admin With their pared back sound, NewJeans have become symbols of a shift in K-pop, a music form that has traditionally been defined by its melting pot of pop, hip-hop and EDM. Every new generation of teenagers has the music that accompanies their youth, destined to forever transport them back to moments of the thrilling uncertainty of the future. In 2023, NewJeans are that kind of youthful backing track.
With Get Up boasting more than a million sales in its first day, the band spoke to GQ to reflect on being teenagers in the eye of a hurricane.
GQ: You’ve received so much attention in the past year. Have you been able to wrap your heads around everyone knowing who you are?
Hyein: We are still a little bit short of our first year anniversary, so it is hard to believe that people are paying us so much attention. There was the “Hype Boy” challenge on social media, and there’s also the “Super Shy” challenge where people dance to our song. Just watching those videos makes our hearts swell up.
Your lyrics really speak to that push and pull between big anxieties about the future and relationship dynamics like friendships and crushes you have as teenagers. How do you relate to the work that you’re putting out?
Haerin: We feel like we can really feel the words that we are singing. And that has been the case for all of our past albums as well, but especially for Get Up and for tracks like “ETA” and “Super Shy”. The lyrics speak really to a wide range of emotions and are super relatable.
You’re experiencing your teen years in a really unusual way. When are the moments away from the work and the spotlight that you feel like you’re most able to enjoy this time?
Minji: Personally, I feel that being a part of NewJeans is part of the teen experience, so it’s kind of hard to separate them apart from one another. However, I do feel those very simple pleasures in everyday life, like when I’m simply chatting and talking with my members. We are constantly teasing and playing around and laughing.
