Latest news with #girlgroup
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
As Ashley Roberts speaks out on her struggles during her girl group years, where are the other Pussycat Dolls?
The Pussycat Dolls was the ultimate girl group, and it took the pop world by storm in the early 2000s but in 2010 the six members called it a day - and plans for a reunion tour in 2020 were ruined by the pandemic. One original member Ashley Roberts opened up about her struggles during her time in the group and explained how ill she got due to stress, and health professionals feared she had a brain aneurysm after a severe bout of sickness and headaches. Since quitting the band, Ashley's moved away from musical performances to become a successful showbiz correspondent - but what happened to Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, and Carmit Bachar? SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Ashley Roberts Since leaving the band, Ashley appeared on several reality TV shows, including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, The Jump, and Strictly Come Dancing. In 2019, she became the showbiz correspondent for Heart's Breakfast radio show. Since 2022, she's been a presenter on Heart 00s, a spin-off from the radio network. Ashley's in a relationship with boyfriend George Rollinson, 25, and they've been dating since November 2023. Last year, the 43-year-old revealed she was in a 'happy place': 'It's really nice to be in a relationship that's kind and thoughtful and supportive and we have fun'. Despite being part of the iconic girl band, behind the scenes Ashely paid the price for trying to keep up with the high-energy performances and intense schedule. She revealed on Paul Brunson's podcast We Need To Talk details of the terrifying health scare she experienced during her time in the band, and her decades-long battle with insomnia. She said: 'When my body started shutting down, I thought, OK, it is time to take a pause.' Explaining just how ill she got, Ashley said: 'We were in London doing a gig and I was sick and I was like 'Ok I'm just ill, you know, probably caught something. 'I was vomiting and had extreme headaches and I'm thinking, "This it isn't getting any better and we I need to get on a flight to Germany." 'I ended up going to the hospital and they said, "We think you are having a brain aneurysm. So we need you to chill." 'I was like, "Well, I need to get on a plane." 'Then, as I am walking to the MRI, my knee locks up and it turns out I had viral arthritis, I didn't even know this was a thing. So I couldn't bend my knee. 'My body was just, like, stop. I was having some kind of reaction to a virus that I had caught - but I was, like, the show must go on.' When she left the group, Ashley's health took another knock, believed to have been caused by intense stress. She said: 'There was a literal physical manifestation of stored emotion in my body that has to come somewhere right? 'Unless you have got some sort of release the body is going to try and get it out and I feel like that's what my body was trying to do. 'I had eczema all over my legs, I had a stomach ulcer, I had shingles on my chin. I think stress was at the root from a young age and I was lucky to have performing and dance as an outlet but I think my body had been used to holding stress in.' Nicole Scherzinger Since The Pussycat Dolls disbanded, Nicole's seemed to have had the most successful run, and she's engaged to rugby player Thom Evans. Nicole's proved herself as a global success, and won Dancing With The Stars in the U.S., then joined the judging panel on the UK's X Factor. Her singing career's continued to blossom, and she reached number one in the UK charts with her song Don't Hold Your Breath. More recently, Nicole revealed her eyes were set on a career in Hollywood, after she was awarded her first Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. After selling 55 million records worldwide with The Pussycat Dolls and her Broadway gong, Nicole's revealed her movie dreams. She told The Sun: 'I would like to do movies and movie musicals. I would like to build my own show, there are roles I would like to create. You never know where your unexpected dream opportunity is going to come from.' Kimberly Wyatt Kimberly said her world 'came crashing down' when the Pussycat Dolls reunion was axed - and it left her broke. She got married to Max Rogers, also 43, in February 2014, and they're parents to three children. The singer and dancer opened up about how her family life was impacted when the much-talked about tour fell through. She told the Mile Fly Club with Laura Hamilton podcast that at that time, she had cleared her schedule to make way for the concerts - but she went into 'panic mode' when it was axed. Kimberly said: 'Three young kids, paying school fees, and all these things - it changed our world. We had to rejig our entire life because of it. 