The 2022 line up for best new female Kpop artist is filled with powerful girl groups.
With the first half of 2022 nearing the end, discussions about the possible female rookie of the year is getting fiercer than ever. IVE, Kep1er, NMIXX, and LE SSERAFIM all have both popularity and a strong fandom, and so are all serious contenders for this year’s Rookie of the Year award.
IVE: continuous success from “Eleven” to “Love Dive”
Last December, Starship Entertainment debuted the girl group IVE, which consists of six members Ahn Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo, and the group has so far been a great success. Both of the group’s releases, “Eleven” and “Love Dive”, have swept through music shows like a storm, earning a whopping 13 cups for the former and, as of the moment, 7 wins for the latter.
IVE’s mini-album “Love Dive” also sold over 330,000 copies within the first week of release, which is double the number of “Eleven”. Their official music video also surpassed 50 million YouTube views in the first week, making the group a strong candidate to win Rookie of the Year.
Kep1er: 1st win just 12 days after debut
Debuted from the Mnet survival show “Girls Planet 999”, Kep1er took the stage with 9 members, including Choi Yujin, Shen Xiao Ting, Sakamoto Mashiro, Kim Chaehyun, Kim Dayeon, Ezaki Hikaru, Hueing Bahiyyih, Seo Youngeun, and Kang Yeseo. The group’s debut album, “FIRST IMPACT’, was released on January 3rd and recorded 200,000 copies sold within the first week, and quickly topped the iTunes chart for 11 countries.
With the title song “WA DA DA”, these nine girls performed as “super rookies” and delivered 9 different colors and high-quality performances. They also won a cup from KBS2’s Music Bank within just 12 days since their debut, making them the quickest girl group to get 1st win in history and breaking the record of BLACKPINK. The group is high-anticipated to be a strong contender for the rookie award.
Nmixx: JYP’s hidden ace
This February, Nmixx made their entrance under JYP Entertainment, with a total of 7 group members, including Lily M, Haewon, Sullyoon, Jinni, Bae, Jiwoo, and Kyujin. With Wonder Girls, Miss A, Twice, and ITZY under their sleeve, JYP has always been regarded as the “invincible girl group maker” in the Kpop industry, making their new group Nmixx the center of attention.
The group, which debuted with the ep “AD MARE”, quickly sold 227,399 copies within the first week according to Hanteo Chart, which is an impressive number in the music industry. Their official MV for the title song ‘OO’ surpassed 20 million YouTube views after just a day of release, and has crossed the 50 million mark since March 17.
Nmixx also attracted fans for their potential of being an “all ace group”, with 7 dancers, 7 vocals, and 7 visuals. Domestic and overseas fans alike all praised Nmixx’s solid live singing ability, as well as hail them for their rookie spirit, energy, and powerful stage presence. Therefore, Nmixx is undoubtedly a strong player in the next generation of Kpop girl groups.
LE SSERAFIM: first girl group to debut under HYBE Labels
LE SSERAFIM, with 6 members Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, Kim Garam, and Hong Eunchae, quickly became a hot topic for being the first girl group to debut under BTS’s company. On May 2nd, they released their first album “FEARLESS”, and have been actively promoting ever since.
The group quickly took over the charts, and sold 242,270 albums after just 2 days of sale, breaking the record for first week sales of a girl group’s debut album. In addition, their title song also entered the 171st place on Spotfiy’s Global Top 200 chart, making them the quickest female Kpop artist to enter the chart with a debut song.
At their debut showcase, members of LE SSERAFIM has shown strong confidence by saying they will show what it means to be a team with a different class. They will be a strong force in the battle to become the rookie girl group of the year.
