K-Pop Spotlight: IZ*ONE
We’ve had heart eyes for this girl group since their days on the Mnet reality competition show, Produce 48. Now a fully debuted group with their first comeback under their belt, IZ*ONE is painting the town red yet again with catchy new comeback song, Violeta, and mini-album, HEART*IZ (see what we did there?).
We’re starting off our K-pop spotlight series with a bang by highlighting the 12-member South Korean-Japanese girl group in the best way we know how—by asking about their biggest fears, their dream collab, and, of course, Violeta. Read on for our full Q&A with IZ*ONE!
How would you describe your sound and how it differs from La Vie en Rose?
WON YOUNG: If La Vie en Rose expresses passion, Violeta is more about love and support.
NAKO: Our new track, Violeta, has a brighter and more refreshing vibe!
What was the most challenging part about preparing for this comeback?
HYE WON: I can’t really say it was challenging, but we worked really hard so we can bring better music and performances to our fans.
YU JIN: Since we have 12 members, we had a hard time keeping our choreography in sync, but we were really happy and thankful that a lot of people enjoyed our comeback.
NAKO: I worked hard on my pronunciation to make sure the Korean lyrics were expressed more clearly.
What’s your dream collaboration and why?
CHAE WON: I feel every artist has their own musical color, so it’s really an honor for me to work with any artist.
SAKURA: I really love Red Velvet sunbae-nims and respect them, so I would love to perform with them one day.
What’s the most important piece of advice you’ve received?
EUN BI: “Effort won’t betray you” is a quote that really stayed in my heart.
CHAE YEON: Someone once told me, “you’re doing great,” and that really gave me a lot of strength.
YE NA: My father always says, “If you work hard, anything is possible.” I always try to remember his advice.
What’s one thing that scares you and one thing that excites you?
WON YOUNG: Ghosts! Spending time with IZ*ONE is one thing that excites me!
YU RI: Me too, ghosts! And one thing that excites me is being on stage.
What led each of you to pursue a career as a performer?
EUN BI: When I was younger, my heart used to race when I saw people performing on stage. That’s when I knew that I had to do this (laughs).
YU RI: Whenever I was singing and dancing, I always had so much fun, so my dream and passion to become a singer grew bigger.
Biggest goals for this comeback?
HITOMI: One goal is to work harder so people all over the world can recognize IZ*ONE!
MIN JU: I hope we can meet our fans more often and give off a healthy, positive energy.
CHAE YEON: Through this comeback, I hope we can promote IZ*ONE more. And as we’ve grown to rely on each other and think about one another more, I hope our synergy can create a bigger energy which we can pass on to our fans.
Eyes on IZ*ONE~ Want more from this K-pop powerhouse? Check out their MV for Violeta and follow along with the conversation here.