It’s a celebration with PURPLE KISS’ FESTA

“We wanted to show various sides of PURPLE KISS to our PLORYs. So, we tried a new transformation and wanted to demonstrate that we can do well with various concepts,” Swan, the group’s main vocalist, says.

Ireh explains they wanted to showcase “new and diverse charms” of PURPLE KISS through “7HEAVEN.” Determined to showcase their versatility, she mentions that, in the future, they hope to continue to incorporate many more concepts, in PURPLE KISS’ own unique way.

“Since we know best what we are good at, and what suits us in our daily lives, we tried to seamlessly integrate those aspects into preparing this album,” Chaein describes when asked about PURPLE KISS’ creative process for FESTA.

While we enjoyed all three tracks in FESTA, we asked PURPLE KISS to choose one song from the album that they think best represents the group’s charms.

“The track ‘Mistake.’ We chose it because we believe it really highlights the distinctive vocal colors of each member,” main rapper Yuki says. Dosie, PURPLE KISS’ main dancer, seems to agree, as she adds, “It seems that a lot of fans really enjoy the song 'Mistake.' We love this song because the members' vocals are intricately and charmingly expressed in it.”

When asked about future concepts for PURPLE KISS, both Ireh and Swan alluded to “nostalgic concepts” as something they wanted to try next.  These days, K-pop groups are embracing a hot trend of infusing their music with a nostalgic throwback to the ‘90s and early 2000s, reviving the distinct sounds and fashion of the era.

Regardless, the girls have been experimenting with their on-stage performances. During The FESTA Tour, they presented various pop cover performances ranging from “We Don’t Talk Anymore” and “Light Switch” by Charlie Puth, “Sway” by Michael Bublé, “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, as well as “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I.

In preparing for their first U.S. tour, Goeun recalls, “I was really excited about filling the setlist with our songs and performing exclusively for fans who came just to see PURPLE KISS! Because of that, every step of preparing for the tour was enjoyable, and the moments of recording with English lyrics are particularly memorable.” For this tour, PURPLE KISS recorded English versions for their hit title tracks “7HEAVEN,” “Ponzona,” “Sweet Juice,” and “Zombie.” As a group, PURPLE KISS regularly communicates in English with their international fans, establishing a tight-knit bond between them and PLORYs around the world.

Ireh also adds, “We intentionally practiced more energetically during tour rehearsals to boost the energy since there was no audience, making every moment spent practicing with the members enjoyable.”

With PURPLE KISS touring across the United States and visiting 17 cities as part of The FESTA Tour, we asked the members if they had any “must-bring” travel essentials, and Goeun mentions carrying her earphones everywhere as she likes to listen to music while enjoying the scenery on the road. Meanwhile, Swan remarks that she brought along her humidifier and leg massager for this tour.

Embarking on an international tour is a major milestone for many K-pop groups, and having debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of PURPLE KISS is excited to finally be able to meet their fans. Looking back at the two years PURPLE KISS have been active in the K-pop industry, the girls reflected on other milestones they are most proud of as a group.

In addition to debuting in South Korea, Dosie is grateful for the opportunity to debut in Japan earlier this year, holding concerts and conducting promotions in the country. “It holds a lot of memories, since it was our first overseas activity. Starting with this FESTA tour, I hope to meet PLORYs from different countries all over the world in the future,” she says. PURPLE KISS has one Japanese member in their team, Yuki, who is also part of the project girl group EL7Z UP, after winning the K-pop survival show Queendom Puzzle.

Meanwhile, Chaein relates this back to music charts and the PLORYs, “I particularly remember feeling proud when we achieved good results on music charts in various countries. I was also proud of myself when fans mentioned that they gained a lot of strength from our performances and our existence.”

Wrapping up our conversation, PURPLE KISS attests that they are not just a group—to them, it’s sisterhood.

Chaein explains why she chose “sisters” as one word to describe PURPLE KISS’ chemistry as a group, stating, “We are like a real family, we know each other really well, and that strong bond seems to shine even on stage.” “The synergy of being so close like a family makes our stages look cool, and when shooting content offstage, it comes out as fun and lively,” Swan says.

Now looking ahead to PURPLE KISS’ future, Goeun mentions that they hope to be remembered as singers who looked the brightest and happiest on stage. In addition, Dosie hopes that everyone will look at PURPLE KISS as a group with values worth liking.

With confidence, she remarks, “We want us to be remembered as the best group on the stage, the very best!”

With 2023 coming to an end, Ireh reminisces back on their year as a group, “This year has been truly meaningful for PURPLE KISS with two comebacks, a debut in Japan, and the U.S. tour. We will continue to come back with our unique music next year, so please continue to show us a lot of love!”

Following Ireh, Chaein reassures us that PURPLE KISS is already working on their next release, “We understand our fans are eagerly anticipating our new album, so we are working hard to prepare it as soon as possible. While a swift release is important, our main goal is to present you with a great album that we can all be proud of.”

“PLORY! Thank you for always being supportive, we will see you again with awesome performances so wait a little bit. We cherish you a lot,” Chaein says, showcasing PURPLE KISS’ love for their fans.

And as she says, with the warmth and promise of a sisterhood as unbreakable as theirs, PURPLE KISS will see you soon.