[INTERVIEW] IVE Comeback Press Conference 1st Album “I’ve IVE”
KPOP OFFICIAL – Last Updated April 10, 2023 KST
1. IVE Comeback Press Conference
On the afternoon of April 10, 2023, IVE held a press conference at Conrad Seoul Grand Ballroom in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of their 1st full-length album, titled ‘I’ve IVE.’
Jang Won-young, who participated in the press conference, shared her excitement, saying, “It feels like just yesterday that we held our debut showcase. Presenting a full-length album now evokes a unique sentiment. We kindly ask for your support.” Ahn Yu-jin added, “We’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort preparing for this album, so we ask for your love and support,” expressing her anticipation for the first full-length release.
Leeseo reflected on the journey, stating, “It’s incredible that we now have a full-length album under IVE’s name. As a way to reciprocate the love we’ve received, we promise to show you the best of ourselves,” thus revealing her determination.
This marks the first full-length album for IVE, released approximately 1 year and 5 months since their debut in December 2021. Ahn Yu-jin described the album as one that “showcases IVE’s unique identity,” adding that “it carries a message that, built upon self-confidence and self-love, we will embrace and enjoy both the ups and downs of our journey without fear.”
IVE unveiled their album track ‘Kitsch’ as a pre-release on March 27, 2023. This song, characterized by its refined beauty and a surprising hook, secured first place on MBC’s ‘Show! Music Core’ on April 8 and SBS’s ‘Inkigayo’ on April 9, even without making an appearance on the broadcasts. This exemplifies the high level of anticipation from fans as IVE prepares for their comeback.
Regarding the popularity, Jang Won-young said, “We never anticipated it at all.” She added, “Instead of expecting certain results, we worked on the full-length album with the mindset of ‘we would be happy if many people like it.’ That’s probably why we felt both excited and nervous. Since we have received more love than we thought, we feel grateful and believe we can carry out our activities with thankful hearts.”
Gaeul added more meaning to “Kitsch” by participating in the rap-making with Rei. Gaeul said, “We focused on showing our own freedom and confidence in the short rap section and worked hard on the lyrics,” and “We are proud that the fans liked it a lot after it was released.”
A total of 11 songs are included in this album, including the title track, “I AM.” “I AM” is a song about having confidence in the path one takes and encourages a proactive attitude toward life. It conveys a powerful message of discovering a new version of oneself compared to yesterday. Collaborating with hitmaker lyricist Kim Eana, IVE demonstrated their distinct confidence through the song’s dynamic fusion of an addictive synthesizer sound, escalating drum beats, bass, and harmonious vocals.
An Yujin described “I AM” as “having charming lyrics” and suggested that “it would be great to focus on the lyrics in the chorus part” when listening. Gaeul added that the song “contains a lot of members’ vocal charms.”
The members also introduced the point choreography and music video, which showcase IVE’s unique and confident charm.
Gaeul spoke about the music video, saying, “The image we wanted to emphasize visually was the concept of rising and falling. We aimed to convey our determination to not be afraid of the intersection of rising and falling and even to enjoy it. The message is that IVE shines brightest at the highest point. We hope that those who watch the music video won’t be discouraged by the ups and downs of everyday life and will confidently be the protagonists in their own lives.”
An Yujin and Jang Wonyoung each participated in writing the lyrics for three songs on this album. An Yujin, who wrote the lyrics for “Heroine,” said, “I tried to convey the stories I truly wanted to tell through the lyrics, working on them as comfortably as if I were writing in a diary. The message of the song is that since everyone is the protagonist of their own life, they should try to enjoy their trials and hardships.”
Jang Wonyoung wrote the lyrics for “Mine,” which portrays the bold charm of a girl falling in love, and “Shine With Me,” a song dedicated to the fans. Leeseo said, “‘Shine With Me’ seems to express our feelings toward the fans (DIVE) well,” and even picked it as her favorite song. Jang Wonyoung added, “I wanted to show IVE’s identity and my personal creativity and expressiveness offstage, so I challenged myself to write lyrics.”
