Latest news with #DefendMyself
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
X:IN K-pop group interview: On their third mini album Defend Myself, their creative process, and India connection
For multi-national K-pop group X:IN, working on their latest mini album Defend Myself has been a deeply reflective and personal journey. The five member group — comprising Korean members E:sha, Nizz, and Hannah, Russian member Nova and Indian member Aria — is currently basking in the aftermath of the album's release in May. When the group debuted in 2023, they garnered significant attention in India for having a member from Kerala, Aria. Aria is among the few artistes of Indian origin in K-pop, which includes Sriya Lenka from Odisha who is a part of the K-pop group Blackswan. Presenting an autobiographical narrative of their inner conflict and emotional turmoil in Defend Myself, the group also consciously emphasises on protecting themselves amidst all the chaos, in the songs of this third mini- album. 'We focussed on the vulnerabilities and challenges of being in the spotlight. All of us were keenly involved in the creation of this album,' says E:Sha, the group's leader. Speaking from Seoul via a Zoom call, the group is all smiles and eager to talk about their journey thus far, and what lies ahead. While they have actively been a part of the creative process and their songs in the past, Aria calls their increased involvement in Defend Myself a 'huge stepping stone'. 'This was a significant learning experience for us,' she says. Since their debut in April 2023, X:IN has released two mini albums and also notably collaborated with Russian singer TSOY on the digital single 'Seoul- Moskva' which featured lyrics in Russian, English and Korean. Of the four tracks in Defend Myself, the title track 'Attention Seeker' explores the members' image, vulnerability and longing to be seen as well as what it takes to be their authentic selves. A slick music video pictured on the group was shot in a desert as well, and Hannah recalls how they were initially worried about wearing sandals and slippers in the dust and heat there, and possible snake sightings. While they thankfully did not have any reptilian encounters, Nova laughs about how uncooperative the wind was. 'We set up a shot wanting my dress to swish and flutter around me, only for the winds to stop the minute we began shooting,' she says. The autobiographical track 'Almost Done' however seems to be the group's favourite, which chronicles their growth and the work they have put in through hard times. 'Writing the lyrics for this song felt special because I felt like it showcases my story, and my journey in the industry. It was a difficult track, but I like how the song sounds and our voices blend well,' Nova says. 'I could imagine myself on stage, and how I would express myself while performing this song,' Hannah chimes in. For Nizz, 'Bitter Love', a song that expresses the emotional push and pull of a complicated relationship presented a different challenge. 'Unlike the other songs which were experience-based, we had to write this from our imagination and this was a fun creative process,' she recalls. High-energy vocals is a unifying factor through all four songs and the song 'Sabaha' as well blends this with strong house music influences. Since their debut, the members acknowledge different areas where they have been able to see their growth and evolution as artistes. 'Singing and dancing at the same time for instance used to be daunting. Over the years, I have got used to it and instead of worrying about it, I now recognise that it's a part of the job and go with the flow,' E:sha says. X:IN has performed in India twice in the K-Wave festival in Bengaluru in 2023 and in the Falcon Festival in Umrangso, Assam in 2024. For Aria, performing in her home country has always felt special. 'I initially did not know what to expect during our first performance in Bengaluru, but the energy was amazing. Knowing I am special to them, I feel a greater sense of responsibility and happiness that I am representing the country,' she says. The other members share her enthusiasm for performing here, and Nova says they are always excited to come to India. 'We recharge from our audience, and it has always been amazing performing in India,' she says. From places to visit to what food the girls should try, Readys (the X:IN fandom name) in India have always had tons of suggestions for Aria, and she hopes that they will be able to do all of this in the future, and film a detailed vlog during a visit to India as well. Three mini albums in, Nova now hopes for them to work on a full length music album soon. Post the release of Defend Myself, the group shows no signs of slowing down for the rest of the year, and have a packed wish list for 2025. 'I want to take the first place on the music charts,' Hannah says, while Nizz wishes for them to perform in the large year end music festivals in South Korea. 'We also hope to visit more countries and meet our fans. More onstage performances is something we really look forward to,' Aria says.
