When you come from the same label as K-pop heavyweights like TAEYANG, ROSÉ, and JEON SOMI, expectations are sky-high—but MEOVV rose to the challenge and surpassed them. Signed under THEBLACKLABEL, an associate company of Korean entertainment giant YG Entertainment, the girl group had already attracted significant attention ahead of their debut. With an international lineup—SOOIN, GAWON, ANNA, NARIN, and ELLA—from the United States, Japan, and Korea, and previous appearances in the entertainment industry, the members were no strangers to the spotlight.

MEOVV finally debuted on 6 September 2024 with the single "Meow", an upbeat track with an equally vibrant music video to match. The song earned 5.1 million global streams in its first week and debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart—a sign of what was to come. Since then, the girls have clawed their way up to new heights, with their biggest achievement being winning Favourite Rising Artist at the 2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). In addition, the group has amassed 1.7 million followers on Instagram and is a brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris.

Today, MEOVV releases their first EP, MY EYES OPEN VVIDE. It will feature fan favourites from last year as well as new tracks such as "HANDS UP", a fun, catchy, fast-paced pop song featuring baile funk elements, and "DROP TOP".

In celebration of its release, the girls sit down with ELLE Singapore to talk about their new EP, first impressions of each other, beauty tips, and the best advice they've received from their seniors.

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Congratulations on the new EP! What was the inspiration behind it?

NARIN: While preparing for the EP, I believe we were inspired the most by each other. Including myself, we all tried something new, visually and musically, which I think was refreshing for everyone. On top of that, during our practices, there were moments when we had to work closely to stay in sync. In those times, we motivated and inspired one another—not just in terms of attitude and facial expressions, but also in how we chose to express our music overall. 

SOOIN: Whenever we're preparing for a release, we usually talk and share our opinions. I guess you could say that our inspiration often comes from these conversations among ourselves and with our producer, TEDDY.

ANNA: With this new EP, I wanted to show a side that I’ve never shown before, so I practiced different gestures and various facial expressions. I also bleached my hair for the first time.

ELLA: With this release, I’m learning so much since we’ve been filming all these fun variety shows. I’m been constantly reviewing and monitoring our work to keep growing.

GAWON: I participated in writing lyrics for two of the three new tracks on this EP. While our previous single was inspired by a defined storyline, this time the creative process felt more spontaneous and intuitive. Rather than adhering to a specific concept, I found more inspiration in the atmosphere during writing sessions and in the organic conversations we shared. That sense of freedom and emotional release flowed naturally—not only into the lyrics, but we also carried that throughout the recordings, performance rehearsals, and even the music video shoots.

What’s your favourite song from the EP and why?

NARIN: My favourite song changes all the time, but if I had to choose, it would be "LIT RIGHT NOW". I’m especially drawn to this one because I helped write the lyrics. Plus, during our recording sessions, I had a lot of fun with Ella. We kept joking around and repeating the line "I’m lit right now", and it was so fun saying "I'm Rin right now" over and over again.

SOOIN: My favourite song used to be "HANDS UP", but as we were preparing for the "DROP TOP" music video, I was really happy and we had so much fun shooting it. So naturally, it became my favourite song.

ANNA: "DROP TOP" is really special to me—we’ve been working on it since even before our debut. I truly hope our fans feel the same love for it that I do.

ELLA: "HANDS UP"—no matter the reason, just give it a listen.

GAWON: At the moment, my favourite would have to be "LIT RIGHT NOW". It’s an R&B track, a genre I was most comfortable singing as a trainee, so I felt like I was in my zone while recording. I believe that the sense of familiarity allowed me to channel a relaxed, joyful energy into the track—something I anticipate listeners can feel, too. 

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As a group, how is this EP different from your previous releases?

NARIN: If our past releases highlighted our chic and confident, cat-like charms, then with this EP, we aimed to showcase a wider variety of charms and explore genres we hadn’t tried before. In particular, I think our song "HANDS UP" really shows an even more colourful and powerful side of our group.

SOOIN: I think this EP has many more songs that people can easily connect with, relate to, and enjoy comfortably.

ANNA: Since we’re releasing three new songs at once, I think it’s a great chance to show off the different charms and colours of MEOVV.

ELLA: With "MEOW" and "BODY", we highlighted our chic and elegant side. But in "HANDS UP", we aimed to bring out each of our colours and personalities. I think this release lets us show a more fun and vibrant side of MEOVV.

GAWON: This EP marks a distinct shift in sound from our earlier releases. The three new songs have a noticeably brighter, more vibrant energy. If our previous work served as a kind of self-introduction, this project feels more like the beginning of us showcasing little by little the spectrum of what we are capable of and truly enjoy as artists.

Just three months after MEOVV's debut, you won "Favourite Rising Artist" at the 2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Take us back to that moment, and how did it feel to hear your group’s name called?

