Memories have been the core of the story K-pop girl group Billlie have told throughout their burgeoning music career, one that’s been marked by sonic extravagance and an enthralling narrative. Over parallel storylines – the ‘billage of perception’ and ‘collective soul and unconscious’ series of albums – the septet have explored what it means to come of age, shaped by the vanishing of a character named Billlie Love, who disappears when an unknown force carries her away.
As Sua, Suhyeon, Haram, Tsuki, Sheon, Siyoon and Haruna move into adulthood, their memories of Billlie Love begin to blur, leaving them to contend with the discrepancies between imagination and reality. This dissonance, as Sheon explains to NME over a video call from Seoul, “revolves around who [we really are]” when in dreams compared to real life. “I feel I’m the most authentic version of myself in my dreams.”
Both realms come to a head in their latest mini-album, ‘appendix: Of All We Have Lost’, which acts as a bridge between the worlds. “We wanted to share how you wake up from these dreams… to explore who you really are,” Sheon adds, while Siyoon explains that this new chapter tells the story “from our perspective now as adults, to explore what our true selves look like and reflect on the things we’ve forgotten”.
Billlie. Credit: Mystic Story
This is highlighted by the record’s lead singles: the glimmering ‘trampoline’ and ‘remembrance candy’, a spellbinding composition that delves into the passage of time. “Softly as if the sweetness fills my mouth / Freshly the sweet look spreads,” they sing in the chorus of the latter. “Oh, it’s so mystical / I have a faint hunch / To the moment before I feel this memory.” Haram explains that the treat represents “a medium for recalling childhood memories”, adding that “the specific flavour can enhance the emotions you feel and give us the power to bring out those forgotten memories within us”.
The lyrics of ‘remembrance candy’ were written by K-pop icon IU, who according to Haruna, is “the artist [that the girl group] respect the most”. She also narrated the song’s teasers, which serve as an extension of the overarching ethos and introduce an additional dimension to the record’s emotional weight. “The lyrics contain messages about moving past the hardships, not forgetting and moving forward,” Tsuki elaborates.
“When this collaboration opportunity came up, we were all over the moon,” Haram shares, revealing that IU gifted them with valuable guidance on how to capture the track’s true essence. “It was really helpful, and it allowed us to find a direction for how we should move forward with it,” she adds “We also had the great opportunity to attend her concert, and [the experience] made us think about the vision for our future.”
“Rather than focusing on doing things well, I think that the moment we enjoy something is when we can take it to the next level” – Sua
During the final show of IU’s ‘HEREH’ world tour, held at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, the star celebrated women in the K-pop sphere with a VCR segment for her song ‘Shh..’ – one that, to Billlie’s surprise, featured the girl group too. “We could really see her love for younger artists through her concert, and we were very grateful and honoured,” says Siyoon.
Suhyeon also recounts the moment they last met with IU, where she greeted them with warmth and kindness. “She said that she had kept her eyes on us, and she had been rooting for us,” Suhyeon says. “IU-sunbaenim gave us a lot of details that made us realise that she really looked at us individually.”
“I really felt and I’ve learned a lot during IU-sunbaenim’s concert,” Sua reflects. “There were a lot of fans and I can forget their faces. I received a lot of comfort and I was very touched by how she brought everyone together with her [music]. In the same way, we hope to become artists where everyone can enjoy our songs together and sing along to them.”
In Billlie’s universe, every element is linked with intention – and doubly so for the story told in the music videos for ‘appendix: Of All We Have Lost’. The release is the first time in over a year that the group are seven again, after Suhyeon and Sua took a break for personal and health reasons in the spring of 2023. “In a way, two is a small number, but through the experience [of our members going on hiatus], we realised that it can cause a huge void,” Sheon says.
The simple but effective video for ‘trampoline’ shows the group jumping in pure bliss – until, one by one, the light starts to fade from their eyes and the activity grows monotonous. Suhyeon is the only one who remembers the joy of being together, and it becomes her mission to rekindle their connection. “These days, my members feel more special to me, and I feel so much love,” Suhyeon says, explaining that ‘trampoline’ is her most treasured song as “it brought out that love and affection for my [group]”.
Then in ‘remembrance candy’, the members are dispersed across different locations, their energy caged in melancholy, until Suhyeon calls them back to reunite and reclaim their freedom. “Everyone is living their own lives in the music video,” she continues. “Then, [they all] take a bite of the remembrance candy, and we come together.” In a deeply emotional sequence at the end, when Billlie finally locates Suhyeon, Sua is the first to embrace her, and the others soon follow, joining them in a tender group hug.
At Billie’s first fan concert, Suhyeon and Sua stepped onto the stage again, filled with an awakened happiness. It was also an event that showcased their resilience, Tsuki tells us, where she “could feel the power of our group”. She describes how they absorbed the collected knowledge from the past months and integrated it into this new facet. “We received a lot of good feedback from our fans and the general audience, and I definitely feel the power of being united again.”
The lifeline of their bond is sincerity. According to Haram, they’ve promised to “prioritise open communication, express our feelings and respect each other – not only on stage, but also in the waiting and practice rooms”. By instilling mutual understanding, they reinforce their pursuit to inspire and share plenitude. “We [aim to] always stay healthy and enjoy what we do,” Sua adds. “Rather than focusing on doing things well, I think that the moment we enjoy something is when we can take it to the next level – we have that mindset.”
In the album cut ‘Back to the Basics’, Billlie set out on a trip down memory lane, looking back at everything that has defined them. This reflection is particularly fitting as they approach their third anniversary. “Unpretty times / now pretty times / 101, nine, we’re seven now,” they declare in the pre-chorus. “Over the ocean, I met you here, strangely.” But at the core of it all is how these experiences have united them and strengthened their shared commitment.
Billlie. Credit: Mystic Story
Sua recalls their mindset after spending years as a trainee, saying she “was stuck in a little bubble” and couldn’t see anything else because her eyes were only on the stage. But taking part in the survival show Unpretty Rapstar allowed her to gather valuable insights. “[I was] able to observe how the different artists expressed their musicality,” she says. “I was on stage alone, so I really fought hard throughout that whole process, but now that I’m working as a member of Billlie, I’ve also had a lot of things I’ve learned.”
As they prepare to seize forthcoming endeavours – an American tour is near at hand – the group paces with a clear sense of purpose that not only radiates their determination to flourish, but also the certainty they will be able to leave a meaningful impression on the industry. “Just like the meaning behind our group name, Billlie, we want to bring out the B-side within everyone,” says Sheon. “And just like the theme of our title tracks this time, we hope [people] can rediscover the happy memories they’ve lost through us.”
Billlie’s latest mini-album ‘appendix: Of All We Have Lost’ is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and more.
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