“We believe we will win this battle against Hybe and Ador”- NJZ members reveal the meaning behind NewJeans’ rebranding & upcoming release plans

NJZ, formerly known as NewJeans, came forward with its rebranding and upcoming plans in an exclusive interview with CNN on February 7, 2025.

The members discussed their legal battle with Hybe and Ador. Danielle stated that they have "completely lost all trust" in Ador.

"We believe we will win this battle against Hybe and Ador," Danielle said.

For the unversed, NewJeans filed a lawsuit against its label Ador in November 2024 for alleged “manipulation,” “mistreatment,” “deliberate miscommunications,” and workplace harassment.

In turn, Ador filed an injunction that will bar the group from signing any advertising deals. The group will appear in court for a preliminary hearing on the injunction in March 2025, followed by a lawsuit hearing in April.

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What does the new name NJZ mean for the group?

As explained by member Hanni, the new name is a reinvention of their former identities. Elaborating on the idea, Hanni said,

“Even though we have to leave our previous name behind us for a bit, we’re not fully moving on from it. And we don’t want to either, because (being NewJeans) was still a very special period of time to us, and it’s something that our fans also probably hold really dear.”

Haerin described NJZ's new music as having a "very unique and different sound." The group will reportedly release a new song at the ComplexCon in March 2025 where it will be one of the headliners alongside Metro Boomin and Zico.

Talking about NJZ's costume and visual appeal, Hanni said that the group's new identity will be different from its former one where they exuded a 'girl next door' vibe. The new look will be "more sharp, more bold."

Adding more details to their approach to fashion as NJZ, Hanni added,

"We love wearing streetwear and non-gendered kind of clothing. I think that concept and aspect is going to play a really strong role in our (new) fashion as well.”

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NJZ, formerly known as NewJeans debuted in 2022 and has since released popular tracks like OMG, Cookie, and Super Shy, among others. The group's legal troubles with its former label ADOR began in April 2024 after the top executives from Hybe initiated an investigation against ADOR and its CEO Min Hee-jin.

In this ongoing battle, the quintet reportedly has sided several times with Min Hee-jin who also served as the group's executive producer.

The group separated themselves from Ador and took to Instagram to create a new account The members' parents also set up an Instagram account to communicate with the online communities regarding the ongoing legal battles.