Ready to advance to the ‘Next Level’ of stanning aespa? You won’t have to wait much longer because Giselle, Karina, Ningning, and Winter are finally making a comeback this summer with Girls! We can’t wait to see what adventures they’re gonna encounter across KWANGYA and The Flat, as well as what creative lyrics and stunning vocals they have in store. So let’s do a little recap of what we know about their second mini-album so far!
The Release
Mark your calendars because we’re getting Girls on July 8th, and we’re absolutely ecstatic. It’s slated to be their biggest comeback to date, thanks in part to their new partnership with Warner Records, which will help them reach new fans worldwide while also giving fun new content to their longtime fans. It’s a win-win!
💙⭐️@aespa_official 🌙🦋
— Warner Records Promo (@WarnerPromo) May 31, 2022
While the Girls title might just be to emphasize the girl power in some of their songs, some fans think it’s an acronym for the powers they have in their lore! G would be for “gun,” which ties into Winter’s role as the Armamenter, supplying her fellow members with the weapons they might need to defeat Black Mamba. I would be for “information,” which ties into Ningning’s tech and hacking skills. R would be for “rocket puncher,” which ties into Karina’s strong arm and ability to fight. L would be for “language,” which ties Giselle’s xenoglossy, or ability to speak multiple languages. Finally, S would be for “SM Entertainment,” their company.
If you ever need a rundown of which member has which powers in KWANGYA, be sure to give their track ‘aenergy’ a listen. The second verse breaks it down with effortless confidence that’s bound to get caught in your head!
푸슝깅들이
— 네모 (@Square_Yu) May 31, 2022
g : gun (아머맨터)
i : information (이디해커)
r : rocket puncher (로켓펀쳐)
l : language (제노글로시)
s : sm
래
The Trailer & Cover Art
The girls took us back to KWANGYA with the first teaser for the album, which animates its cover art. Compared to the cool tones and sleek vibe of the Savage packaging, Girls will be more colorful and vibrant. “Monochrome to colors,” anyone?
We know we’re gonna be getting two different album variants – called the KWANGYA and Real World versions – and the main differences seem to be the inclusions and potentially the covers. We’ll have to wait and see if we get new album art later!
aespa 에스파 The 2nd Mini Album 〖Girls〗
— aespa (@aespa_official) May 31, 2022
➫ 2022.07.08 #aespa #æspa #에스파#Girls pic.twitter.com/A1sB78EYT2
But another difference is that we’ll be getting different content in the SM and Warner Records albums, so you’ll have to collect the different variants to get the ultimate Girls experience we’re all dreaming of. Is anyone else rattling their piggy banks right now?
The Singles
aespa has already given/semi-given us two of the songs on the project. First off, we have the first pre-release single from Girls, ‘Illusion!’ It brings us back to the storyline from songs like ‘Black Mamba’ and ‘Savage’ as the girls try to take on Black Mamba again with more confidence and prowess than ever. This track has been in our heads rent-free since its surprise release – between the strong raps and the gorgeous vocals, it’s already one of our favorites in aespa’s discography.
On June 24th, we’ll be getting another pre-release single, ‘Life’s Too Short!’ aespa performed the English version of the song at their April 2022 Coachella performance, which marked the first time that a K-Pop girl group played a full set on the main stage. It’s an absolute anthem about focusing on enjoying your time rather than getting too wrapped up in what others think of you or bashing other people.
The Tracklist
aespa never fails to blow our minds, but we really think Girls will be their best work to date. Karina even told Billboard:
It hasn’t been long since our debut, so I think there are many ways to improve. Our first EP, Savage, received a lot of love and support, but we want to continue to work hard to become a group that receives love not only in Korea but also globally with new music that will wow the world.
Karina of aespa
We’re sure fans worldwide are gonna absolutely love the new songs we’re getting! In addition to the pre-releases ‘Girls’ and ‘Life’s Too Short,’ we’ll get to hear ‘Girls,’ ‘Lingo,’ and ‘ICU.’ We don’t know about you, but we’re obsessed even just hearing the titles.
- ‘Girls’
- ‘Illusion’
- ‘Lingo’
- ‘Life’s Too Short’
- ‘ICU’
- ‘Life’s Too Short (English Ver.)’
And Now, We Wait…
We know you’re just as excited about Girls as we are, so make sure you go pre-save and pre-order it A(e)SAP! Once you’ve got that sorted out, buzz on over to our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to tell us what song you’re most excited to hear.
Need more aespa content to keep you busy until release day? Right, this way!
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