“Looking back on the past year, it seems like there were many happy moments. Our fans were by our side, and the teamwork among Ailet has strengthened. We will continue to walk the 'Ailet path' from now on.”
This time, they are openly 'magical girls'. Ailet has returned with a deeper color and characteristics, showcasing upgraded skills through 'Borrowed Cat' and starting to cast magic towards Glit (Ailet's fandom name).
On the afternoon of the 16th, a media showcase for Ailet's mini album 'bomb' was held at Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, featuring members Yoona, Minju, Mocha, Wonhee, and Iroha.
“I was eager to show many new sides of Ailet,” said Minju, expressing confidence that listeners will be able to see the upgraded version of Ailet while maintaining their unique color.
Wonhee also shared, “I feel excited just thinking about showing our new sides to many people. This album is one where you can see Ailet's bold charm and growth,” while Mocha added, “I was really looking forward to this activity. While preparing for this album, I had a strong desire to share it quickly. We worked hard and filled the album with songs we are confident in.”
When asked if there was any pressure coming back with a mini album after a long time, Minju replied, “Since we have received a lot of love since our debut, I felt a sense of responsibility to do well. I wanted to show what we have worked hard for, and this album was prepared to showcase Ailet's infinite potential.” Mocha also mentioned, “There was pressure, but I felt more gratitude thanks to those who love our stage. We will work hard to deliver more positive energy to more people.”
Ailet's standout album 'bomb' goes beyond the emotions of 'me' from the past two albums and begins a full-fledged interaction with 'you', telling stories about the relationships that girls experience as they come into the world. Following the songs that sang about the real 'me' in 'SUPER REAL ME' (mini album 1) and the feelings of 'me' who likes 'you' in 'I'LL LIKE YOU' (mini album 2), Ailet's 'bomb' highlights their honest and cheerful 'Ailet-style direct approach' that moves with clarity when uncertain and follows their heart.
Yoona spoke about the new side of Ailet she wants to show with 'bomb', saying, “If we focused on 'me' in our previous albums, from this album onwards, we have expanded Ailet's narrative by interacting with 'you'. Since a new story has been added, I think we can show a new side, and the music genre has also diversified a lot,” indicating the 'expansion of the world'.
Mocha, who said, “We focus on growth every time we make a comeback,” shared that she paid special attention to expression in this album, stating, “I focused more on expression. Sometimes I recorded with my eyes closed, and in some songs, I sat down or danced while recording, paying a lot of attention to expression.”
Ailet awakens as a magical girl in 'bomb', unleashing infinite potential. For them, magic means believing in their possibilities, facing negative inner emotions head-on, and delivering the power of positivity to everyone.
What does 'magical girl' mean to Ailet? They confessed, “You only truly grow when you overcome difficult situations. The magical girl reinterpreted by Ailet is not just for special people, but we wanted to convey that real girls can become magical girls if they know their potential. We want to sing to deliver the power of positivity.”
Regarding the differences between Ailet and other groups, Yoona stated, “Ailet sings relatable messages. We incorporated experiences that people of all ages go through, not just stories of our peers, into Ailet's music. I believe we have strengthened Ailet's color while maintaining a clear identity.”
Wonhee also mentioned Ailet's infinite potential, explaining, “As our team name suggests, we will face all challenges head-on while taking on various challenges in the future. I want to reinterpret 'magical girl' and show new sides. I hope you look forward to our diverse appearances.”
The title track 'Borrowed Cat (Do the Dance)' is based on the French house genre, capturing the excitement and freshness of a first date, where the mind gets complicated due to the tension of the first date, but Ailet boldly suggests, 'Let's dance together' with their unique magic. The unique title uses the proverb 'like a borrowed cat' to describe the state of becoming dazed due to mistakes made on a first date with someone you like.
Regarding 'Borrowed Cat', Yoona shared, “When I heard 'Magnetic', I was pleasantly shocked, and I felt the same with 'Borrowed Cat'. When I first heard the title, I wondered what it meant, but after hearing that it compared the dazed moment of making a mistake on a first date to a borrowed cat, I thought it was a quirky yet cute expression, and I felt that Ailet's color has deepened.”
Mocha pointed out the 'intro' as a charm point of 'Borrowed Cat', saying, “There’s a part where the beat intensifies while listening to the intro, and it was so good that it gave me chills. I think you can feel Ailet's bold charm.”
Above all, 'Borrowed Cat' features an idea from member Yoona, enhancing its quirky charm. Yoona mentioned, “Our members are quite involved in the album,” and added, “I was excited and happy that 'Doonchit Meow' was adopted as part of the lyrics in this album. Just like 'Super Attraction' from 'Magnetic', I hope 'Doonchit Meow' receives a lot of love.”
The catchy hook and beat, along with unique lyrics like 'Doomchit Meow', maximize Ailet's sensibility while hinting at the birth of another hit song. The romantic and dreamy string theme, sampled from the OST of the famous Japanese anime 'The Five Star Stories (ファイブスター物語)' titled '優雅なる脱走 (Elegant Escape)', captivates listeners' ears.
The performance of the title track is also attractive. The signature hand gesture choreography of Ailet is expected to hit short-form content once again. The so-called 'cat stretch dance' and 'nyan nyan dance' sections using cat characters are the killing parts. The delicate yet agile choreography, reminiscent of cat movements, keeps the audience's eyes glued from start to finish.
The 'Ailet-style positive charm' is not only present in 'Borrowed Cat' but also throughout the album's tracks. Ailet addresses the worries experienced in interactions with others in their own cheerful way across a total of five tracks. They eliminate anxious feelings ('little monster'), dance to lift the mood when feeling awkward ('Borrowed Cat (Do the Dance)'), express jealousy directly ('jellyous'), let go of worries by talking with close friends ('oops!'), and relieve stress through small escapades ('Night Picnic'). This is not only Ailet's story but also a relatable theme that everyone has likely experienced at least once.
Minju defined the keyword for this album as 'growth', stating, “Ailet has shown the growth of realizing infinite possibilities. This time, we will show an upgraded version with the confidence that we can do anything.”
The overall trendy and diverse sound of the album enhances Ailet's musical color. Coupled with the upgraded vocal and performance capabilities of the members, it proves the phrase 'trustworthy Ailet'. The early promotion strategy of revealing snippets of the title track and highlight medleys of the album reflects Ailet's confidence in their music.
Having met fans on various stages since their debut, Iroha pointed out the moment she felt the team's growth as the fans' 'sing-along', saying, “When I heard the 'sing-along', I was surprised and felt a lot of emotions. I want to hear that Ailet's stage is always anticipated through mini album 3.”
Minju mentioned that she feels the popularity when Ailet's song comes on while walking down the street, saying, “I hope our team name, which embodies the confidence and potential that we can be anything, becomes a synonym. Through this activity, I want to hear people say, 'Of course, Ailet.'” She also expressed her ambition, saying, “I want to achieve first place on music shows during this activity, especially on the music show where I am the MC, so I can present the trophy to the members.”
Finally, looking back on the past year since their debut, Minju declared, “Looking back on the year, there were many happy moments. Our fans were by our side, and the teamwork among Ailet has strengthened. We will continue to walk the Ailet path.”
[Geum Bitna, MK Sports Reporter]
