'MZ wannabe icon' IVE (An Yujin, Gaeul, Rae, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, Lee Seo) has once again proven its presence in the global music market.
On the 21st (local time), the American music media Billboard announced its list of 'The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far): Critic's Picks,' which included IVE's 'REBEL HEART.'
'REBEL HEART' is a pre-released track from IVE's third mini album 'IVE EMPATHY,' released in February, and depicts the march of rebellious youth with diverse narratives. The song features a rich sound characterized by colorful vocal harmonies, an uplifting chorus, sweet strings, and upbeat drums.
Billboard noted, "The English lyrics in the chorus stand out, and the rebellious cry is an appealing aspect of the song," adding that " through the song, IVE is expanding its sound spectrum beyond Korea and establishing itself as an increasingly influential force in the K-Pop scene."
'REBEL HEART' has garnered heated responses from music fans both domestically and internationally upon its release, solidifying its position as a mega hit song representing 2025. It achieved 'Perfect All-Kill (PAK)' in Korea's major music charts and won 11 awards in music broadcasts, while also entering the U.S. Billboard 'Global (Excluding U.S.)' chart for 10 consecutive weeks, creating a global sensation.
Additionally, 'REBEL HEART' recently drew enthusiastic Korean sing-alongs from local audiences at the 'Lollapalooza Berlin' and 'Lollapalooza Paris' stages, breaking down barriers with global fans and showcasing IVE's new representative song. To date, it has recorded over 57 million cumulative streams on Spotify, maintaining worldwide popularity, and there are high expectations for IVE's global endeavors as a 'representative of K-Pop.'
Meanwhile, IVE is set to participate in the first match of the '2025 Coupang Play Series' against the K League Team and Newcastle United (hereafter 'Newcastle') on the 30th, where they will showcase the ceremonial kickoff and halftime performance.
[Photo] Starship Entertainment
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