Get to know the five members behind the music as they reflect on growth, teamwork, and finding their voice.
One year into their journey, VVS is stepping into a new era with growing confidence and clarity. Since debuting on April 22, 2025, with the digital single “Tea,” the five-member group—LENA, BRITTNEY, ILEE, RANA, and LIWON—have steadily built a sound and identity that feels both polished and personal. From their first EP D.I.M.M. to their expanding catalog, VVS have shown a willingness to explore, experiment, and evolve, balancing strong vocals, sharp rap, and dynamic performance with an unmistakable sense of individuality.
Now, as they return with a new digital album marking their first anniversary, that evolution takes on even greater meaning. The project was shaped across continents, with the members spending a month in Los Angeles collaborating with producer BJRNCK before completing the album in Seoul. The experience not only broadened their musical perspective but also brought them closer as a team, adding new layers of emotion and intention to their work. It’s a release that captures both where they’ve been and where they’re headed next.
In this exclusive interview, VVS reflects on their first year as artists, the creative journey behind their upcoming album, and the stories they hope to tell in this new chapter. From behind-the-scenes moments in Los Angeles to the message they want listeners to feel, the group opens up about growth, connection, and stepping fully into their voice.
HELLOKPOP: Hi VVS! For readers who may be meeting you for the first time, could each of you introduce yourselves and share one word that describes who you are in this new comeback?
BRITTNEY: Hello, I’m Brittney, the leader of VVS! If I had to describe myself in one word for this comeback, it would be “maturity.” Since I’m turning 23 this year, it was important for me to show a more adult side of my personality—from my lyrics to my styling to my confidence. I’ve come back with a more refined and grown-up image, so I hope a lot of fans will enjoy it!
LENA: G’day! This is Lena from VVS! I’ll go with “confidence.” As this is my first full contribution to our discography, I was deeply committed to exceeding our fans’ long-standing expectations for how I’d express myself within the VVS aura. I think the transition has been really seamless, and I hope the fans can now see VVS’s true vision with me as a full member, and the confidence I exude as part of the group!
ILEE: Hello! I’m Ilee, and I’m a rapper in VVS! For this comeback, I feel like I’ve brought an upgraded version of my own charm and identity. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be “glow-up.” While I was happy with my performance during our debut, both vocally and visually, I really wanted to make a huge jump in both those aspects, allowing fans to see me with a more impactful aura. Especially during the album recording process, I focused a lot on capturing my growth and expressing my true voice. If you listen to all the tracks on this album, I think you‘ll be able to hear that!
RANA: Hello, I’m Rana, the main dancer of VVS. If I had to choose one word that best describes me in this album, it would be “contrast.” I think this time I’m able to show not only the cool, hip-hop side I showed at debut, but also a more feminine and elegant side through the songs in our $tay The Night album. I will never lose my hip-hop and freestyle dancing roots, but I wanted to show the contrast between Rana and the Rana that is growing up! Please look forward to it!
LIWON: Hello, I’m Liwon, the youngest member of VVS! I’m so happy to be introducing myself to you for the first time. The one word that describes me for this comeback is “challenge.” Since I didn’t have a long training process before our debut, now that I’ve had a full year to develop my skills, I wanted to challenge myself to show I’m not only the youngest member but also a valuable contributor to VVS from a skill perspective. I worked really hard to prepare, so I’ll make sure to show you a more refined side of me on stage. Please look forward to our promotions!
LENA
HKP: Your upcoming digital album releases exactly one year after your debut—how does this project reflect your growth since “TEA”?
VVS: Since our debut with “TEA,” we’ve grown a lot both as artists and as people. A year ago, we were still a bit inexperienced, our synergy as a group was still forming, and our understanding of who we wanted to be as we developed wasn’t quite clear. But we pushed forward with bold confidence – you could even describe it as “going with the flow”. Now, we’ve become more mature, and that confidence feels more natural and truly comes from within us. I think this album really reflects that growth—both in our sound and in the way we express ourselves. We are more sure of who we are and who we want to be as VVS.
HKP: What themes or emotions sit at the core of this album, and why were they important for you to express right now?
VVS: Since our debut with “TEA,” we’ve grown a lot both as artists and as people. A year ago, we were still a bit inexperienced, our synergy as a group was still forming, and our understanding of who we wanted to be as we developed wasn’t quite clear. But we pushed forward with bold confidence – you could even describe it as “going with the flow”. Now, we’ve become more mature, and that confidence feels more natural and truly comes from within us. I think this album really reflects that growth—both in our sound and in the way we express ourselves. We are more sure of who we are and who we want to be as VVS.
HKP: How would you describe the overall sound and message of this new album ($TAY THE NIGHT) compared to your first EP D.I.M.M.?
