highly Anticipated Album Set for Release Today
aespa held a showcase at the Mastercard Hall of Bluesquare in Yongsan, Seoul on May 27th to commemorate the release of their highly anticipated first full-length album, “Armageddon.” The album, dropping at 6 pm on the same day, marks the group’s first full-length project in four years since their debut.
Million-Seller in the Making
With over 1.02 million pre-orders as of May 27th, “Armageddon” is on track to become aespa’s fourth consecutive million-seller, following the success of “Girls,” “MY WORLD,” and “Drama.”
Expanding the Worldview: Season 2 and “only I can define myself”
“Armageddon” delves into Season 2 of the group’s established worldview, venturing beyond the real world and the digital world into the vast multiverse. The album embodies aespa’s unique concept and identity with the powerful slogan “only I can define myself.”
Confidence and Satisfaction: aespa on “Armageddon”
aespa expressed their confidence in the new album, aespa said, “When we did our last showcase, we said that if we did a full-length album, we would come back with an album that is 100% satisfying,” they shared. “Of course, there are some regrets, but we are confident that the title tracks are songs that you will love as much as we do.”
“Armageddon”: A Deep Hip-Hop Dance Track
The title track, “Armageddon,” is a hip-hop dance track characterized by a heavy sound and a rough, yet captivating, tone. The lyrics explore the concept of encountering different versions of oneself across various worlds, ultimately leading to a sense of self-discovery and becoming a complete “me.”
aespa Explains the “Iron Taste”
aespa elaborated on the unique concept behind “Supernova,” the pre-released title track, comparing it to the upcoming “Armageddon.” They explained, “‘Supernova’ had a strong ‘iron taste’ feel, while ‘Armageddon’ is a ‘Soil-flavored song.'” They further described “Armageddon” as “an SM-style song that is more hip and deep and gets more addictive the more you listen to it.”
“Supernova”: Chart-Topping Success
“Supernova,” released on May 13th, achieved remarkable success on Korean music charts, including Melon, Bugs, Genie, Flo, and Vibe, securing the number one spot on both real-time and daily charts with its distinct “iron taste” charm. The song has also garnered a positive response internationally, surpassing 31 million cumulative streams on Spotify.
aespa on Their Vocal Colors and the “Iron Taste”
aespa said their “iron taste” sound comes from their special vocal styles. “Our vocal colors are unique,” they said. “I think the word ‘iron taste’ was chosen because of that uniqueness. I think it’s because of our vocal colors that we’re called ‘iron taste.'” They further connected the concept to their music videos, explaining, “Even when we shoot music videos, they seem to have a story. The story seems to include more of our own character settings and game elements than the story lines usually used in music videos. I think the fun stories are also included in the ‘iron taste’ because we have our own superpowers.”
Focusing on What Makes aespa, aespa
For their first full-length album, aespa prioritized showcasing their distinct identity. “We all thought about what is the most aespa-like thing, not just our debut song, but what is the most aespa-like thing,” they revealed. “We focused on ‘what is the most aespa-like thing?’ and ‘let’s do what we are good at.'”
The Worldview Continues: The Multiverse
The concept of a vast and intricate world is a core element for aespa. “Through this album, the narrative of Season 2 of our worldview, which expands into the ‘multiverse,’ is officially beginning,” they shared. “It seems special in that way. Many people are saying that we left the wilderness and broke up with ‘aespa,’ but I think we will be able to show you a variety of concepts as the worldview expands.”
Embracing Memes and Looking Forward
aespa displayed a positive attitude towards the memes inspired by their music. “I’m glad and I remember that ‘Supernova’ is being used as a meme,” they said. There was also an expression called ‘iron door’ when the ‘Supernova’ teaser came out. I hope you will create a lot of memes when ‘Armageddon’ comes out.” They added, “Since it’s our first full-length album, we’re practicing hard. We’re satisfied that the pre-released songs have been getting a lot of love,” and expressed their ambition to continue to walk the path of aespa’s unique color in the midst of the easy listening craze.
Beyond Easy Listening vs. Hard Listening: Embracing aespa’s Sound
Finally, aespa addressed the ongoing music genre conversation. “I would like to categorize it as an ‘aespa song’ rather than distinguish between easy listening and hard listening,” they stated. “We can release a lot of music with the album tracks. We want to keep our unique color for the title tracks.”
aespa Gears Up for World Tour 2024
The group is set to embark on their second world tour, “2024 aespa Live Tour SYNK : Parallel Line,” kicking off with concerts in Seoul on June 29th and 30th, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia.