Pink Villa
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
EXCLUSIVE - X:IN reveals what they want from Defend Myself album release, their fantasy picks, and more
Among the many releases in the month of May, we're here to introduce you to an underrated piece. Girl group X:IN has dropped new music! Just over 2 years from its debut, the group has had a steep climb, with previous release, KEEPING THE FIRE, making waves in India for their youngest hails from the country. This time, the group returns with Defend Myself, a four-track record running over diverse music in which the teammates have participated in writing. An amalgam of their thoughts and wishes, the songs allow the singers to express their own colors directly. And direct they were. Member Aria tells us how she wants everyone to be unapologetically themselves. Why? The 22-year-old thinks that despite what goes around in the world, she wants everyone to express themselves freely and also protect their peace. Speaking with X:IN 2 years later, the girls are now back with a change in lineup and much more centered with their thoughts and concepts. As soon as we begin talking, the members speak about their newly releasing music and how they would describe it. 'Conceptual. Cinematic. Powerful. Emotional." The praise just rolls off their tongues, and the song release proved why. Attention Seeker is much different from their previous releases, and the group hopes it makes the jump to fame! Defend Myself marks a significant shift in how X:IN pursues their music. What inspired you to take on this more introspective and more emotionally raw approach? Nizz: I think it's because it's an album that expresses our emotions, our feelings, and our experiences through songs, so our real feelings were the biggest inspiration for this change. In Attention Seeker, there's talk about the push and pull of fame. Who among the members has a knack for seeking attention, whether it's intentionally or not? Aria: So I would say that Hannah is a walking meme. She could just be sitting still and demand attention because every time she moves or she says, like, mutters out a word, it's very funny. It's hilarious. She's unintentionally funny. I think that's a talent she has. Nova: For me, it's Nizz. There is such a thing in South Korea as aegyo. It's like acting cute and like being very childlike, but in a good way. I'm a person who doesn't have aegyo at all. So for me, it's very interesting to see how she's so adorable. So everybody who sees her doing aegyo, finds her so adorable and is very impressed by her. She's very naturally drawing attention to herself. Fame is the center of today's world. Everybody is trying hard to become famous. How do you, as K-pop artists, tackle that? Esha: In a way, our goal is to become famous as K-pop idols and to let more people know about us. But personally, I think there are a lot of things that we can miss if we just stick to our fame. So if we work hard and do our best, I think we'll be able to catch up someday. So your song, SABAHA, explores mystical vibes, and there are fantasy elements to it. Are any of the members fans of the fantasy genre in itself? And if so, what are your go-to films in that genre that you'd check out? Nova: I'm a huge fan of the Harry Potter series. I'm obsessed. I've watched it a lot of times and read all the books. And recently, I finished watching Game of Thrones. I really enjoy this kind of genre in general. Aria: I really like fantasy, and I find myself always seeking out fantasy genre dramas or films. And through this album, I feel like I was able to live out my fantasy because of the concepts of each song. Hannah: I like to watch the latest movies on Netflix. If there's a movie that looks scary or has a lot of action scenes, I watch it. My all-time favorite fantasy show is Stranger Things. Bitter Love talks about a very sensitive topic. As people who are very young in this music industry, how do you undertake this concept? Do you have any past experiences, be it in whatever type of love, that inspired this for you? Nizz: To be honest, I wrote the lyrics based on a topic that I've never experienced before. So it's definitely not my experience. I don't want people to experience something like this, because it would be too sad. I wrote the lyrics while imagining what I would feel if I did this topic. It all came out of the imagination. Like Esha has mentioned, what are your thoughts about growing up in this complex and competitive world as K-pop idols? Nova: Even though we work, our job is being an idol, right? However, besides that, we also have our regular lives. We have our friends and our family with whom we communicate often. So we live our normal life like normal people. Being on stage is a very big part of our lives as well. So I feel like actually all of us are very different on stage and behind the stage. But in a good way because we're very close all together. It's not just a job for us. It's a big part of our lifestyle. But we try to balance both of these together. You've been to India now, and obviously Aria is from India. What do the members think of the country now that they've visited and the next time you come here what do you want to try travel-wise or food-wise? Esha: I was going to ask, when we went to India last time, we ate at a hotel, it was like fried rice with chicken. (Aria: Biryani) It was a room service, so it felt like a preview, so I want to try a proper biryani because Aria boasted that it was good. When are you coming to India to try it next? Aria: I keep asking myself that, too. I don't think there are any plans as of now. Nothing that I know of, but hopefully soon I'll be able to visit all over the country with the girls and explore all those places that I haven't even been to yet. Nova: I really want to visit Kerala because Aria has been talking about it a lot. They have houseboats and backwaters, and you can just enjoy all these beautiful views. I was born in Russia, so the nature there is very different. I've been dreaming about living in such a country with these crazy palm trees and water everywhere. Nizz: India is very friendly, and I want to try authentic butter chicken. What is your message for your fans, and what are your plans to meet them again this year? Esha: We are making a comeback with our 3rd mini album Defend Myself, and of course, we have a lot of activities in South Korea. We don't have a specific plan yet, but if possible, we want to go to India to perform again. Our fans have been waiting for us for a long time, so we are very thankful. I hope you like our comeback.
