7 Korean Artists who were included in NME's 100 Emerging Artists of 2023: NewJeans, IVE, and more
The global music industry's new year was kicked off recently with NME's 100 Emerging Artists list. While end-of-the-year is dedicated to wrapping up artists who dominate the industry, year beginnings predict the ones who'll most likely take over in the coming time.
New Musical Express, commonly known as NME, releases an annual list of emerging artists from all around the world who have been growing immensely despite being new.
This year's NME's 100 Emerging Artists list had seven Korean artists featured, including many rookie K-pop artists like IVE and NewJeans. Last year, the list had about six Korean artists sitting on it, namely STAYC, Adora, Bibi, DVWN, msftz, and Seori. The increase in numbers on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list already indicates the additional exposure and attention that the K-pop industry has been gaining globally.
Balming Tiger, LE SSERAFIM, and 5 other Korean artists on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list that are predicted to dominate the music industry in 2023
1) 1300
The five members of the Korean-Australian band that emerged from a basement in Sydney, Australia, came together in 2021.1300, pronounced as "one-three-hundred," was a collaboration between an already existing three-member band, aisleland, who met the other two members at a listening party. Their coming together felt so right that the five started to create music the same night in a basement.
1300 comprises of rako and DALI HART, who contribute to the vocals and dance, gayo is the rapper, while Nerdie and pokari.sweat produce music. Their unique and intriguing musical creation has garnered a lot of attention, making them a standout in the K-rap genre. The group's bi-lingual discography, which includes interesting tracks like No Caller ID, Smashmouth, etc., has done particularly well with the audience.
2) Balming Tiger
This South Korean music band consisting of four-plus members -- San Yawn, Wnjn, Mudd the Student, and Omega Saipen -- emerged in 2018 with its debut single, I'm Sick. All the members have unique roles to play in the band. San Yawn is the director and Omega Saipen plays as the rapper. Wnjn and Mudd the Student, on the other hand, take up songwriting.
However, while these four members are seen on the surface, more artists work in the background, such as DJ Abyss, music video directors Jan-Qui and Leesuho, songwriter Sogumm, editor Henson, and Unsinkable.
While the group is quite well-known in the Alt K-pop genre, which also bagged them many awards, their recent collaboration with BTS RM in the song SEXY NUKIM has gained much more exposure for the band, simultaneously having them pop up on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list.
3) IVE
The six-member K-pop girl group formed by Starship Entertainment in 2021 that has been one of the most dominating fourth-generation K-pop artists is next in line on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list.
IVE consists of Rei, Gaeul, Yujin, Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo, with no specific position alloted to them. With their minimal yet addictive discography, the group has been gaining fans here and there.
Just over a year after their debut, IVE has bagged several notable awards, including MAMA Song of the Year for LOVE DIVE in 2022, the Golden Disc Rookie Artist Award in 2023, and the MAMA New Female Artists in 2022.
4) LE SSERAFIM
Budding out of the formation of Source Music and Hybe Corporation is the five-member K-pop girl group, LE SSERAFIM, that debuted in 2022. The group was originally a six-member group before their former member Kim Ga-ram left the group in July 2022.
The group is made up of Kazuha, Yunji, Eunchae, Chaewon, and Sakura, where the last two members were previously part of the now-disbanded K-pop girl group, IZ*ONE.
LE SSERAFIM's two EPs have been dominating the K-pop industry where both their title tracks, Fearless and ANTIFRAGILE, among many of their other songs, went viral. They grew popular for their unique song production and choreography, which eventually placed them as a nominee for the Best New Artist Award at the 32nd Seoul Music Awards and on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list.
5) Lee Young-ji
Lee Young-ji is the first and only Korean soloist to sit on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list. Known for her spit-fire raps, the artist has grown a lot over the past few years since her debut back in 2019 with the single Dark Room. She participated in popular South Korean rap reality TV shows and became the winner of both High School Rapper 3 and Show Me the Money 11.
Apart from her impressive rapping skills, the artist is also known for her natural humor, which she showcases on her YouTube variety show, No Prepare/ Nothing Much Prepared. Young-ji's most popular songs include Day & Night ft. Jay Park and Just.
6) NewJeans
NewJeans is the rookie K-pop girl group that's been overtaking the K-pop industry with intriguing concepts. It debuted in 2022 under the ADOR agency owned HYBE Labels. Right from its debut EP, New Jeans, the group has garnered a lot of attention for its addictive songs. All the songs that the artists have released so far have gone viral, mainly dominating the internet through TikTok challenges.
Despite being young at age, the girl group has showcased its influential aura one too many times. Three out of the five NewJeans members are brand ambassadors of luxury fashion brands.
They have already bagged the Best Rookie Artist at the 2023 Golden Disc Awards and Best Female Artist at the 2022 MAMA Awards, among many other awards, within just months after their debut. Naturally, the group-breaking K-pop girl group popped up on NME's 100 Emerging Artists list.
7) NMIXX
The last Korean artist on NME's 100 Emerging Artists is NMIXX, the now six-member K-pop girl group under SQU4D, JYP Entertainment. The group members are LILY, HAEWON, SULLYOON, BAE, JIWOO, and KYUJIN, while their former member, Jinni, recently left the group and the agency in October 2022.
NMIXX, which debuted in February 2022, has released many ground-breaking tracks like DICE, O.O., Funky Glitter Christmas, etc. which have gone viral, making their enthusiastic discography a personal favorite for the K-pop fandom.
With quite a handful of Korean artists popping up on NME's 100 Emerging Artists, the K-pop industry has once again proved its ever-growing influence and exposure in the music industry.
Quick Links
Abhipsa Choudhury