'You end lots of your work to open all this space to go on the road, so when it all comes crashing down it was panic mode.' However, Kimberly's become a popular face on UK TV since her pop star days: she won the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef series in 2015, took part in The Jump, appeared on the E4's All Star Driving School, and competed on ITV's Dancing On Ice in 2022. Kimberly's gone on to become a presenter on Hits Radio, and deejayed at celebrity events across the UK. Melody Thornton When the band needed to bolster its vocal strength and opened auditions for new members in 2003, Melody jumped at the chance. Melody left the group in 2010, and said at the time: 'I got into the group to sing. That was made very clear to me but it became more and more apparent what was going on. 'Roles were being minimized and minimized and then, by the time it got on the show, it was very much like, "Y'all play your part and this is what it is."' Melody, 40, went bagged a cameo in Keri Hilson's video for the track Slow Dance, and she also released her first official single Sweet Vendetta in 2011. She's appeared on several TV shows, including reality series Bank Of Hollywood, and ITV in the UK's Dancing On Ice. Melody also competed on ITV's Popstar To Operastar and Celebrity Island. When the Dolls were set to reunite in 2019, Melody did not join them because the timing 'wasn't right' for her. In 2010, Jessica left the Pussycat Dolls to embark on a solo career. That same year, she released her first single I Wanna Be Bad, but it failed to chart anywhere except in Slovakia - where it peaked at number 65 in the charts. However, Jessica's second single Show Me gained a bit more success and got to number 1 in the U.S. Billboard charts' Hot Dance Club Songs. Jessica married Mikey Marquet in 2019, and they've got a four-year-old son together. She recently opened up about being unable to play with her son or return to the stage for over three years due to her battle with a life-changing vaccine-related injury, which caused her to have debilitating muscle spasms, tremors, and fatigue. Her symptoms came on within days of receiving her second dose of the Moderna Covid vaccine in December 2021. Jessica said: 'I woke up with a muscle spasm in my right rib that just would not get out. It felt like a knife inside was burning. It wrapped around my rib cage and up and down my spine, and it felt like I was on the brink of death.' The spasms, which she's continued to endure, then gave way to tremors in her legs and involuntary head jerks, which since subsided. However, she still felt as though her body's been 'completely hijacked'. To make matters worse, while her fellow Pussycat Dolls bandmates accepted her experience, she was dubbed an anti-vaxxer for speaking out. She said: 'I'm willing to risk my reputation so this doesn't happen to anyone else. 'There are many people in the industry way bigger than me with a bigger outreach with vaccine injuries but they won't speak out. And, for me, I just couldn't hold my tongue.' She added that she did not consider herself anti-vaccine: 'I do believe in the technology in hindsight, right? But I will not blindly trust the medical system ever again after what happened to me. I'm not "anti" anything. I'm just anti being sick.' Carmit Bachar Carmit, 50, was one of Pussycat Dolls' main vocalists, and she was famous before then having previously danced on stage with Beyonce and performed as the Livin' La Vida Loca girl on Ricky Martin's tour in 1999 and 2000. Since quitting the band in 2008, Carmit's focused on her music career. She formed the pop group LadyStation in 2011 and released the single Body In Motion, and ended 2018 with the release of the single It's Time, followed by the track How Far. Carmit also collaborated with Macy Gray in 2010 on her album The Sellout. She's mom to daughter Keala Rose, 13, and Carmit's also a campaigner for cleft-palate charities having suffered with the congenital condition herself as a child.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Where are the Pussycat Dolls now? As Ashley Roberts speaks out on her struggles during her girl group years, a look at the very different lives of her bandmates
