Girl group IVE to conduct U.S. activities under Columbia Records

Girl group IVE [NEWS1]

Girl group IVE will make its debut in the U.S. and start its global activities with Columbia Records.

Kakao Entertainment announced on Friday that the company's North American subsidiary Kakao Entertainment America has signed a partnership with Sony Music’s Columbia Records.

With the partnership, Columbia Records will be in charge of IVE’s U.S. debut and global management, starting with the U.S. promotion of the upcoming prerelease track “Kitsch” and the girl group’s first full-length album “I’ve IVE.”

Starship Entertainment, which is IVE’s agency, is a subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment.

Kakao Entertainment plans to strengthen Kakao’s global music distribution networks and global competitiveness with its partnership with Columbia Records.

Consisting of six members — An Yu-jin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Won-young, Liz and Leeseo — the girl group debuted in December 2021 with the single “Eleven.” It is best known for hit songs “Eleven,” “Love Dive” (2022) and “After Like” (2022). With its three previous releases, IVE sold over 3 million albums and took home a total of 74 trophies in the span of two years.

The girl group will prerelease the single "Kitsch" on March 27 before the release of its first full-length album “I’ve IVE” on April 10. Two tracks from the album “Blue Blood” and “Not Your Girl” were first unveiled as a surprise performance during a concert in Seoul.

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]