VVS: This album features a much stronger R&B palette compared to before. We honed our vocals to truly capture the unique mood, vocal runs, and texture of authentic R&B, and since we trained and recorded directly in the U.S. with one of our producers and vocal coach BJRNCK, we were able to naturally blend that American style with our own color. Because of that, the album includes tracks like “A$K,” “MIXING THANG$,” and “DA$H” that show a contrasting image from D.I.M.M. This comeback also focuses on clearly defining who we are as a team, but also who each girl individually is – not just as a member of VVS, but as our own person with unique tastes, interests, and personalities. VVS is one, but we are made up of individuals (the five vertices as described in our debut) – that is the direction we want to move forward with our fans, the DVS. If D.I.M.M. introduced our potential, “$TAY THE NIGHT” represents the path of expression we’ve chosen to take going forward.
BRITTNEY
HKP: Can you walk us through the creative process behind the title track and what makes it stand out?
VVS: We’ve mentioned this in previous interviews, but VVS likes to zag while everyone else is zigging. Releasing a moodier, down-tempo, minimal-sounding single is not really what people are presenting these days in K-pop. When we first heard the demo for “DA$H,” we knew this song best defines who we are at this moment in our careers. If you listen closely to the lyrics, they are clearly a response to some of the criticism and controversy surrounding our debut album, D.I.M.M. While our lyrics can feel exaggerated and hyperbolic, there are very real emotions and responses that directly reference some of the feedback from the debut. Ironically, underneath all the hyperbole, there is real, subtle, and nuanced depth to “DA$H” and the” $TAY THE NIGHT” album as a whole.
Additionally, the musical direction VVS has pursued has always been rooted in R&B and hip-hop. These genres are the group’s identity, influencing not only our sound but also our visual storytelling and overall artistic expression. We intentionally collaborate with American creatives, particularly African American producers, songwriters, managers, and visual directors, to help ensure authenticity throughout both the music and visual production process. This is definitely unique to K-pop, as most creative teams are predominantly Korean, even when working on hip-hop and R&B concepts. For us, “$TAY THE NIGHT” is about shared energy, late-night freedom, and celebrating the moment together with our listeners, and the team that helped us execute this vision was amazing.
HKP: What kind of story or concept can fans expect from the music video, and were there any standout moments during filming?
VVS: For this comeback, our music video is actually split into two parts, spanning both the song “$TAY THE NIGHT” and “DA$H.” If you recall from our debut, the origin story of VVS (as special operatives, assassins, and spies) unfolded across a handful of mini-vignettes and animations, culminating in our debut title, “TEA.” “$TAY THE NIGHT” and “DA$H” continue this concept but fast-forward to show the first “secret” mission as VVS, a daring heist seemingly to steal the mysterious diamond that the antagonists of TEA were transporting in a briefcase. The diamond’s power and purpose remain unclear, but there are hints throughout our new music videos about where the story might lead. We wanted to keep the cinematic element present in this comeback while still presenting our performance and dancing throughout.
Filming in the United States was a really special experience for us because we received so much unexpected recognition and attention from people we met along the way. Strangers were curious about who we were and what we were creating, and many creatives and locals showed genuine interest in working with us, something we haven’t yet experienced in Korea. It was amazing to feel that level of support from people who had never met us before. They were encouraging and open, and they really appreciated our performance and energy. That experience gave us a lot of confidence and reminded us that our music and identity can connect with people beyond borders.
HKP: You spent a month in Los Angeles working with producer BJRNCK—what was the most memorable moment from that experience, both musically and personally?
VVS: Recording with BJRNCK taught us an incredible amount. Since she had been our vocal coach before, we were able to learn a lot from her in terms of vocal technique – she’s an amazing R&B artist herself, and so just learning the intricacies and details of singing R&B was fascinating. It was extremely difficult at times, and since BJRNCK sings all our demo vocals, it’s intimidating to try and match her voice, texture, and vocal power – but we tried our best. After a month of being in the studio with BJRNCK for 8 to 10 hours per day, we could definitely see (and hear) our improvement. I hope fans can recognize it as well! Another amazing aspect of BJRNCK’s guidance was watching her write lyrics and create melodies on the spot. It was genuinely impressive. She would rewrite sections of our songs and stack complete harmony arrangements in minutes. It’s exciting to just be around someone so talented who’s helping us grow as artists. On a personal level, working on so many songs helped us better understand the emotions and vibe each track required, making the recording process much more intentional and meaningful.
ILEE
HKP: If this album captures a specific chapter of your lives, what would you title that chapter?
VVS: We would title this chapter of our lives ‘THIS IS WHO VVS IS.’ Our debut offered just glimpses of VVS, fragments of our identity, while our new EP $TAY THE NIGHT presents a complete and fully realized picture of who we are and who we aspire to become. VVS was a concept at debut – a cinematic hybrid of Korean and English, with moments of R&B vocals, moments of rap, and visually we took on a few incomplete forms – but $TAY THE NIGHT is the fully realized idea of VVS – it’s the growing up of VVS. We’re transitioning from our late teens into our twenties (some of us are in our mid-twenties). $TAY THE NIGHT is very clearly an expression of that maturing process, both artistically and emotionally.