Gaeul and Rei participated in the rap-making for four tracks, including “Kitsch,” “Hypnosis (섬찟),” “Not Your Girl (낫 유어 걸),” and “Next Page (궁금해).”
Gaeul emphasized, “Since our first full-length album contains 11 tracks, we put our love and effort into each song to present the best version of ourselves. We worked hard to show our solidified identity. We will show a familiar yet unique side of IVE.”
IVE has been considered a representative girl group of the fourth generation, sweeping the music charts and topping music shows with every song they’ve released since their debut. They continued their consecutive hit parade with their debut song “ELEVEN,” followed by “LOVE DIVE” and “After LIKE.”
An Yujin addressed the nickname “Mega-hit 4th Generation Strongest (The most powerful girl group of the fourth generation),” saying, “We prepared diligently, hoping to receive as much love for this release as our previous three singles did. We’re grateful to be called the strongest of the fourth generation. We will strive to be a team that lives up to that title.”
IVE has presented a narcissistic worldview under the concept of “girls with self-confidence and autonomy.” Regarding this, An Yujin said, “While our previous songs focused on a proactive attitude in love, this time, we made an effort to express the assertiveness of our true selves. Instead of using love as a medium, we tried to tell a story of an autonomous life,” explaining the difference from their previous songs.
IVE has been praised for dominating the so-called “playground chart,” as their dance covers and challenges have gained immense popularity among Generation Z.
In particular, Lim Young-woong, who appeared as a guest at the K-League 1 match between FC Seoul and Daegu FC held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 8th, danced to “After LIKE,” which became a hot topic. In response, Jang Wonyoung said, “I saw Lim Young-woong’s performance, and I want to express my gratitude.” She added, “If the opportunity arises, I would like to challenge other artists through our activities as well.”
Jang Wonyoung also commented on why IVE is popular among elementary school students, saying, “I think the point of our song ‘Love yourself’ resonated a lot with elementary school students.”
IVE has stated that their goal for this activity is to convey confidence and autonomy to the public. Gaeul said, “Rather than wanting to receive a certain evaluation or record, we hope that our album will be loved as much as we worked hard on it. We are honored and grateful to be called a girl group leading the fourth generation and to have so many people love us.”
Source: Star News
2. IVE 1st Album ‘I’ve IVE’ Tracklist and Track Description
This track description can be seen on IVE Melon page
01. Blue Blood
Korean Lyrics by 서지음
Composed by Nick Hahn, Sophia Brenan, Elle Campbell
Arranged by Nick Hahn
A pop track with a unique theme combined with a dark and intense beat. Starting with a punchy bass line, it builds up with cinematic sound, marching drums, synthesizers, and vocals, gradually becoming more intense, allowing listeners to experience a different side of IVE
02. I AM (*Title Track)
Korean Lyrics by 김이나
Composed by 라이언전, Kristin Marie Skolem, Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Eline Noelia Myreng
Arranged by 라이언전, Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Kristin Marie
This song conveys a strong message about embracing a proactive attitude in life by having confidence in one’s path and discovering a different side of oneself compared to yesterday. The stylish track features unique and addictive synthesizer sounds combined with IVE’s explosive vocals. In particular, the harmony of escalating drumbeats, bass, and vocals maximizes the dynamics of the song, showcasing IVE’s diverse and colorful charm.
03. Kitsch
Korean Lyrics by 이스란, 황현(MonoTree)
Rap Making by 가을, 레이
Composed by 라이언전, Lise Sofie Reppe, Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Kyle Joseph Faulkner, Tea Carpenter, Emily Harbakk, Stally, PATEKO
Arranged by 라이언전, Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Stally, PATEKO
This song allows you to experience the elegant beauty and unexpected charm of ‘distinctively different’ IVE. Based on a powerful beat and bassline, the track features a variety of instruments that make it enjoyable to listen to, with a catchy yet surprising hook as its focal point. The mixture of various popping sounds delivers an exhilarating sensation and showcases IVE’s unpredictable and diverse appeal.