They were the ultimate girl group who took the pop world by storm in the early 2000's. But in 2010, the Pussycat Dolls officially disbanded, and plans for a reunion tour in 2020 were ruined by the Covid-19 pandemic. This week, original member Ashley Roberts opened up about her struggles during her time in the iconic girl band. Explaining how ill she got due to stress, the star admitted health professionals feared she had a brain aneurysm after a severe bout of sickness and headaches. Since quitting the band, Ashley has moved away from music and has become a successful showbiz correspondent. Fellow members Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta and Kimberly Wyatt have also embarked on solo careers, from appearing on reality TV shows to winning Tony Awards. Ashley Roberts Since leaving the band, Ashley appeared on several reality TV shows, including I'm a Me Out of Here!, The Jump, and Strictly Come Dancing. In 2019, Ashley became the showbiz correspondent for the national Heart Breakfast radio show. Since 2022, she has been a presenter for Heart 00s, a spin-off from the Heart radio network. Ashley, 43, is now in a relationship with boyfriend George Rollinson, 25, who is an artist and has created elaborate pieces for the likes of celebrity clients Drake and Anthony Joshua. Last year, Ashley gushed to MailOnline that she was in a 'happy place' and said: 'It's really nice to be in a relationship that's kind and thoughtful and supportive and we have fun'. Despite being part of the iconic girl band, behind the scenes Ashely paid the price for trying to keep up with the high energy performances and intense schedule. Speaking candidly on Paul Brunson's podcast We Need To Talk the singer reflected on a terrifying health scare she experienced during her time in the band and her decades long battle with insomnia. She confessed: 'When I my body started shutting down, I thought ok it is time to take a pause.' Explaining how ill she got, the star admitted health professionals feared she had a brain aneurysm after a severe bout of sickness and headaches. 'We were in London doing a gig and I was sick and I was like 'Ok I'm just ill, you know, probably caught something.' 'I was vomiting and had extreme headaches and I'm thinking 'This it isn't getting any better and we I need to get on a flight to Germany .' 'I ended up going to the hospital and they said 'We think you are having a brain aneurysm. So we need you to chill,' and I was like 'Well I need to get on a plane.' 'Then as I am walking to the MRI my knee locks up and turns out I had viral arthritis, I didn't even know this was a thing. So I couldn't bend my knee.' She continued: 'My body was just like stop. I was having some kind of reaction to a virus that I had caught. But I was like the show must go on.' After leaving the group Ashley's health took another knock which she believes to have been caused by intense stress. The star explained: 'There was a literal physical manifestation of stored emotion in my body that has to come somewhere right? 'Unless you have got some sort of release the body is going to try and get it out and I feel like that's what my body was trying to do. 'I had eczema all over my legs, I had a stomach ulcer, I had shingles on my chin. I think stress was at the root from a young age and I was lucky to have performing and dance as an outlet but I think my body had been used to holding stress in.' Nicole Scherzinger There is no denying that Nicole has had the most successful run since the band disbanded, and is now loved-up with her rugby player fiancé Thom Evans. Once upon a time, Nicole was best known for hanging off the arm of Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, from whom she split for good in 2015, following an on-off relationship over several years. But she has proved herself as a global success, scooping victory on Dancing With The Stars in the US, and joining the judging panel on The X Factor UK. Her singing career has continued to blossom, as she reached No.1 in the UK charts for her song Don't Hold Your Breath. More recently, Nicole revealed she has her eyes set on a career in Hollywood after bagging her first Tony Award. She sobbed as she accepted her first ever Broadway honour at the star-studded 78th Annual Tony Awards, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. She won the Best Leading Actress in a Musical award, for her performance of fading Hollywood star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 film noir of the same name by Billy Wilder. And after selling 55million records sold worldwide with The Pussycat Dolls and now clinching her Broadway gong, Nicole has revealed she now wants to tackle movies. Speaking to The Sun, she said: 'I would like to do movies and movie musicals. I would like to build my own show, there are roles I would like to create.' She added: 'You never know where your unexpected dream opportunity is going to come from.' Kimberly Wyatt Kimberly revealed that her world 'came crashing down' when the Pussycat Dolls reunion was axed, leaving her broke. She married English model Max Rogers in February 2014, and the pair have three children together. The American singer and dancer opened up about how the tour falling through impacted her family life. Speaking on the Mile Fly Club with Laura Hamilton, Kimberly admitted she had cleared her schedule to make way for the reunion - but went into 'panic mode' when it was axed. 'Three young kids, paying school fees and all these things - it changed our world,' she said. 