7 Female Groups to Pay Attention to in 2021
Every year, a multitude of K-Pop groups debut in hopes of having a large fanbase and achieving their dreams as idols. The new and fresh faces of K-Pop are here to make their mark and will do their best to achieve success as fourth generation artists. Even though it can be difficult to stand out from the big names in the K-Pop industry, every group has to start somewhere.
Afterall, it’s 2021, which means new year, new K-Pop groups to stan. If you’ve been wanting to give K-Pop a chance or are simply looking for new groups to add to your playlists, check out these seven new girl groups that are sure to impress you.
STAYC
The six-member group STAYC debuted in November 2020 under the label High Up Entertainment, which was founded by Korea’s top producer group, Black Eyed Pilseung. STAYC’s debut single and music video, “SO BAD,” from their first single album Star to a Young Culture, has reached over 14 million views on their official YouTube page. Even just starting out in the industry, “SO BAD” ranked at No. 21 on the Billboard U.S. World Digital Song Sales Chart just days after its initial release. According to their label, STAYC has “...been incubated with the keyword 'Healthy' to foster their good personality and healthy mind so that the public can trust and love them.” This rookie girl group is sure to impress fans with their confidence and “teen-fresh” genre.
aespa
Coming from SM Entertainment, four-member group aespa made their mark with their debut single, "Black Mamba." Their long-awaited debut in November 2020 had plenty of popularity as their video broke the all-time record for most viewed K-Pop debut music video in 24 hours with 21 million views. Their group name means a combination of “avatar, experience and aspect,” which gives off a virtual and futuristic theme. To fit the concept, each member has their own virtual avatar, which makes this such a unique concept in K-Pop. Members Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning interact with their fans often by releasing content on AESPA’s official TikTok account ranging from a variety of D.I.Y. projects to dance challenges.
woo!ah!
In May 2020, NV Entertainment debuted the group woo!ah! as a six-member group. Former member Songyee, however, decided to leave the group for personal reasons in August, making woo!ah! a five-member group today. Their single, “woo!ah!,” which still includes Songyee, has a catchy pre-chorus that is sure to be stuck in your head for days. Though it seems that woo!ah!’s tracks will continue to have an addicting line. In their other single “Bad Girl,” the post-chorus has also captured the attention of new fans that heard a snippet of the song on TikTok. It’s safe to say that anyone who streams woo!ah!’s songs will be repeating their lyrics all day long.
Secret Number
A five-member group from Vine Entertainment, Secret Number captured the attention of many with their girl crush concept. The group is composed of members from Japan, Indonesia, and USA - making them one of many groups to incorporate global talent. In May 2020, Secret Number released their debut single, “Who Dis?” which currently has over 35 million views on YouTube. Originally, Secret Number was set to debut in March 2020, but their label postponed it to May due to the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19. Despite this, they were able to have their first comeback with the single “Got That Boom” in November, just months after their debut. With their talent and energy, Secret Number will certainly be a fan-favorite to new K-Pop fans.
PIXY
Freshly debuted six-member group from ALLART and Happy Tribe Entertainment, PIXY is sure to shock you with their debut single “Wings.” With their dark concept and breathtaking choreography, PIXY has shown everyone that they’re here to take on the world. Members Ella, Satbyul, and Dajung had previously been in other girl groups before becoming part of PIXY, though it’s obvious that these members fit right in. Make sure to keep your eyes on them in 2021 because they are just getting started.
REDSQUARE
Five-member group REDSQUARE made their official debut in May 2020 with their single “Color Full.” Originally, they were represented under the label About Entertainment, but moved to ICONIC Music & Entertainment. The music video for “Color Full” showcases the members in blindfolds and shadowed, leaving you to focus on the song and their skills. With a unique debut concept, it is worth giving your attention to REDSQUARE.
TRI.BE
TR and Mellow Entertainment’s TRI.BE debuted in February 2021 with their powerful debut single “Doom Doom Ta.” Their group name is from a combination of the geometric shape of a triangle and the word “being” to represent perfection. Just in the three weeks since its release, “Doom Doom Ta” has garnered over 4.4 million views. Unfortunately, it appears the group has recently noticed negative assumptions and misleading statements in the comment section of their video. Their official YouTube account left a short but genuine comment stating, “TRI.BE aims to deliver the message of self-love through ‘We are Perfect as We are’ and we would genuinely be happy to see everybody emit positive love for themselves as well as everyone around them.” What more could you ask for from a group?
All aforementioned groups deserve to receive support for showcasing their charisma and talent as new idols. If you’re a girl group stan, keep an eye on these amazing ladies; they are sure to bring their A-game in 2021!