SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean artist BIBI launched her extremely anticipated sophomore album “EVE: ROMANCE” on Wednesday, delivering a undertaking that blends her signature genre-defying sound with philosophical twists.
The singer, songwriter and actor, who strikes fluidly between pop, R&B, hip-hop and digital music, has constructed a fame for her daring, unapologetic presence in an business usually outlined by cautious picture administration. Her newest album options 14 tracks, together with six new songs alongside beforehand launched hits like “Bam Yang Gang” and “Derre.”
In an interview with The Related Press, BIBI defined the which means behind the album’s lead single “Apocalypse,” which carries a extra poetic Korean title which means “The Apple Tree of the End Times.”
“I thought, if there was the fruit of knowledge of good and evil at the beginning, then this would be the apple tree at the end of times,” BIBI mentioned.
“You know that saying — when asked what you’d do if the world ended tomorrow, some say they’d plant an apple tree, others say they’d have an orgy. … But to me, they felt like the same thing. Both are, in essence, acts of planting seeds.”
Her interpretation, merging concepts of creation, pleasure, and existential finality, might come throughout as provocative in a conservative South Korean society the place open discussions about intercourse stay uncommon and infrequently taboo.
“In reality, everything has an end, and what each person chooses to do in that moment is their own,” she added. “It can’t be labeled as good or bad. After all, isn’t the very idea of good and evil ambiguous?”
Considered one of Korea’s fastest-rising stars with a rising worldwide presence, BIBI mirrored on the shocking success of “Bam Yang Gang.” The tune, which implies a chestnut jelly snack in Korean, grew to become a viral sensation in South Korea final yr whereas she was too busy to note.
“I was filming two dramas simultaneously, so I was really busy,” she mentioned. “I couldn’t really feel it at that time. Actually, I felt it more this year because people introduce me saying, ‘Last year was the year of Bam Yang Gang.‘”
Regardless of her rising recognition, BIBI aspires to take care of a component of “ambiguity” in her artistry.
“I want to be a mysterious artist. Like ‘Gacha!’ — that kind of feeling. Like you don’t know what you’ll get from a Gacha machine,” she defined, referencing the Japanese toy merchandising machines recognized for his or her randomized collectibles.
The album contains “Pygma girl,” a monitor that reimagines the Greek fable of Pygmalion by reversing conventional muse-artist dynamics, suggesting the topic is the artwork itself relatively than merely inspiring the creator.
“Midnight Cruise,” one other standout monitor, was written after she dreamt about her late grandfather earlier than her Coachella efficiency in 2024.
BIBI will kick off her first international tour in Seoul on Could 16, earlier than heading to the USA and Canada. She’s going to then proceed throughout Asia, with stops together with Hong Kong and cities in Japan. The tour will conclude in Australia and New Zealand this October.
“EVE: ROMANCE” is out now.
