“Still with Handheld Mics”… BABYMONSTER Joins Forces with G-Dragon to Bring YG’s Hip-Hop Swag in a Bold Comeback

[OSEN=지민경 기자] Group BABYMONSTER has come out swinging with a YG-style hip-hop swagger for their bold comeback.

On November 1st, in the afternoon, BABYMONSTER held a press conference at YG’s new building in Mapo District, Seoul, to celebrate the release of their debut studio album [DRIP].

Since their official debut in the music industry with their first mini album ‘BABYMONS7ER’ on April 1, BABYMONSTER has returned just four months after their July release ‘FOREVER’ with their first full album.

RORA expressed, “We are finally meeting you with our first full album. It came sooner than expected, but it’s all thanks to the immense love from our fans, and we wanted to return that love. It feels like we’ve had a meaningful year, having successfully completed our fan meetings.”

CHIQUITA added, “We’re excited to show a new side of BABYMONSTER with this album that contains a variety of genres.”

From the outset of their debut activities, BABYMONSTER has demonstrated their powerful live performance capabilities, making a strong impact. With their talents alone, BABYMONSTER has rapidly risen to the top of the music charts and achieved success at music shows.

AHYEON commented on releasing their first studio album in less than a year with YG, “We’ve tried many new things while preparing this album. We practiced a variety of genres during our monthly evaluations, and it was a great opportunity to show that.”

The first studio album [DRIP] of BABYMONSTER is a quintessence of their overflowing charm, meticulously crafted into nine tracks that further diversify their musical color.

RAMI described the album, “This album is overflowing with the unique charm of BABYMONSTER. As it is our first full album, we paid extra attention to it. With nine songs included, the variety of genres will be enjoyable for the public to choose from. It was created with a lot of thought on how to best present what we have accumulated from our fan meeting tours and activities.”

RUKA confidently stated, “This album could redefine YG’s new classic. It will showcase our unique vocal color and youthful side.”

Especially for their first studio album, BABYMONSTER has decided to make ‘DRIP’ and ‘CLIK CLAK’ as double title tracks, promising a unique charm. The title track ‘DRIP’ from the album embodies BABYMONSTER’s confident attitude and YG’s distinctive hip-hop vibe into an EDM-based dance track. G-DRAGON’s participation in composing has also sparked interest. The addictive hook, dynamic beat, and strong bass sound come together to deliver thrilling excitement.

Prior to their comeback on the 30th of last month, another title track ‘CLIK CLAK’ was pre-released along with its music video, drawing hot reactions from global music fans.

AHYEON explained about ‘DRIP’, “It’s a track full of surprises. We chose to release ‘CLIK CLAK’ first because we wanted to show something straightforward first. This track should be enjoyed for its strong EDM beat and exciting choreography. The festive mood we wanted to convey was to have fun and dance together.”

When asked how they felt when they heard of G-DRAGON’s involvement, RORA said, “Everyone was incredibly surprised when we first heard the news. We kept asking if it was real. We’ve resolved to work hard in our activities as a way to repay his involvement.”

ASA remarked, “When I first heard the demo from senior G-DRAGON, I tried my best to follow his style and swag. I put a lot of effort into recording as well.”

ASA added, “This regular album was originally going to have ‘DRIP’ as the sole title track, but as you listen, you’ll find every track is great. After discussing with the company, we felt it was a pity to only shoot a music video for ‘DRIP,’ which led us to decide to go with ‘CLIK CLAK’ as a double title since all seven of us ventured into rap, bringing a fresh feel.”

PHARITA and RUKA contributed to the lyrics of the track ‘Love In My Heart’. ASA said, “It’s personally one of my favorite tracks. It would feel great to sing it as an encore at a concert. It’s perfect to listen to during a sunset drive. Originally, it didn’t have a rap part, but we thought adding rap to the vacant beat would be interesting. It’s become more colorful, so I hope you enjoy it.”

From their debut, BABYMONSTER has been known as a ‘live powerhouse’ and plans to continue this approach in upcoming music shows. “We plan to perform with hand microphones, showing more of what we can do. We have consistently practiced since our trainee days, building a solid foundation to perform live now.”

“The difference between pin microphones and hand microphones seems significant. We decided on hand microphones after considering how to enjoy the performance together with the fans, and thankfully, the fans enjoyed it with us. The fun elements of the stage come alive with hand microphones. When performing, our team benefits greatly from using hand microphones,” they added.

BABYMONSTER’s comeback is poised under YG’s full support as a massive project. Not only the double title tracks but also subsequent music videos and stages for ‘Love In My Heart’ are planned, traversing various platforms like radio, variety shows, and YouTube to fill up 2024. A world tour is also anticipated next year.

When asked about advice from YG EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YANG HYUN SUK, the members shared, “He’s been with us from the start to the end. He personally attends recording and choreography sessions to look into the details, providing us strong support. We’re very thankful for all his efforts this time as well.”

Lastly, BABYMONSTER said about the album’s goals, “We’ve always wanted to do a world tour. Through this album, we aim to create wonderful memories with our fans and successfully complete the world tour. We’re preparing a fun concert, so we hope you look forward to it.”

2024. 11.1.