New K-pop girl group Aespa drop first single ‘Black Mamba’ with futuristic music video
- A high-energy electropop tune full of pulsating beats, Black Mamba signals the arrival of Aespa amid high-profile debates regarding the group’s concept
- Members Karina, Giselle, NingNing and Winter reflect about their identity in the lyrics, and introduce their connection with their virtual “ae” counterparts
A new K-pop act has arrived, and they’re already one of the biggest names in the game.
Aespa, the new four-member girl group from South Korean entertainment powerhouse SM Entertainment, dropped their first single Black Mamba today, arriving on the scene with its dramatic, futuristic music video.
Made up of members Karina, Giselle, NingNing and Winter, along with their virtual “ae” counterpart members ae-Karina, ae-Giselle, ae-NingNing and ae-Winter, Aespa is SM’s first new female team since the 2014 launch of Red Velvet.
In the music video for Black Mamba, Aespa’s members are seen performing a high-energy electropop tune that resonates with pulsating beats and wailing synths. Fantastical, neon-lit scenes of intense, floor-dropping choreography are interspersed with moments that highlight each member exploring this new reality and engaging with the ae-members, and hinting to a villain known as the titular Black Mamba.
Through the song lyrics, the members of Aespa seem reflective about their identity, and introduce the connection between themselves and the “ae” members, who the song implies wander in a place known as Kwangya. The word appears to be derived from the Korean term for “wilderness”, and has previously appeared in content related to K-pop boy band NCT, also under SM.
Ahead of the release, Aespa’s name and various related hashtags trended not only on South Korean media and music platforms such as Naver and Melon but also worldwide on Twitter.