stayc main image

Billie Eilish says she cried after performing ‘The Greatest’ for the first time

June 18, 2024

Billie Eilish has opened up about the emotional experience of performing her new song “The Greatest” for the first time. Her latest album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, was released on May 17, and Eilish...

Read more
stayc main image

Billie Eilish responds to Lana Del Rey calling her the “voice of our generation”

June 18, 2024

Billie Eilish has responded to Lana Del Rey’s recent declaration that she is the “voice of our generation.” Eilish made a special surprise appearance during Del Rey’s headlining set at Coachella’s...

Read more
stayc main image

Lana Del Rey has spoken out on her “fight” with “stalkers” in Paris: “Don’t follow me

June 18, 2024

Lana Del Rey has spoken out following her “fight” with “stalkers” in Paris. The singer was recently spotted having a heated exchange in the French capital, where she claimed someone was “following”...

Read more
stayc main image

Howard University Revokes Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Honorary Degree Following Release of Cassie Assault Video

June 18, 2024

Howard University announced on Friday that it would revoke Sean “Diddy” Combs’ honorary degree, originally conferred in 2014, in light of recent revelations concerning the disgraced rapper and...

Read more
stayc main image

Billie Eilish Joins the Race for the Song of the Summer with "Birds of a Feather"

June 18, 2024

As summer draws near, the race for the season's signature song heats up. Just when it seemed like Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was poised to dominate, Billie Eilish has thrown her hat into the...

Read more
stayc main image

The Decline of Pop and Club Music in the Era of Sadness

June 18, 2024

Pop and club music used to be the anthems of good times. From the infectious beats of the late '90s and early 2000s to the party-ready hits that defined the early 2010s, these genres once...

Read more
stayc main image

Glass Animals Are Trapped In an Airlock on New Single and Video

June 18, 2024

“YOU BLEW ME to stardust,” Glass Animals lead singer Dave Bayley sings on the U.K. band’s latest single “Tear in Space (Airlock).” The tantalizing track swirls with synths over a pulsating beat as...

Read more
stayc main image

Blackpink’s Lisa Teases New Solo Music

June 18, 2024

A couple of months ago, Blackpink’s Lisa signed a solo deal with RCA, and now it looks like she hopes to release new music soon. An Instagram Story on her official account links to pre-save links...

Read more
stayc main image

Central Cee's "Band4Band": Setting Records and Redefining UK Rap

June 15, 2024

UK rapper Central Cee has made headlines with his latest single, "Band4Band," achieving the fastest-selling rap single of the year. This milestone not only cements his status as one of the most...

Read more
stayc main image

Bon Jovi's Triumphant Return: Reflecting on 40 Years with “Forever”

June 15, 2024

Forty years after they ran away with our hearts and into rock history, Bon Jovi is back with a reflective new album, Forever, taking stock of all the boys from New Jersey have accomplished.

Read more
stayc main image

Kaytranada: A Decade of Dancefloor Domination and Timeless Sound

June 15, 2024

A decade on from his breakthrough Boiler Room DJ set, Canadian producer Kaytranada has cemented himself as a dance music powerhouse. His work blends the worlds of underground electronic sounds and...

Read more
stayc main image

Central Cee: The New Voice of British Drill

June 15, 2024

Central Cee, born Oakley Neil H.T. Caesar-Su on June 4, 1998, in Shepherd's Bush, London, has swiftly emerged as one of the most prominent voices in the UK drill scene. With his raw lyricism...

Read more

They're Not Real? The Rise in Virtual Kpop Groups

stayc main image

Photo Source: News24

As virtual technology continues to evolve and we move towards the metaverse future, the K-pop industry has begun delving into all the possibilities. Virtual/ AI groups and performers are becoming increasingly popular and widespread in the K-pop industry. In this article, we’ll dive into a few virtual groups that have debuted in recent years.

AESPA

In November 2020, SM Entertainment debuted Aespa, the first K-pop group with their own AI avatars. The group debuted with the single “Black Mamba” and has released three albums since. Having popularized the metaverse concept in K-pop, the group consists of four members and their virtual counterparts (“aes”). These online avatars have been created from the data that the members have uploaded online, being the reflection of Aepsa.

ETERN!TY

Created by Pulse9’s technology, the group, consisting of 11 members, made their debut in March 2021 with their first single, “I’m Real.” The company started by generating female faces using Deep Real AI, based on the traits: cute, sexy, innocent, and intelligent. Based on fan votes, the winning characters were designed and have been projected onto the faces of actual girls. However, the voices of the members are the voices of the actual singers.

MAVE

MAVE is a four-member girl group, entirely composed of AI members, under Metaverse Entertainment. The group debuted with their single album, “Pandora’s Box” in January 2023. The group’s name means “make a new wave,” as it hopes to create a new wave of K-pop that includes virtual idols. The group is formed through a collaboration between Kakao, an internet company, and Netmarble, a mobile game company.

PLAVE

In March 2023, PLAVE made their debut under Kakao’s VLAST with the single album “Asterum.” Unlike other virtual artists, PLAVE uses computer graphics to create manhwa-style characters in place of the real bodies. Each track on their album was written and composed by the members themselves.

FE:VERSE

FE:VERSE is a virtual 5-member girl group formed by the winners of Kakao’s survival show, GIRL’S RE:VERSE. The group debuted with “CHO” in May 2023. Although the members are virtual, they are played by idols from other K-pop groups.