'We've had to rejig our entire life because of it.' Kimberly added: 'You end lots of your work to open all this space to go on the road so when it all comes crashing down it was panic mode.' But Kimberly has become a popular face on British TV since her pop star days. She proved she was a culinary whizz and won the BBC's Celebrity MasterChef series in 2015. She also took part in The Jump, before appearing on the E4 show All Star Driving School. Kimberley then competed in Dancing On Ice in 2022. Now, Kimberly is a presenter on Hits Radio and often DJ's at celebrity events across the UK. Melody Thornton When the band were looking to add some vocal strength and auditioned for new members in 2003, Melody jumped at the chance. The 40-year-old left the group in 2010, saying at the time: 'I got into the group to sing. That was made very clear to me. But it became more and more apparent what was going on. 'Roles were being minimised and minimised, and then by the time it got on the show, it was very much like, 'Y'all play your part and this is what it is'.' Melody went on to bag a cameo in Keri Hilson's music video Slow Dance, as well as releasing her first official single Sweet Vendetta in 2011. She has popped up on several TV shows, including American reality series Bank of Hollywood, and ITV's Dancing On Ice. Melody also competed on ITV's Popstar To Operastar, where she lost out to X Factor's Joe McElderry, and Celebrity Island. When the Dolls were set to reunite in 2019, Melody did not join them with founder Robin Antin saying the time 'wasn't right for her. Jessica Sutta In 2010, Jessica left the Pussycat Dolls to embark on her solo career. The same year, she released her first single I Wanna Be Bad, but it failed to chart anywhere but Slovakia, where it peaked at 65. However, Jessica's second single Show Me gained a bit more success reaching number 1 in the US Billboard charts for Hot Dance Club Songs. Jessica married her husband Mikey Marquet in 2019, who she shares a three-year-old son with. She recently opened up about being unable to play with her son M.J., let alone get on stage, for more than three years. And that's because she's been battling a life-changing vaccine-related injury that caused debilitating muscle spasms, tremors and fatigue. Her symptoms came on within days of receiving her second dose of the Moderna vaccine to protect against Covid in December 2021. 'I woke up with a muscle spasm in my right rib that just would not get out,' she told the Daily Mail. 'It felt like a knife inside was burning. It wrapped around my rib cage and up and down my spine, and it felt like I was on the brink of death.' The spasms, which she still endures to this day, then gave way to tremors in her legs and involuntary head jerks that have since subsided. But she still feels as though her body has been 'completely hijacked'. To make matters worse, while her fellow Pussycat Dolls former bandmates have been accepting of her experience, she has now been dubbed an anti-vaxxer for speaking out. 'I'm willing to risk my reputation so this doesn't happen to anyone else,' she said. 'There are many people in the industry way, bigger than me with a bigger outreach, with vaccine injuries. But they won't speak out. And for me, I just couldn't hold my tongue.' She added that she does not consider herself anti-vaccine. 'I do believe in the technology in hindsight, right? But I will not blindly trust the medical system ever again after what happened to me. I'm not "anti" anything. I'm just anti being sick,' she said. Carmit Bachar Carmit was one of the main vocalists and was famous before joining the Pussycat Dolls, having previously danced on stage with Beyoncé and was the Vida Loca girl for Ricky Martin. Since quitting the band in 2008, Carmit, 50, has focused on her music career. She formed LadyStation in 2011 and released a single called Body In Motion, and ended 2018 with the release of a new single It's Time. Carmit also collaborated with Macy Gray in 2010 in her album, The Sellout. The redhead, who is mum to daughter Keala Rose, is a passionate campaigner for cleft-palate charities. She suffered from the condition herself as a child.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Simon Cowell 'to launch new talent show' after ‘huge excitement' over Netflix boyband series