HKP: What does “success” look like to VVS right now—not just externally, but internally as a team?
VVS: For us, from an idealistic perspective, success means creating music that feels true to who we are, doing what we genuinely love, and enjoying the process together without pressure or overthinking. If we can continue to do that, I think that will make us all feel successful. From a practical perspective, we didn’t have many opportunities to perform after our debut, and we love performing. Having more opportunities to be on stage, to be invited to different venues, and to have more people discover our music and support us would be such an honor. If our album can build our fanbase just a little bit bigger than before, that is success. We are small, so growing step by step and not losing focus on the small victories in a sea of giants is important.
HKP: Is there a message you hope listeners feel rather than just hear when they play this album?
VVS: More than just hearing the music, we hope listeners can truly feel it. These songs have been in the works for quite a while (BOTTLE$ we first started recording three years ago!), so they really capture our growth over time. While some tracks have irreverent, playful lyrics, they also carry our honest stories, and we hope people feel that sincerity. We often refer to $TAY THE NIGHT as a “midnight” album – one that you can drive and listen to late at night, with the windows rolled down, just getting lost in your thoughts. I think we’ve all experienced a song or album that gives us that feeling of mental freedom – and we hope that our album can have that effect on our fans.
RANA
HKP: What’s something about VVS that fans might not fully realize yet, but you hope they’ll discover through this album?
VVS: We think something fans might not fully realize yet is that, while we show strong, charismatic, and sometimes chic sides of ourselves on stage, we’re actually just girls with very human and genuine personalities. Through this album, I hope they discover the contrast between our intensity and confidence and our vulnerability and honesty. I think that duality is what really defines VVS right now. We often are described as a “bad girl” group, but that’s our performance side. We truly are just a bunch of silly, fun sisters who don’t take things too seriously. When you’re small and under-recognized (like us), you have to have fun with it; otherwise, the pressure of “success” can suck all the joy and energy out of our job.
HKP: Fans get to see different sides of you through your podcast VV’s & CC’s—what do you enjoy most about connecting with fans through this type of platform?
VVS: What we love most is how unstructured and free our podcast feels. Because there’s no fixed format, we’re able to share our stories in a much more comfortable and honest way, which makes it easier for us to really connect with our fans. Generally, K-Pop idols are a lot more constrained with what they are allowed to say, and it’s not until they’re more veteran artists that they can fully express themselves naturally. So, it’s nice that we have a platform where we can just be ‘us’ – the silly, fun girls we described above. And when we read the comments, we can tell that fans feel the same way. They enjoy that sense of freedom and authenticity, and many of them say they want us to keep making this kind of content. That means a lot to us, and it makes us even happier to keep sharing more through VV’s & CC’s.
HKP: If this comeback had an aesthetic or mood (like a vibe check), what would it be?
VVS: The mood of this comeback is centered around that late-night, midnight feeling. Every song on the album captures a specific moment in time, from getting ready together, doing makeup with your girls, going out to dinner, arriving at the lounge or club, and finally heading home in the early hours of the morning after many adventures. Altogether, it tells the full story of a night with VVS. It’s TRAINING DAY if you replaced detectives and cops with a girls’ night!
LIWON
HKP: Who is most likely to go viral from this comeback era, and why?
VVS: Honestly, I think any of us could go viral in this era, and hopefully, we go viral together. Each member has such a distinct charm, and this comeback really highlights all of our individual strengths and how, when combined, they reveal the complete picture of VVS. Our third single, D.I.M.M., had its viral moments, and to a lesser extent, “TOUCH IT.” From $TAY THE NIGHT, “COUNT IT UP” has already made some mini viral waves since pre-release. But you never know what song or content will connect the most with people. We’re excited to find out!
HKP: Lastly, as you celebrate your first debut anniversary and step into this new era, what message would you like to share with your past selves—and with your fans moving forward?
VVS: To our past selves, thank you for holding on when things felt uncertain and for believing in a dream you couldn’t yet see. Every struggle has shaped us and will continue to shape us into VVS. And to our fans—thank you for making our first year unforgettable. Your love gave our music meaning and courage when we needed it most. One day, hopefully the full story of what we’ve been through can be told – to some, we are small, but to our fans, the DVS, we’re so happy we can bring you joy and excitement – we know we aren’t small to you!
As we step into this new era, we promise to keep growing, keep dreaming, and keep sharing our hearts with you. This is only the beginning, and we hope to walk through every new chapter together.
Connect with the members of VVS on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Facebook.
Listen to VVS’ discography on Spotify or Apple Music.
*Special thanks to the members of VVS and MZMC Inc for this exclusive interview.
Image and Video Credits: MZMC Inc.