04. Lips
Korean Lyrics by 엑시, 솔희(SOHLHEE)
Composed by 라이언전, Alexander Pavelich, Lauren Keen, Sean Davidson, Andre Davidson, Lars Rosness, Benjamin Pinkus
Arranged by 라이언전, Lars Rosness, Benjamin Pinkus
This song creates a fresh feeling by combining unique instrumental elements over a simple melody chord. The members’ charming vocal tones blend well with the rhythmic and addictive chorus.
05. Heroine
Korean Lyrics by 안유진
Composed by 라이언전, Hilda Stenmalm, Rasmus Budny, Shy Martin
Arranged by 라이언전, Rasmus Budny
This medium-tempo track features a prominent low bass and a unique hook, creating a mysterious atmosphere with the members’ vocal tones and harmonies. Notably, member An Yujin personally wrote the lyrics, which convey the message, “I will live my life fabulously, thinking that I am the protagonist of my life, just like a movie hero overcoming various trials,” further enhancing the appeal of the song.
06. Mine
Korean Lyrics by 장원영
Composed by 라이언전, Lauritz Emil Christiansen, Jeppe London Bilsby, Celine Svanbäck
Arranged by 라이언전, Lauritz Emil Christiansen, Jeppe London
Starting with a minimal and unique pluck sound, this song stands out for the combination of strong individual instrumentals and the members’ vocals. Additionally, member Jang Wonyoung participated in writing the lyrics, illustrating the attitude of a girl with confident and bold charm who has fallen in love, showcasing a different aspect of their personalities
07. 섬찟 (Hypnosis)
Korean Lyrics by 서정아
Rap Making by 가을, 레이
Composed by Lauren Aquilina, Sophia Brenan, Fin Dow Smith, Christopher Smith, Corey Sanders, Adriana Caldas de Barros, Elof Loelv
Arranged by Starsmith, RISC, Elof Loelv
This song with a unique sound intro that captures the ears from the beginning combines an attacking piano and thrilling guitar sound, and expresses the moment of falling in love in a dreamy atmosphere with the unique word ‘Seomjjit (섬찟).’ The combination of these elements creates a captivating and unique charm to the song.
08. NOT YOUR GIRL
Korean Lyrics by 황현(MonoTree)
Rap Making by 가을, 레이
Composed by 라이언전, Scott Russell Stoddart, Torine Michelle Bjaland, Anna Anita Jaskiv
Arranged by 라이언전, Scott Russell Stoddart
The song is based on a lively and lovely IVE charm with a band sound featuring addictive repetitive electric guitar riffs and choruses.
09. 궁금해 (Next Page)
Korean Lyrics by 황현(MonoTree)
Rap Making by 가을, 레이
Composed by 라이언전, Polar, Megan Ashworth
Arranged by 라이언전, Polar
This song features a harmonious blend of sweet vocal harmonies and synthesized sounds. With a refined rhythm and solid bass tone leading the way, IVE’s charming vocals and rap captivate listeners’ ears.
10. Cherish
Korean Lyrics by 이스란
Composed by 라이언전, Sofia Quinn, Dewain Whitmore, Louis Schoorl
Arranged by 라이언전, Louis Schoorl
This song is characterized by an addictive intro and chorus line, and conveys an active yet honest expression of love in IVE’s unique language. In particular, the variation of the chorus and bridge melody and the ad-libs harmonize to enhance the completeness of the song.
11. Shine With Me
Korean Lyrics by 장원영
Composed by 라이언전, Erik Gustaf Smaaland, Kristoffer Chaka Bwanausi-Tømmerbakke, Alida Garpestad Peck
Arranged by 라이언전, Erik Gustaf Smaaland, Kristoffer Chaka Bwanausi-Tømmerbakke
This song showcases IVE’s delicate and emotional harmony accompanied by an orchestra. The sensuous string sound and dramatic drumming enhance the mood of the song. The lyrics, written by Jang Won-young, express IVE’s fandom “DIVE” and their heartfelt appreciation towards them.