Simon Cowell is reportedly gearing up for another talent search - this time to discover the next Little Mix-style girl group. The music mogul, 65, who has created some of the biggest pop acts of the last two decades, has been working on a new Netflix series which sees him on the hunt for the next One Direction. The show titled The Next Act follows Cowell on a mission to find the next global boyband in the vein of One Direction, and is due to stream on Netflix in the coming months. And while Netflix is yet to commission the second series, it is thought he is keen to capitalise on the buzz and is already eyeing a second series - this time focusing on up-and-coming girl groups. A source told The Sun: 'There's huge amount of excitement around the boyband search show dropping on Netflix, which is expected to drop later this year. 'So it makes sense to consider a sequel with a similar concept but looking for the female equivalent. The music mogul, 65, who has created some of the biggest pop acts of the last two decades, has been working on a new Netflix series which sees him on the hunt for the next One Direction (pictured left) 'And if anyone can do it, it's Simon. After all, through One Direction and Little Mix, he helped deliver two of the biggest pop acts of the last two decades.' The Next Act is thought to air over six episodes, where viewers will see nationwide open auditions, exclusive behind-the-scenes access and the release of the group's debut single. MailOnline has contacted Netflix and Simon's representatives for comment. Simon is no stranger to scouting new talent and since 2001, has appeared as a judge on several music reality competition series including Pop Idol, American Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, and America's Got Talent. It comes after he dropped thousands on a rare Pokémon card as he shocked fans with his appearance at a card trading show. Simon attended the annual London Trading Card event last month at Boxpark in Croydon. Taking to their Instagram, the trader posted a snap with Simon, who is dad to son Eric, 11, as he purchased a very rare card. The star, who has a net worth of £300M, beamed in a black top with a pair of black aviator sunglasses. Simon is no stranger to scouting new talent and since 2001, has appeared as a judge on several music reality competition series (pictured on the X Factor in 2018) According to Fanaticscollect, the star picked up a Rayquaza VMAX Alt Art PSA 10 for his collection, which ranges anywhere from £650 up £2k. Speaking about his interaction with Simon, the trader said: 'He seemed to be really enjoying the show and meeting the collectors and vendors. 'He was very friendly and kindly took time out to talk to people and take photos with everyone while he was there. Really nice guy.' Shocked fans took to the comments of the post to share their disbelief that the star was a card fan. Earlier this month, Simon failed to make an appearance at Mel B's wedding to her partner Rory McPhee in London. The Spice Girl, 50, and the hair stylist, 38, said 'I do' at St Paul's Cathedral surrounded by A-list guests, including Emma Bunton, Cara Delevingne and Katherine Ryan. However, there was a mystery on their special day as MailOnline understands that Britain's Got Talent boss Simon was not in attendance. It is believed that the music mogul had RSVPed to attend the glitzy ceremony, but was nowhere in sight when Mel walked down the aisle. Cowell had planned to attend with his fiancée Lauren Silverman, and the reason for their unexpected absence is not known. Friends Cowell and Mel have known each other for many years, having both served as judges on The X Factor and America's Got Talent. Mel recently revealed that Cowell 'fired' her from AGT, but proved there was no bad blood when she returned for the show's 20th anniversary season earlier this year.
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How 24-Member K-Pop Girl Group TripleS Operates and Works
GOYANG, SOUTH KOREA - May 07: tripleS during MBC Every1 variety show 'Weekly Idol' at MBC Dream ... More Center on May 07, 2024 in Goyang, South Korea. (Photo by MBCPLUS/Imazins via Getty Images) tripleS has proven that a 24-member girl group can become both a logistical marvel and a bona fide pop sensation. It's a reality thanks to Modhaus, the ambitious Seoul-based record label behind tripleS and its special ASSEMBLE projects that bring all of the group's members together for one album project. Over four candid interviews with Modhaus founder and CEO Jaden Jeong, management head Kim Tae Hyuk, A&R manager Kim Sung Woo, and tripleS members ChaeYeon, Kotone, JiYeon and SoHyun, we peel back the curtain on the ASSEMBLE project's unprecedented scale. 'Modhaus is pursuing a social entertainment structure,' Jeong shares for this special Forbes interview. 