NARIN: Just the fact that we were able to perform on such a big stage like the MAMAs was already such an honour, but being given an award was unbelievable. The members and I were overwhelmed for a while, and it motivated us to set our mindset on working even harder. I thought I had misheard when our group’s name was called.

SOOIN: We honestly didn't know that we were going to receive an award. They initially just invited us to watch the DAY 1 performances, so I thought we were just there to watch. It was our first ever award and from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, so I was extremely happy. 

ANNA: I was so happy and felt very grateful to our fans. Receiving the award motivated me even more to strive to become better.

ELLA: When we first received the award, it felt surreal. I was so grateful to receive an award like that as a newly debuted rookie, and it became a huge motivator to work even harder.

GAWON: It felt strange, but in the best way! Just being invited to perform at MAMA three months after our debut felt like a huge honour, but hearing our name called for an award was genuinely surprising. It was beyond anything we had expected. More than anything, I remember feeling incredibly grateful in that moment.

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When you girls first met during your training days, what were your first impressions of each other?

NARIN: For GAWON, my first impression of her was that she was very chic and kind of cold-hearted, but as soon as we greeted each other, her eyes softened, and I just knew at that moment that she was the opposite of cold. She also had long legs and gave off a model-like aura. For SOOIN, she seemed innocent and extremely nervous, but her bag, accessories, and clothes were all tie-dyed and colourful, which also gave me the impression that she was a bright and cheerful person.

Whenever I saw ELLA during her visits to the company, she looked young, almost baby-like. But after meeting her as a trainee, I was surprised to see how much she had grown, both taller and more mature, which gave me a whole new impression of her. She was very introverted and shy, but even then, I could see that she had a quirky and bright side to her. ANNA gave me the impression that she was very bright and friendly. Whenever she smiled and laughed, she was so pretty that it felt like I was looking at a flight attendant. Her voice was also very soft and upbeat, which made me feel happy too.

SOOIN: My first impression of NARIN was that she is someone with a lot of charm and talent. When I first met Ella, I thought she was like a quiet and shy Barbie doll. When I met GAWON, I thought, 'Wow, she's really tall!' As for ANNA, she was really cute and shy.

ANNA: When I first met GAWON, she seemed mature, so I thought she was older than me—to my surprise, we were the same age. She also has the longest legs of anyone I’ve ever met. For SOOIN, I first met her in our dorm. I realised right away that she is the kind of person whose bright energy can make you feel comfortable with just a simple greeting.

I appreciated how NARIN introduced herself in Japanese when we first met. I felt like we could become close, and we did. As for ELLA, my first impression was that she seemed like a baby, so adorable. Since we’re both introverts, it took a while for us to become close. She tried her best to greet us in Korean, and her effort was just so cute.

ELLA: My first impression of SOOIN was that she seemed so fun and bright that I didn’t expect her to be the oldest. For GAWON, she gave off motherly vibes right from the start. She was the one who helped me the most. Since we’re both shy and introverted, it was a bit hard to start conversations with ANNA at first, but somehow, we became really close. As for NARIN, she’s the one who understands my jokes the most, and I appreciate that.

GAWON: I first met SOOIN before anyone else, during our training days. From the very start, she was a complete goofball. She addressed me informally as soon as she joined, which took me by surprise at first, especially given the usual formality in our environment. However, it also showed me just how vibrant and full of energy she was. I trained the longest with NARIN at THEBLACKLABEL. She was always bubbly, and her voice had a distinct, unique tone that made an impression on me.

I’d seen ELLA around the company a few times before we officially met. I was already familiar with her from social media, where she came across as super playful, but when we met in person, I was surprised to see how introverted she was. However, it didn’t take long for us to bond and get to know each other better. As for ANNA, she barely spoke at first—even less than ELLA! Her soft-spoken nature made it difficult to catch what she was saying at times. But just like ELLA, it didn’t take long for her to become more comfortable and open up with us.

What’s the best advice you girls have received from your seniors so far?

NARIN: We were so thankful for TAEYANG sunbaenim because he gave us a lot of encouragement and words of wisdom. He told us that MEOVV was going to create a buzz while filming the "Hands Up" challenge with us. But more than anything, as he danced along to our choreography, he kept dancing with us until we were all satisfied with the final result—and seeing how hard he worked taught us a lot.

SOOIN: All of the advice our producer, Teddy, gives is heartfelt, but the one that stuck with me the most was: “Don’t be nervous—just perform comfortably on stage.”

ANNA: JEON SOMI unnie always says we’re like her little sisters, and I think that’s why I feel so at ease around her—it’s like family.

ELLA: When we first performed as guests at TAEYANG sunbaenim’s concert, we had the chance to watch his performances up close, and he looked genuinely happy on stage. Seeing that made me realise how important it is to truly enjoy yourself while performing.

