When aespa said they were on the “next level” in their 2021 track of the same name, they really meant it.
KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE, and NINGNING, the four young women who make up aespa, have accomplished a remarkable amount in an incredibly short time — having debuted in November 2020, aespa have not even been active for two full years yet.
Even so, the quartet has achieved things very few of their predecessors have, including a triumphant set at Coachella 2022 and a broken record for the highest stock of pre-orders by any girl group in history. The latter accomplishment was earned ahead of the release of their latest, Girls – The 2nd Mini-Album, available now (via Warner Records).
The thing is, aespa’s music makes the listener feel like they can do anything. The group excels in the realm of hyperpop that teeters on delightfully unhinged, like Girls’ irresistible pre-release single, “Illusion.” The mini-album shows the girls exploring genre, playing around with harmony in ballads, and embracing more acoustic sounds, as they do in “Life’s Too Short” and “ICU.”
Coinciding with the release of Girls – The 2nd Mini-Album, aespa sat down with Consequence for an interview about recharging in the midst of rapid growth, deepening their team dynamic, and what’s coming up next.
