Kiss of Life is back with a vengeance on their <Born To Be XX> mini-album.
Their first comeback since debuting, it’s a big moment for the four-member girl group. Featuring members Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul, Kiss of Life, also known as KOL, debuted in July with their extremely polished, self-titled EP fronted by the single “Shhh.” As the summer heated up, it was just a matter of time before their cinematic music videos and dynamic vocals would capture audiences, with their name steadily getting out there thanks to word-of-mouth and a surprise hit in Natty’s solo song, “Sugarcoat.”
Debuting with an album featuring solo tracks by each member that they promoted is pretty atypical for K-pop idols, but one of the many ways Kiss of Life is trying to show a new K-pop paradigm. Between Belle, Julie, and Natty, there is well over a decade of polished training, television competition shows, and songwriting experience under their belt, while newcomer Haneul brings her own special type of bold freshness to the group. This means that they feel more like seasoned pros rather than rookie newcomers, and it shows with each release.
With <Born To Be XX>, the group and their creative team envisioned an album celebrating, and seeking to comfort, those with differences, and put those music narratives up to the proverbial looking glass as they are soundtracked by showstopping numbers “Bad News” and “Nobody Knows.”
Following the release of the album, the members spoke with Rolling Stone Korea. This interview was conducted in English and Korean, and edited for clarity.
[RSK] How is it having made your comeback with <Born To Be XX>?
Julie: We were excited to come back as soon as possible after the first mini album because we weren't really expecting to get that much love and support from so many people. We're so excited for this album because a lot of the songs have the style that we really wanted to show everyone. It’s a lot more hip-hop, R&B, and soul. It’s the kind of music that we want to show as Kiss of Life.
[RSK] What does it mean, <Born To Be XX>?
Julie: Born to Be XX means “환영받지 못하는 특별한.” When you're special or different, not a lot of people get comforted. They're kind of afraid or they think that that's the wrong answer because they're not used to the difference. But we wanted to portray that even if you're different, you could be confident and that's just who you are.
[RSK] How did that play out with the singles and music videos?
Julie: We wanted to portray that there's always two sides to a story. So for “Bad News,” when you look at the music video, we come out as really bad villains. But once you see the music video for “Nobody Knows,” you're like, “Oh, so actually she wasn't a villain. She was actually a hero.”
[RSK] What do you hope people take away from this album?
Belle: “I've never seen this kind of music in K-pop history.” We want people to think that way.
Julie: We all went through so much as individuals and since we met as a group, we're also different. We all have so many stories to tell. We want to be a group that's able to just send a message, and express our emotion and stories through our music.
[RSK] Were there any memorable or special moments while working on <Born To Be XX>?
Haneul: Being able to perform with 16 dancers on stage, getting to have two title tracks, it really made us learn and grow, and it’s been really exciting.
Belle: Our group actually pursues a self-production system, so we made lots of tracks. “Says It” is actually my self-made song for our fandom, KISSY. And “My 808,” “Nobody Knows”’s English version, we participated in many ways.
[RSK] Your team and your company are known to have a different approach than is typical for the industry. How are you finding things?
Julie: We really do have a new system, so we're trying new things. Having staff that really trusts us and respects the music that we want to do really opens up opportunities and paths for us to explore.
[RSK] When you say new system, what do you mean by that?
Julie: We communicate a lot with staff about what we want to do. Usually not a lot of groups are able to express what they want to do, and what they like.
[RSK] How much input would you say you get? Have you guys run into any conflicts?
Julie: All the time. Everyday. Even just now, we just had a fitting and we were like, “That doesn't fit our concept, that's not what we want to look like.” Of course, it’s noot all the time that they listen. Sometimes we listen to them as well, to them. We try to express our opinion as much as we can.
Belle: I think it makes good synergy between the company and us.
[RSK] Aside from Haneul, who is the youngest and new on the scene, the rest of you have experienced a lot before coming together as Kiss of Life. How has that impacted your group dynamic?
Julie: I think that's what makes Kiss of Life. It's not really typical for each member to have that much of a history before coming together as a group. But because the three of us have so much history, I think that's what makes the group have more color and that's what makes us Kiss of Life. We went through so much as individuals so now that we're together as a group, we can learn from each other's history and become a stronger team.
