They’re known for making noise, but now the K-pop septet are turning it down slightly with their new single, “DESERVE”, which sees BABYMONSTER make a more mature turn.
What’s better than one monster? Seven. Meet Asa, Ahyeon, Chiquita, Pharita, Rami, Rora and Ruka. Since making their group debut in April 2024, BABYMONSTER, one of YG Entertainment’s bands, have made a convincing case as one of K-pop’s most essential new exports. From sharp choreography and even sharper musical prowess, they’re an act you simply can’t look away from.
With 11 singles released across the last two years, a few arena-filled performances nestled in between, the now six-piece (Rami is currently on medical hiatus) have spent the last few years finding their feet without losing sight of their collective talent. In the last year especially, we’re getting to see the full vision of why they were brought together. Each member brings something distinct to the table, whether it be a particular vocal quality, an unmistakable stage presence or simply, the ability to keep themselves laughing offstage. Individually, they have their own colours but together, the picture they form is even brighter.
This year’s summer hit, “SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA”, was another taste of what the group had brewing. Backed by a music video set to an eerie office building, a tea room and a flash-mobbed container yard, they dominate with dynamic dances, and confident lyrics, each of them taking it in turns to proclaim: “I’m the sugar honey ice tea and you know it / Ain’t no other baddie like me, yeah you know it.” In five months, it’s been watched over 150 million times.
So it’s only right that their follow-up, “DESERVE”, builds on that momentum. Already, they’ve almost matched that view count, and it’s only been two weeks. This new song offers a sharper shift. A cementing of the direction they’re heading in while still maintaining that extra bit of attitude that fans have become drawn to. The melancholy-tinged pop ballad with an accompanying music video – think fields set ablaze with bushfires and fireworks flying while cars whizz past – sees BABYMONSTER explore a maturer side to their sound that we’ve yet to see. Over vocal belts, gentle falsetto and occasional rap (hello Ruka), they’re locked into romance-fused reveries, offering a genuine desire for solitude with a former lover. For the ‘more’ that these young starlets have to show for, they seem to be, and quite effortlessly so, living up to the expectations – and then some.
With their fourth year as a group looming, the ladies of BABYMONSTER talk about their creative chemistry, growing into themselves, and what they ‘owe’ the MONSTIEZ who’ve been cheering them on all this time.
Listen to “DESERVE”…
It’s been four months since your last release, digital single “SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA”, which quickly became a fan favourite. What’s been keeping you busy since then, and what have you been itching to share with fans?
Rora: Since the release of “SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA”, we’ve been busy with our scheduled tour! We’re so grateful to see so many MONSTIEZ enjoying our songs and singing along at our concerts. Their love and support make every performance even more special for us!
Congratulations are in order, your new digital single “DESERVE” is out! Tell us what the track is about and what side of BABYMONSTER it reveals?
Pharita: “DESERVE” is a song filled with emotion and a sense of heartbreak. It reflects on
the memories of a past relationship and the moment of walking away from it. Since we’ve never released music in this style before, I think our fans will get to experience a more mature side of BABYMONSTER through this song!
You frequently document your lives through vlogs and BTS videos of your day-to-day’s, and also while you’re in the studio recording. What’s the most enjoyable part of the creative process together?
Chiquita: I love preparing for performances with the members and practicing together. Seeing everything come together onstage makes me really happy!
K-Pop has taken the world by storm, particularly in the last 10 years. How has being part of that world shaped your experience of music, fame and connecting with fans?
Asa: Music is more about emotions than language. What amazes me, especially when it comes to our international fans, is that even if they don’t understand every lyric, we can still connect with them in the moment through the energy we share onstage. Those are some of the happiest moments for us. I’m always grateful that music allows us to connect with people around the world, beyond language and cultural barriers.
Of the songs you’ve already released, which is your favourite to perform?
Ruka: My favorite song to perform is “HOT SAUCE”! The crowd always gets so excited whenever we perform it at concerts, and I love how it makes us feel connected with MONSTIEZ, almost like we’re all becoming one onstage. That’s what makes performing this song so special to me!
What would you say all of your individual superpowers are?
Ruka: My smile! When I smile, my eyes tend to smile along with it, and my dimples show, too. MONSTIEZ also really love seeing me smile, so that’s why I chose it!
Pharita: One of my strengths is my warm and soft voice. I hope my singing can make people feel comforted and touched!
Asa: Rapping. I feel like rap allows me to bring out the energy of a song while showing my own unique style. I’d love to keep exploring different rap styles and show more of what I can do!
Ahyeon: Singing. I believe it’s important to convey the emotions behind a song through my voice. I want to keep developing my vocal style and expressiveness through different kinds of music!
Rora: My ability to express emotions through music. As I’ve gained more experience, I feel that I’ve gotten better at conveying the emotions of each song through my singing. That’s why I chose expressiveness as my strength!
Chiquita: I think everyone has their own superpower. For me, it’s my energy and confidence onstage! We all have different strengths, and that’s what makes BABYMONSTER so special!
If you could borrow a trait from one of your bandmates, what would it be?
Ruka: I’d love to learn from all of the members, but if I had to choose one, it would be Chiquita. She’s charismatic and cool onstage, but offstage, she’s always making people laugh and spreading happiness. I’d love to be someone who can bring that kind of joy to the people around me, just like her!
Pharita: Rora’s personality. She’s like a ray of sunshine. She’s talkative, expressive, and always fun to be around. I think she brings such positive energy to the group. Since I can be quite calm at times, I’d love to be able to bring that same kind of bright energy to the people around me!
Asa: Chiquita has such a strong and charismatic presence when she performs onstage. Offstage, she’s like a ray of sunshine who brings so much positive energy to the people around her. I’d love to be someone who can make others happy just like she does!
Ahyeon: Asa’s confidence. I think it’s really cool how she brings her own unique style and charisma to her rap performances. I want to be able to express my own color with that same level of confidence on any stage!
Rora: Asa’s passion. I think she has such a strong drive to put on the best possible performance, and I really admire that about her. I’d love to learn from her passion and dedication!
Chiquita: Ruka’s cool stage presence. She always looks so confident onstage, and I want to learn from her!
How do you each contribute to shaping BABYMONSTER’s identity?
Ahyeon: When we prepare a song, each member has different ways of expressing themselves and different performance styles that suit them. We share our ideas and bring our own colours to the song. I think it’s through this process that our individual personalities come together to create what makes BABYMONSTER unique!
As you approach your fourth year as BABYMONSTER, what’s something you’ve learnt about yourselves – or each other – that you couldn’t have imagined when you first started?
Pharita: As we step into our fourth year, I feel like we’ve grown up a lot. I’ve become more confident, less shy in front of the camera, and more comfortable letting loose onstage. I feel like I’m finally showing the world who I really am. When it comes to our members, it’s amazing to see how our individual personalities come together to shape BABYMONSTER’s unique identity. There’s also so much we can learn from one another, and I think that’s one of the best parts of growing together as a team.
What’s one dream you can’t wait to tick off together as BABYMONSTER?
Rora: My first dream is to visit more countries and meet MONSTIEZ through our performances. Beyond that, I’d love for us to perform on even bigger stages and share those special moments with more MONSTIEZ. I think there would be nothing more meaningful than experiencing that together, and my dream is to keep moving forward alongside my members toward the same goal!
Words – Aswan Magumbe