'For some, 24 people might be an overwhelming number, but in my opinion, 24 is the maximum number of people that can be memorized. Moreover, the number 24 holds a great significance in astronomy, mathematics and history. The 24 hours it takes for the Earth to rotate on its axis has been applied in various ways since ancient civilizations, thus it is open for interpretation. Mathematically speaking, its eight divisors make it ideal for exploring a wide range of possibilities.' And on the subject of numbers: last year's full, 24-member ASSEMBLE24 album sold more than 211,000 copies worldwide (up from 55,000 for the first 10-member ASSEMBLE album from 2023), according to South Korea's local Circle Charts. That momentum helped ASSEMBLE25 from May this year soar to over 407,000 units so far. But the LPs aren't just commercial fireworks: ASSEMBLE24 was 2024's most acclaimed K‑pop group album with recognition from major and independent publications like Billboard, NME and Tone Glow. With special considerations needed in everything from music production to traveling and staffing, building and maintaining tripleS as K-pop's largest group is a daily masterclass in scale, strategy, and stardom. Read on for these seven individual perspectives to dive deep into the tripleS world. tripleS for 'ASSEMBLE25' Creating tripleS' ASSEMBLE projects Jaden Jeong, Modhaus Founder & CEO: ASSEMBLE24 was the most adventurous album in my life. There was so much power in all 24 members finally coming together and articulating this concept through music and lyrics, expressing it through performance, making one coherent story in the music video, but keeping these various characters alive — all of it was not only new to me but to all Modhaus employees. However, I think of myself as a person who finds the most fun by undertaking these difficult missions. I really enjoy finding my own way to solve things – especially when others expect them to be difficult or see them in a negative light. Therefore, the members and the company employees came as one during the production of this album; we became one strength and proved that we can do it. That's why ASSEMBLE24 is so meaningful. We showed through this album that tripleS are not just idols who are good at making 'dance music' — but rather proved themselves to be the voice of hope and encouragement to people all around the world who say, 'Don't give up.' It gives the album even deeper meaning. ChaeYeon, tripleS: To prepare for an album and a unit and the group in its entirety is quite different. I mean, even positioning ourselves in the practice room is long. So, when we first heard about the entire 24-member group on ASSEMBLE24, there was a certain excitement along with this nervousness of 'Can this actually be executed?' Then we heard 'Girls Never Die' [single] for ASSEMBLE24 and we thought, 'Wow this can be possible.' Along with that, the pressure comes when we were working on ASSEMBLE24 because it wasn't a debut, it's a comeback. So, actually, we came back more mature and had a different attitude. I think we had this close synergy, and individually, I think we had more resolve and confidence. Kim Tae Hyuk, Modhaus Management Department Head: There's a sense of grandeur and power from watching a group choreography that comes from a 24-member performance — it's impressive and creates a kind of awe because it's something that can't easily be replicated. ChaeYeon: Since we were released one member at a time, we had this conversation among the members where we were all wondering, 'Hey, do you think all 24 of us will ever do something together?' And due to our unique voting system with GRAVITY, we didn't really realize what our future long-term plans were. So, we were surprised to hear about ASSEMBLE24 and then we actually didn't expect ASEEMBLE25. But I was thinking, 'Wow, 'Girls Never Die' really did pretty well; I think we made quite an impression.' Now I feel a little bit more nervousness because we have to go beyond that. Jeff Benjamin: tripleS returning with a second full-group album a year later indicates that the first one was financially successful and makes sense for Modhaus to pursue again. What makes the ASSEMBLE projects viable to pursue again? From an outside perspective, it seems like this requires a lot of money, time and effort. Jaden Jeong: Ever since I started planning and outlining tripleS, I had the idea of having the group release an ASSEMBLE album once a year. So, starting from ASSEMBLE [in 2023 with 10 members], which contained the single 'Rising,' we prepared for the group to put out a tripleS core album every year. The fans are the ones who decide the title track through a voting system. I was hoping that this album series would be a collaboration and celebration with fans. The fact that 24 members come together once a year to put out an album is already a joyful celebration in itself. Perhaps it is the concept of ours that the fans are enjoying. And, of course, I am already looking forward to ASSEMBLE26. Kotone, tripleS: Due to the success of 'Girls Never Die,' there was, of course, this motivation to do better, but also a lot of pressure to do better. And I don't think it was just the members because I could see it in the management and the different people in Modhaus who are really trying to do better, and we're all in this same spirit together. How tripleS Makes Music for 24 People SoHyun, tripleS: We record one by one individually, so the whole process is very long, but our individual recording part is small. I think that's also one of the challenges during