Belle: Each of our life stories are all different, so we can learn a lot.
Julie: I think it's super cool to see how everyone's so different and to learn what each member has been through. It’s like, “Wow, good job. You went through a lot and it's totally worth it because now we're here as Kiss of Life.”
[RSK] After pursuing this career, this industry for so long, how do you feel about finally debuting in a group?
Julie: We always craved being on big stages and making big music to show many, many people, and that's only possible to a certain extent when you're alone. But with the power of different girls and, especially with these girls, all three of us thought, “Yeah, we can make it.”
Belle: Something sparked in my heart when I first saw them performing, I really wanted to do something with these girls.
[RSK] When did you all first meet?
Julie: One year and a half ago.
Natty: And me and Julie, three years ago.
[RSK] How have your perceptions of each other changed since then?
Julie: At first we were all so different that we were like, how are we going to do this?
Belle: I never thought that we could blend with each other.
Julie: But now we can't even imagine ourselves without each other because we have such a good synergy.
[RSK] What did you think of the name Kiss of Life when you first heard it?
Belle: Most of us thought, “Oh my god, isn't it too long? Isn't it too unfamiliar for the audience?”
Julie: I thought “Kiss of Life” was very powerful and really out there. I thought, “Wow, such a perfect name for us.” Such a good name because it shows our feminine, sassy, sexy, confident sides.
[RSK] Belle, you’ve written for some major names in the industry, like Le Sserafim and Miyeon of (G)I-dle. How has it been songwriting for your own group?
Belle: It feels amazing. Actually, recently I've been thinking about it. I want to work on more for our team, not for other artists. I think I like “Performer Belle” more, with our members. Our members all have a high level of musical understanding. I'm really thankful to our members for having respect for me on the music side.
Julie: Natty, Haneul, and I all want to be able to participate in making the music and be a part of the process as well. So hopefully in the future we're all able to take more and more bigger roles as time goes by.
[RSK] Natty and Julie, you both have been high-profile trainees, and Natty you even released your own music. How does it feel to bring all your expertise and finally get to showcase it in a group?
Julie: For Natty, she has been in the industry for a long period of time, but she hasn't really felt like she really showed who Natty was through her music as a solo artist. But now that she has met Kiss of Life and our members, she's now showing her true colors and the music that she was interested and passionate about. So she feels more like herself as Kiss of Life. I'm able to say this even if she didn't say it, because I always listen.
Natty: Yea.(laughing)
Julie: For me, I'm just so happy to be Kiss of Life because I've been waiting six years to be a part of a group and finally being able to debut with such amazing members really means a lot.
Natty: I feel confident with these members. I feel super confident that I can finally be able to do the music that I always wanted to do.
[RSK] Haneul, you’re newest on the scene. How have you found being a member of Kiss of Life?
Haneul: I feel like I have more things to show. Because Kiss of Life is such a powerful and confident group, I also want to show that I also have that kind of side.
[RSK] You each released solo songs on your first album and Natty’s “Sugarcoat” really took off. How do you feel about having such a big hit help get Kiss of Life’s name out there?
Natty: I never imagined it would be such a hit. The company gave me the final say in choosing the song, and I remember there being concerns about whether 'Sugarcoat' would be too unfamiliar for the audience or if I could handle it well. But I chose it simply because it was my taste. It holds a much more precious meaning to me than just being a popular hit, as it represents the music I truly love.
[RSK] What's the biggest surprise or memorable experience that you have experienced since debuting as Kiss of Life?
Belle: Our leader Julie cried when I first completed my first solo stage for “Countdown” on Show Champion, and that was the first moment I felt the strong bond of our team and I cried too.
Julie: It was like a mother crying.
Belle: A mommy bird.
[RSK] Silly question time: With a name like Kiss of Life, I’m curious about what type of lipstick color and style would each member be?
Belle: Mine is pink. Julie is coral orange. Natty is black. Haneul is like baby pink.
Natty: What!!!
Julie: I would say Haneul would be like tinted lip balm. Natty would be matte red lipstick. I’d be orange coral lip gloss. Belle would be hot pink.
Belle: With a little bit of glitter.
[RSK] How do you feel about being Kiss of Life right now?