GAWON: Our main producer TEDDY always gives us pieces of invaluable advice. But the one that I constantly find reminding myself is to “keep going until you’re satisfied”. Whether we’re filming, recording, or doing fittings, we make sure to keep revisiting, discussing, and fine-tuning things until each of us feels content with the result. That mindset helps us deliver the best version of ourselves in the most authentic way possible in everything we do.

What’s been your proudest moment in the last year since your debut?

NARIN: I think it’s when we first did the "HANDS UP" choreography without stopping from the beginning till the end. It was the choreography that we ended up with after thinking about it together as a group for quite some time. When we were able to finish the whole choreography with no mistakes for the first time, we were really tired, but I felt so proud of ourselves. 

SOOIN: During our "BODY" promotions, I took on the dance break for our Studio Choom performance. I practiced nonstop for it, so when the producers and writers showered me with compliments, I felt incredibly proud and genuinely happy.

ANNA: I have to say that being able to perform at the MAMA Awards so early in our careers was something I never expected. One of my dreams was for my parents to see me perform, and it became a reality just two months after our debut. That made it such a memorable moment for me, and it made me really happy.

ELLA: When our "HANDS UP" music video dropped, I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone—I knew how much effort we’d poured into it. I’d spent a lot of time practicing different facial expressions, so seeing it all come together made me feel proud.

GAWON: Definitely the 2024 MAMA Awards. It was our first time performing on such a major stage, but instead of nerves, what we all felt was genuine excitement. I think that positive energy translated into our performance as well. We always hope our genuine love for the stage and performing reaches the audience, and it felt like it truly did—that made it a moment we’ll always be proud of. 

What do you girls do during your downtime?

NARIN: Although we’re always together every time we have either practice or schedules, we’re still together even during our downtime. It’s fun even if we’re just chatting away, and I feel the happiest whenever we’re hanging out together as a group.

SOOIN: I eat delicious food and sleep a lot. I don’t like waking up to the sound of my alarm, so whenever it’s our day off, I sleep until I want to without setting an alarm. 

ANNA: I’ve always enjoyed staying at home on my days off, but recently I’ve come to appreciate it even more. So when I’m home, I try my best not to move at all. I’ve also recently developed an interest in cleaning.

ELLA: Whenever we have days off, I try to sleep a lot, get a massage, exercise, and watch a good movie.

GAWON: I’m usually a homebody, but I do enjoy taking walks. I also spend a lot of my free time with my mom. We’ve kind of developed a little routine—grabbing a bite to eat, visiting art exhibitions and galleries, doing some shopping, and finishing off with a movie. It’s become one of my favourite ways to unwind. Recently, I’ve also gotten into collecting LPs, so I’ve been visiting record stores quite a bit, too.

How would you describe your personal style?

NARIN: Free-spirited, bold, and adventurous.

SOOIN: Energetic, powerful, and iconic.

ANNA: Chic, cute with a hip-hop influence.

ELLA: Sassy, eclectic, and bold.

GAWON: Chic, rebellious, and effortless.

What is a skincare tip or product you swear by?

NARIN: On days I have make-up on, I always cleanse my face at least twice or thrice and I always use a cleansing milk.

SOOIN: I always take a bath, and on days when I wear make-up for a long time, I put on a facial soothing pack afterwards.

ANNA: As soon as I get home, I remove my make-up right away. 

ELLA: When I wake up early and feel tired, my face tends to be puffy. I massage it with ice, and it instantly feels refreshed and energised.

GAWON: Since I’ve been getting my make-up done daily following our comeback, I’ve become invested in how to remove it properly, both thoroughly and in a way that minimises irritation to the skin barrier. I’ve asked around a lot and received some great recommendations. One product that completely changed the game for me is the Kiss Me Mascara Remover—it makes the cleansing process so much easier. I’ve also been using rose water toner for years now, and it’s a staple of mine that I recommend. In addition, my skincare routine always ends with lip balm—lots of it, right before bed.

What would you hope fans take away from MEOVV's EP?

NARIN: I hope our fans feel a sense of freedom and youth when they listen to our EP.

SOOIN: Through this new EP, I hope our listeners and fans can connect with our powerful energy!

ANNA: I hope fans get to see a new side of MEOVV—one that we worked hard to express through this EP.

ELLA: I want our fans to listen to this EP and feel inspired to just go for it—total YOLO energy!

GAWON: With this EP, I hope that the sense of freedom and liberation that went into the creative process resonates with the audience. I want them to experience that same feeling of release through the music, allowing them to embrace the present moment. Life moves so quickly, and 'now' is the youngest we’ll ever be. So, I hope our fans can immerse themselves in the energy of the moment, savour it, and truly enjoy being where they are right now with our EP.

'MY EYES OPEN VVIDE' is streaming now worldwide.

*The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.