Trust me when I say this—you need to check out NMIXX.
NMIXX, JYP Entertainment’s newest Korean girl group, has had an interesting start to its career. If you’ve read Street’s “Best Albums of 2024,” you might be familiar with a snippet of their biography. Their debut single “O.O” was panned by critics for its uneven sound and unclear vision, with the Daily Mail even calling it the “worst song of all time.” “DICE” offered more of the group’s “MIXXPOP” sound—where they “change up” the genre of a song mid–way, MIXXing two distinct melodic sections into one complete song—to a better reception, but middling success. It was only after the group lost a member and released their third comeback, “Love Me Like This,” that the group was catapulted to the top of today’s K–pop scene.
But “Love Me Like This,” a unique, bouncy R&B–inspired pop song, departed from the brash sound of their first two singles. This track, along with their summer singles “Party O’Clock” and “Roller Coaster,” abandoned the MIXXPOP sound that, at that point in time, had been synonymous with the group’s identity. K–pop audiences wondered—had NMIXX unMIXXed their MIXXPOP to further their commercial success?
NMIXX answered that question with the Fe3O4 trilogy, a collection of EPs that not only reinforced the group’s mission to embrace uniqueness but also demonstrated a level of musicianship rarely seen in the K–pop genre. From the diverse mix of genres they blend together to their outstanding performance abilities, NMIXX, without a doubt, deserves to be on everyone’s radar as the next big group to watch.
First, the actual music. Their newest trilogy of EPs–Fe3O4: Break, Fe3O4: Stick Out, and Fe3O4: Forward—excels in the fact that no two songs are alike in genre or style. Want your usual “dash” of K–pop? The energetic “DASH” from Break will give you the energy you need for a quick run or even a few half–marathons (speaking from personal experience). Into more of the hip–hop sound? “Sickuhh (feat. Kid Milli)” from Stick Out and “Papillon” from Forward might be up your alley. Are you a country listener who thinks there’s no way a K–pop group has anything to offer you? Try “Run For Roses” from Break, which is probably the only K–pop song that uses both fiddle and banjo in a single song. There’s truly something in these EPs for everyone—and I really do mean everyone.
This lack of commitment to one singular genre may seem, at first glance, to be a weakness. After all, many of the most successful K–pop groups are known for the particular sonic space they occupy. Think of BLACKPINK with their confident, girl–power anthems, Stray Kids with their distinct “noisy” sound signature, or NJZ (formerly NewJeans) with their softer Jersey club sound. This adherence to a specific genre helps these groups with branding and name recognition.
Yet by defying conventional genre adherence, NMIXX shows that they might actually be capital–M musicians in the making, an anomaly in the K–pop world. With every new album release, fans do not know what they’re getting into, creating a sense of both mystery and excitement as fans try to guess what the girls will try next. In the group’s Bubble messages (an artist–to–fan direct text communication app), members often express excitement about trying new styles and finding the spaces within the musical world they like the best. In an industry that prioritizes chasing trends and creating “hit” songs, this desire to experiment—along with their full commitment to their MIXXPOP concept found in songs like “DASH,” “Soñar (Breaker),” “BOOM,” and “See that?”—means that whether their musical explorations are praised or panned, the group will commit to the bit and continue to grow.
A team is only as strong as its weakest link, as a common adage goes. With NMIXX, however, their “weakest” vocalist could easily be a main vocalist in a competing group—and while not every member has the same vocal abilities, all of them continue to improve with each subsequent comeback. Group leader Haewon and member Lily are the group’s main vocalists, but the title does not even begin to convey just how well this duo does on performances, live covers, and duets. The lower–range vocalists, Bae and Jiwoo, still have skill sets that the main vocalists of other girl groups might secretly envy. This group is so known for their vocal abilities that as part of their regular comeback promotion, the group releases acapella teaser arrangements that feature ad–libs, vocal harmonies, and many dynamic changes—all signs of clear musicianship and experimentation. Not to mention, they do all their singing live.
Some cynical readers might be baffled at this praise of NMIXX's live vocal abilities, but it’s worth noting that live singing is not required in the K–pop industry, which focuses primarily on performance and visuals. NMIXX’s dedication to continue to test the limits of their instruments, their voices, makes this group at least in the running with prominent Western vocalists. They were the first girl group to perform a Tiny Desk Concert, a format that prevents most vocal modifications, and are the first and only group to have all of its members guest on LeeMujin Service, a famous Korean talk show and live performance series that features prominent K–pop vocalists. This is a group that practices acapella like a well–oiled machine, learns covers of foreign–language songs, and sings live even at dance practices. Other groups might have one or even two standout vocalists who carry the group’s discography. But if you throw any of the NMIXX members into the vocal ring, they’ll not only hold their own—they'll win.
But, of course, good songs and phenomenal vocals are only the tip of the K–pop iceberg. All K–pop groups have a main concept, some sort of schtick, no matter how big or small, that serves as their group’s defining characteristic. LOONA is famous for their lunar concept; Red Velvet has their dueling pop and R&B sides (the Red and Velvet sides); and TOMORROW X TOGETHER tackles the concepts of youth and coming of age.
NMIXX, however, is all about owning your identity—while the group follows K–pop conventions by including a dedicated lore that not even the most dedicated fans have truly deciphered, at its core, the group emphasizes individuality and self–expression. If this message of individuality were given to any other group, it might feel hollow. After all, a lot of K–pop is manufactured, from a group’s sound to their image to their styling. But with the tumultuous career trajectory NMIXX has had—from their early ostracization for a polarizing debut to their gradual growth, all while sticking to their identity, authenticity, and desire for musical experimentation—their message of sticking to yourself rings true. They embrace a diversity of both sound and image, cleverly carrying their message of authenticity through the thematic storyline of the three title tracks “DASH,” “See that?” and “KNOW ABOUT ME”—the group “breaks” people’s expectations, “sticks out” in the crowd, and moves the needle “forward” towards self–expression.
NMIXX’s music exudes energy, confidence, and, most importantly, genuine fun. The girls in the group all appear to truly enjoy the work they do, and while they haven’t yet crossed the bridge into songwriting or music production, their dedication, work ethic, and musicianship prove they have a bright future ahead of them. If you are a true music connoisseur who enjoys knowing how music gets created and how artists interpret and reimagine their works, you cannot miss out on NMIXX anymore.