that short amount of time, which is that you have to really express your vocal tone as an individual and also express the feelings of the lyrics. Kim Sung Woo, Modhaus A&R Team Manager: The production period for ASSEMBLE25 was busy yet fruitful — like that of many of our other albums at Modhaus. Looking back, it was pretty interesting to see the process of recording three different songs simultaneously at three different recording studios with members rotating back and forth, to be efficient with time. After all, it's all about making things work while assuring quality. From the beginning, we've presented tripleS as 'the idol of all possibilities,' emphasizing the wide variety of their expressive outlet. From a technical standpoint, the density and layer of the vocal arrangement play a big role when choosing songs for a 24-member ensemble. A lot of the time, we're looking at how we can assign vocal lines to each of the members and how the interchange of individual parts can come to life on stage or in other choreographed contexts. Jaden has the final say when it comes to placing the songs, but we're always sharing ideas, going back and forth about how a particular demo or idea may bring out the unique quality of our artists. SoHyun: [During the preparation process], there are actually a lot of edits. I think this ASSEMBLE25 had a historically high number of edits because we were a bit ambitious and really tried to make the best tracks out of it. I'm also the vocal coach of the team and we looked into how the voices would connect with each other. Sometimes, when we are doing unit albums and we have a lot more time, we discuss things like vocal tone, dive deep and have discussions, but since we're looking at the 24 members as a whole, I'm much more direct and explaining things like, 'I think this tone will fit' or 'Why don't you do this?' JiYeon, tripleS: Speaking personally, before I became an idol, I was training in dance, specializing in ballet, so I never received much vocal training compared to other members. When it comes to anything vocal recording or singing, I'm always worried, and I feel like I'm always a bit more nervous than others; I have a bit more thoughts and worries in my head. But I just feel a lot stronger when I'm with SoHyun — it's the feeling of mom and daughter. She just communicates so easily. I think when people do vocal training, they often explain in such a complicated manner, but SoHyun always gives me a lot of help and guidance. I can ask her to give me an example of what she means and she explains. Even when we were preparing [recording], I guess I was quite tense. Instead of telling me how to sing, she demonstrated to me how to let out a deep breath to help me continue singing, and it just worked. Kotone, tripleS: Since there are a lot of people working hair, makeup, and styling, it just takes a long time. It's a whole operation and it's quite chaotic. But when you look at the music video, there's a lot to enjoy and a lot of elements at play. Although we're chaotic, the output is great. My friends and family even watch the music videos, so it makes me proud that it was so chaotic. A Day in the Life of tripleS JiYeon: When we have a comeback and do promotions as 24 members, we just know that we don't sleep. When you're talking about makeup alone, it takes two to three times longer than it takes other people. Sometimes, we visit our hair and makeup shops the day before, at midnight, or even at 9:00 p.m. if we have shoots early in the morning. For other groups with even seven or nine members, that can be a lot of people to travel with, but we go on a bus. Honestly, now I think we've grown used to this, let's say, 'sleepless' schedule, but also to the idea that it's not just me; we're really all in this together, all 24 of us here to operate and work with such a large group. The staff is also here during all this time, so it seems like all of us collectively are in this together. Kim Tae Hyuk, Management Department Head: The members live in dorms, referred to as 'HAUS,' and since there are many members, they stay in four different dorms. Including staff, eight to nine vehicles are used for transportation, and it takes about eight hours to complete hair, makeup, and styling. JiYeon: Normally, half of us move to prepare first and half of us move later. Often, the managers organize those decisions for us, and we follow… Kim Tae Hyuk: Instead of distinguishing members individually during activities, we usually divide them into groups, like Team A and B, or organize them based on their dorms. SoHyun: And honestly, if we played rock-paper-scissors, we have 24 members, so that would take a long time… ChaeYeon: When we have a music program, we ride a giant bus. We're talking like a 30-person bus — sometimes the hair, makeup, and stylist [teams] don't even fit, so they have to take a taxi to where we are. Kotone: We're all young girls, so when we're well rested and on a big bus, we're all hanging out, and it's a very fun vibe. But as JiYeon was talking about during the promo activity schedules, we don't have the most amount of rest, and we actually are sleeping, so it's quiet, and we're just resting our heads on one another. 