Top 5 rising K-pop acts to watch out for in 2021: Recommended hits from Stray Kids, Loona, Treasure and more
If you're a fan of or ever had a curiosity for K-pop music, chances are highly likely you would have heard of South Korea's biggest boy group BTS or biggest girl group Blackpink. Both groups share an unrelenting and oftentimes unforgiving fandom that can be as loyal to the band as they are passionate about the music, and other artists and bands can get shouldered out the way without having the chance to properly share the spotlight.
With the K-pop industry continuously blowing up in the U.S. and across the globe, we want to showcase some of the most notable K-pop artists stepping to the fore and proving to be a formidable force in music. Check out our list of the top five rising K-pop acts to look out for below.
Loona
Starting off with one of the more famous groups on our list, girl group Loona has already built up a strong fandom. The group first stepped into the musical arena through a pre-debut project which began in 2016, where each of the twelve members were revealed periodically by releasing a promotional single over the following eighteen months. The group has yet to release a studio album, but their debut EP 'Love & Live' arrived in 2017. Loona's appearance adopts a vast range of styles from high-fashion to formal to casual to hip-hop and many more, but a lot of their songs carry a certain ethereal or celestial charm to it (the word "Loona" also means moon).
Recommended Hit: '365'
Loona's hit '365' reached No. 1 on the US iTunes chart and debuted atop the US World Digital Song Sales chart. It's the group's first number-one single on the chart, third top-ten single, and fourth entry as a group. We've also included one of our favorite Loona tracks, 'Butterfly', below.
Stray Kids
The first boy group entry on our list, Stray Kids has been the continual buzz online for fans since they hit the music scene. The group originally formed in 2017 and it wasn't until their debut project, the EP 'Mixtape', arrived in 2018 that the world began to notice the next strong K-pop contender. Stray Kids' music hits hard, their music videos are energetic and the fire is felt. If you enjoy more arena-worthy/antheming sounds of K-pop, Stray Kids are not to be missed.
Recommended Hit: 'District 9'
Treasure
Ahead of their debut, Treasure was recorded as the fastest K-pop group to impact the chart on Billboard's Social 50 reaching No. 40 on May 27, 2020, and then recently peaked at No. 12 on August 4. Certainly, a group to keep your head on a swivel for, Treasure are rising and rising fast. Their music carefully blends a variety of styles including pop, hip-hop, soul, R&B and more and the elements used in their music can make it a curious affair to pin a particular genre to it: this is likely what makes their music so addicting. The group themselves had trouble choosing a particular artist they in explaining their influences during a debut press conference, but have stated their main role models are their label-mate seniors under YG Entertainment.
Recommended Hit: 'I Love You'
Bandwagon Asia, last month's single ‘I Love You’ is a song that describes the immense feelings of young love from a boy towards his partner and is also supposed to be a “fresh, innocent and aggressive” take on their style.
Cignature
Cignature is a seven-member K-pop girl group and debuted back in February this year with the single 'Nun Nu Nan Na'. Their first big project, the EP 'Listen and Speak' dropped just recently on September 22. Since its release, the EP has received good reviews, with several reporters calling it "refreshing," "youthful," and having a unique sense of expression.
Recommended Hit: 'Assa'
Referred to as the "debut lead single B," 'Assa' is the second digital single by the group. The track opens with a funky, crunchy bass riff and then bursts into dark whistle synth at the chorus. There are many elements to be intrigued by and it shows that Cignature has a mind for the creative game. Listen below.
Cravity
On to the final entry on our list and the most recent K-pop group. Cravity is a 9-member K-pop boy group who made their debut in April. The group's debut EP 'Season 1. Hideout: Remember Who We Are' is already a commercial success, debuting and taking the crown on the South Korean Gaon Album Chart at No. 1.
Apart from a catchy collection of music, this month, Cravity has been chosen as the models for the cosmetic brand BLACKROUGE, to promote the product not just in Korea but also in China and other countries in Southeast Asia.
Recommended Hit: 'Break All The Rules'
'Break All The Rules' served as the title track for their debut EP. Heavily dramatic and resounding with infectious hooks and a music video featuring some powerful dancing, we deem this track as an underrated number worthy of more attention. Check out the music video below.