In a year filled with milestones, NewJeans continues to soar higher, achieving yet another remarkable feat by becoming the first female group nominated for the “Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist” award.
This K-pop sensation, whose rapid rise since their 2022 debut has captivated fans worldwide, now shares the nomination spotlight with global icons like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Ed Sheeran.
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With the most nominations among this year’s K-pop acts across four different categories, NewJeans is undoubtedly leaving an indelible mark on the global music scene. The category considers streaming and sales from countries and territories worldwide, excluding U.S. audiences, offering a unique perspective on the group’s international impact.
The teen quintet, known by their stage names Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein, gained swift fandom after their surprise breakout in July 2022 with the single “Attention.” As they find themselves breaking global barriers, the members express a reluctance to be pigeonholed into specific labels like K-pop idols or global pop stars.
Hanni, a Vietnamese Australian member, shared her disbelief at being nominated alongside globally beloved artists, emphasizing their focus on creating a sound unique to NewJeans. “Rather than defining our music under a certain title or genre, we’re more focused on strengthening a sound personal to NewJeans,” she told NBC News.
Danielle, a Korean Australian member, echoed the sentiment, stating, “I believe that NewJeans is a group that strives to continuously present fresh and new music accessible to all listeners.” The group’s philosophy revolves around pushing musical boundaries and avoiding rigid categorizations.
This year, NewJeans achieved groundbreaking success as the first K-pop female act to sell over 1 million copies of a debut album. Their sophomore EP, “Get Up,” claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart in August, following their historic performance as the first K-pop female group at Lollapalooza, marking their U.S. live debut.
Not stopping there, the group set a Guinness World Record for the fastest K-pop act to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify, surpassing industry veterans BTS and Blackpink. Their distinctiveness, as noted by South Korean music critic Jung Min-jae, lies in their modern Y2K aesthetic, aligning seamlessly with their age group, and their music, choreography, and vocals that embrace smoother, flowy arrangements.