10 minutes before we arrive, the managers say something like, 'Girls, let's wake up,' and that can also be a challenge to actually wake up. SoHyun: It also really depends on the day because it's always different. There are some days when we just dance randomly; of course, there are some younger members who are very talkative, but we also have a lot of times when they're just very calm and quiet. If I had to point out any members, YeonJi and Soomin are very talkative individually, so when they meet, it's twice the amount, and the talking never stops. [Laughs] Kim Tae Hyuk: The group is about the size of a typical school class these days. From the start, several managers pay close attention to checking everyone's attendance, and after all schedules are finished, the managers accompany the members back to their dorms so there aren't any major issues. Because there are so many members, they all live considerately and make compromises with one another when it comes to personal matters, so there haven't been any difficulties. I joined before all the members were revealed, so it was easy for me to memorize their names. But each member has a unique [phone] number and that part was a bit confusing at first. The managers who joined more recently seem to memorize everyone within about a week. Next for Modhaus: 24-Member Boy Band Jaden Jeong: idntt is also a 24-member group. Some might assume that idntt is the male version of tripleS simply because we have 24 members and, naturally, the media loves using attention-grabbing phrases like that, which leads to such assumptions. But I am not one who likes to repeat concepts and use the same systems. The group will have the unique Modhaus DNA, but the build-up system which you saw for tripleS will be different for idntt. However, it won't be superior or an upgraded version. We designed a unique system for idntt, and if you are a fan of K-pop boy groups, it will be one that raises your dopamine levels. Kim Sung Woo: With idntt, we're focusing on keeping things organic. For their first album, we've been working on amplifying qualities that are distinct to their age range through an alternative hip-hop and R&B sound. tripleS for 'ASSEMBLE25' Is there anything else to add that people might find interesting or surprising about tripleS, the ASSEMBLE albums or Modhaus? Kim Tae Hyuk: During schedules, as the members are passing by one after another, people are often surprised by how many there are. I think those kinds of moments are what can really catch the public's attention and spark interest. ChaeYeon: I want to add that all 24 of us are very pretty and cute. So, as a message to the public, at least one of us will be your ideal type. [Flicks hair] [Group laughs] Jaden Jeong: It's a trivial thing, but the intro song on ASSEMBLE25 is called '@%' and if you type 25 on your computer keyboard, it corresponds with @ and % (the 'At' and 'Percent' symbols). I enjoy hiding these elements for fans to discover. Every single prop and location in the 'Are You Alive' music video was carefully planned within the concept. In Seoul, there is a public bike-sharing system called Ddareungi. For the music video, we didn't want to use a cool-looking bike — it had to be a Ddareungi. We felt that the authenticity of real life needed to shine through for it to genuinely reflect the world of a Seoul girl in a way that only tripleS can express. Apart from that, Modhaus is in the constant process of preparing new idols. However, that doesn't mean we're producing idols in a factory-like, label-driven way. Personally, I like looking for idols who have great potential that can grow. I hope that this can become Modhaus' identity: an idol group with a story. And Modhaus needs more staff. In just over three years, the company has grown into a house with about 120 employees. The company hopes that many people — regardless of qualifications or educational background — who are crazy about K-pop will join.
Bloomberg
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Blackpink Comeback Heralds YG Rebound as Group Returns to Stage
K-pop label YG Entertainment Inc. 's revival hopes are set for a boost as its biggest act, Blackpink, returns to the spotlight with a new song after a nearly two-year hiatus. The girl band will kick off their long-anticipated comeback at a sold-out show at Goyang Stadium, near Seoul, on Saturday. The performance of their new single Jump marks a critical turning point — not just for the quartet, but for YG, which is looking to reignite growth after a year of declining revenue without its most valuable act.
