On August 16, HIGHUP Entertainment’s STAYC unveiled their newest mini-album TEENFRESH at Gangnam’s Ilchi Art Hall. This album follows their hit single “Teddy Bear,” and it showcases their signature “teen fresh” sound, which blends addictive melodies with a high-teen concept. Isa, one of the group’s members, likened their new music to a summer festival, saying, “When you listen to each song on the album, you get the feeling that a summer festival has arrived.” 

Indeed, the lead single “Bubble” exudes a light-hearted vibe with its catchy “bubble-bubble-bubble” hook. In contrast to their previous single “Teddy Bear,” which talked about resilience in the face of life’s challenges, “Bubble” dismisses judgmental comments, comparing them to fleeting bubbles. The girls’ decision to release another positive single stemmed from the comfort “Teddy Bear” provided many, including themselves. They believe “Bubble” has an even more hopeful message.

STAYC(스테이씨) The 3rd Mini Album [TEENFRESH] Showcase

Due to the amount of love “Teddy Bear” received, including topping MelOn’s real-time chart, they knew comparisons between the two were inevitable. When asked about that, Sumin just said, “We’re grateful that ‘Teddy Bear’ was able to receive so much love.”

During their showcase, STAYC performed “Bubble” live. They amazed the crowd with their dynamic choreography and stable live vocals. Sumin, reflecting on their performances, said, “We were really nervous today. We worked very hard to make sure we could convey our title track’s positive message well.”

STAYC goes global

STAYC‘s meteoric rise, especially since they’re not from any of the Big 4 agencies, is noteworthy. Their albums have consistently outperformed previous releases, with “Teddy Bear” setting greater sales records. When quizzed about the secret behind their success, Sieun attributed it to the girls’ authenticity and heart, stating, “I think the biggest factor is our sincerity.”

Their growing global popularity prompted the girls to record an English-language version of “Bubble” and announce their first world tour. Slated to commence next month, the tour will take them to 11 cities, including New York and Singapore. Sieun conveyed their excitement, saying, “Because it’s our first world tour, we’ve been feeling a lot of excitement and anticipation.”

The English version of “Bubble” is a testament to how much they love their international fans. Yoon candidly shared the challenges they faced with singing in English, saying, “English pronunciation was really difficult while working on this track.”

However challenging it may have been for them to sing in English, they pushed through it with their trademark authenticity and heart. STAYC‘s TEENFRESH, bannered by their title track “Bubble,” is out now. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Dance your troubles away with STAYC’s latest! Source: Twitter/@STAYC_official.