[CELEB] Girl group Nmixx rolls the dice with its second EP

K-pop

Published: 19 Sep. 2022, 18:07 Updated: 19 Sep. 2022, 18:39

[CELEB] Girl group Nmixx rolls the dice with its second EP

Girl group Nmixx poses during Monday's showcase for its second EP "Entwurf" at the Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul. [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

Nmixx is back to roll the dice.

The girl group held a showcase on Monday at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul's Gwangjin District for its second EP "Entwurf." The nine members — Lily, Haewon, Sullyoon, Jinni, Bae, Jiwoo and Kyujin — performed their new lead track "Dice" and revealed its board game-inspired music video.

The showcase was Nmixx’s first in-person press event since it debuted before most social distancing measures were lifted in April.

“Our debut events took place online only,” said Jiwoo. “For this EP, I’m excited and also nervous to be at an in-person showcase.”

Nmixx (stylized in all caps) debuted in February amid high expectations. It was K-pop powerhouse JYP's first girl group in three years since ITZY. The agency was already well-known for popular girl groups like miss A and Twice.

Concept image for Nmixx's second EP "Entwurf" [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

In fact, JYP Entertainment was so confident that in the summer of 2021, before the member lineup or even the group name was revealed, it launched a limited-edition “blind package” of what was to be Nmixx's debut EP. With virtually no information about the group available, the blind package sold over 60,000 copies in pre-orders.

Pronounced "n mix," the letter "N" in Nmixx stands for now, new, next and an unknown variable, while “mixx” symbolizes a combination of all the different meanings of “N,” which can create a new unified result. Nmixx’s debut song “O.O” released in February saw mixed reviews for its obscure lyrics and eccentric song structure, which mashed together several different genres within one song.

Nonetheless, the group's debut EP “Ad Mare” saw commercial success, selling over 220,000 copies in the first week after its release, which at the time was a new record for a debuting K-pop girl group.

Concept image for Nmixx's debut EP "Ad Mare" [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

Although “O.O” was deemed convoluted, Nmixx aimed to present its own unique music genre dubbed “Mixx pop” and hopes to continue that style with “Dice.”

“It’s another song from our unique Mixx pop genre, following ‘O.O,’” said Lily. “'Dice’ starts with an extravagant jazz sequence, followed by trance-like trap sounds and an addictive hip-hop beat. I hope listeners pay attention to each different part.”

“We were told that ‘O.O’ was rather difficult to understand,” said Sullyoon. “But I believe while there might be people who’ve never listened to Mixx pop, there’s no one who has only listened to Mixx pop once. That’s how addictive it is. It may be difficult at first, but just give it a few tries and you’ll be addicted to the genre.”

Concept image for Nmixx's "Entwurf" [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

The lyrics of “Dice” center around the girl group’s worldview, dubbed Mixxtopia, and Nmixx’s enemies that attempt to obstruct the group’s adventure in the fictional universe.

“We go on an adventure to Mixxtopia while fighting our antagonists, and the song compares it to a game,” said Jinni.

Many fans say Nmixx’s unique song structure is held together by Lily’s powerful vocals. At the time of Nmixx’s debut, K-pop fans were already familiar with Lily (stylized in all caps) as Lily M from the fourth season of SBS’s popular audition show “Kpop Star” (2014).

Lily of Nmixx [JYP ENTERTAINMENT]

Born in Australia to a Korean mother and Australian father, Lily first became known to the public at the age of 12 when she competed on “Kpop Star” and made it onto the final four. At a young age, she received attention for her vocal talent and her remarkable ability to hit high notes.

After the show concluded in 2015, she chose to start her training at JYP Entertainment and was a high-profile trainee for seven years. She also sang two original songs — “I’m Afraid” and “Shiny Day” — for the soundtrack of the 2015 KBS series “Orange Marmalade” in her trainee days and made a special appearance on the sixth season of “Kpop Star” in 2017. Her high notes are the highlight of the finale in “Dice,” melting the three different segments together.

The EP also includes B-side track “Cool (Your Rainbow)” and will be available on music streaming platforms at 6 p.m.

Lily (Lily Jin Park Morrow)

Date of Birth: Oct. 17, 2002
Zodiac sign: Libra
Debut: February 2022 as a member of girl group Nmixx

Agency: JYP Entertainment

Korean-Australian Lily of Nmixx first became familiar to the public when she appeared on the fourth season of SBS’s popular audition show “Kpop Star” (2014) as Lily M. At the age of 12, she made it to the final four and joined JYP Entertainment after the show ended. After seven years of training, she debuted in February 2022 as a member of the K-pop powerhouse’s girl group Nmixx with the EP “Ad Mare” and lead track “O.O,” which sold over 220,000 copies in the first week after its release, setting the highest record for a debuting K-pop girl group at the time.

This information was confirmed by JYP Entertainment on Sept. 19, 2022.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]