fromis_9 have come blazing back at Supersonic speed.

The golden crown of “Summer Queens” still comfortably perched atop their heads, the PLEDIS Entertainment girl group have come out with their third single album, Supersonic, featuring three brand-new summer-themed tracks saturated with their signature iridescent sound.

2024’s Supersonic is also the follow-up release to their critical darling of a first full-length album, Unlock My World, a brazen and ambitious no-filler, no-skip effort from these seasoned idols. Unfazed by the expected pressures of topping a prior feat, the girls are back, forging ahead to explore newer sonic frontiers.

The eponymous lead track, pulsating with its Miami bass-inflected beat, is somewhat a departure from their earlier summer releases, trading the “more refreshing and brighter vibes” for “powerful, fiery energy” – “fighting heat with heat,” so to speak. Thematically, the latest single also alludes to a “summer heroine,” who is just a call away anytime and anywhere – rushing at a moment’s notice to save everyone from the blistering heat. “Drink and drink but still parched / Then just call me and I’ll be right there from now,” they sing (적셔도 계속 목이 타지 / 그땐 불러봐 I’ll be right there from now).

Meanwhile, the funky number 'Beat the Heat' and synthpop-driven 'Take A Chance', as their freshest B-side offerings, provide a glimpse into "different aspects" of the season as they see it.

In this interview, Bandwagon once again catches up with LEE SAE ROM, SONG HA YOUNG, PARK JI WON, ROH JI SUN, LEE SEO YEON, LEE CHAE YOUNG, LEE NA GYUNG, and BAEK JI HEON. Here, they discuss the creation of this latest effort of theirs, the eventful, live performance-filled time between their debut album and this summer comeback, and how far they’ve gone as they approach 7 years in the business with their beloved fans, flover, by their side.

First of all, congratulations on this comeback! Since Unlock My World, you’ve been very active with so many performances – WATERBOMB, Weverse Con Festival to your FROM NOW concert, even the KWave Music Festival last May here in the Philippines. How have these experiences all been for you?

CHAE YOUNG: Thank you so much! It feels great to be back. No matter which stage we’re on, our fans were always there with us, so we were able to successfully complete every performance.

HA YOUNG: I loved being able to introduce our songs to so many people through various stages. I found it interesting how the audience’s energy varied with each performance. The cheers from the crowd made me feel like a superstar and motivated me to strive for even greater heights.

Supersonic is a summer album. How would you describe the perfect summer? How do you think it would feel, look, taste, or sound like?

JI SUN: A perfect summer for me would be spending time by the water to enjoy the coolness, eating something cool, having peaches for dessert, and maybe listening to ‘Supersonic’ with a fan on (Haha).

NA GYUNG: To me, a perfect summer involves eating shaved ice somewhere cool, away from the outside heat. I’d describe the feeling as comforting, the colour as sky blue, and the taste as sweet.

Please tell us about the new title track, 'Supersonic', and how it came to be.

JI WON: When we first recorded 'Supersonic', we faced some difficulties, but after multiple attempts, we were able to reach the result we’re truly happy with. I tried to infuse my own style into the track.

JI HEON: 'Supersonic' is not only the lead single of our 3rd single album but also the title of the single album. As we're making a comeback in the summer, we wanted to showcase different aspects of the season! 

How do you think does this single differ from your previous summer releases like ‘WE GO’ and ‘Stay This Way’?

SAE ROM: Our previous summer tracks were more refreshing and brighter. With ‘Supersonic’, we tried to capture the intense energy of the blazing sun. It definitely channels that powerful, fiery energy.

SEO YEON: Our previous tracks, 'WE GO' and 'Stay This Way', had a vibe of “Ugh, it’s hot and boring. Let’s get away together!” whereas ‘Supersonic’ feels more like, “Is it hot? Just wait, we’ll rescue you!” (Haha) It has a fierce, “fight heat with heat” kind of energy.

JI HEON: This time, we definitely infused a lot more energy into the track. It truly feels like the embodiment of ‘Supersonic’ speed.

In 'Supersonic', you seem to sing about a certain ‘summer heroine’ to save you from the heat – personally speaking, who is this ‘summer heroine’ to you?

CHAE YOUNG: It’s definitely our fans, flover! Thanks to our fans, who are our source of energy, we can get through the hot summer.

JI HEON: I’d say it’s fromis_9. This summer, we’re here to help flovers beat the heat.

How do the B-sides 'Beat the Heat' and 'Take A Chance' figure in the entire narrative of this album?

SEO YEON: Under the theme of summer, we’ve added the fiery, intense lead single 'Supersonic,' the bouncy and funky 'Beat the Heat,' and the refreshing track 'Take A Chance' that brings out a cool, early summer vibe.

JI HEON: We’re showcasing diverse aspects of summer through this single album. So, I guess we could say this album is packed with different elements of summer.

What do you think makes a quintessential fromis_9 summer tune? What sort of colours or characteristics define it?

HA YOUNG: It’s a bit difficult to define what makes fromis_9’s summer tune, because even though 'DM' was released in the winter, its soaring topline gives it a refreshing vibe so it can be considered a summer tune. I think what matters most are the emotions we bring to the stage and the feelings our audience experiences.

JI SUN: I think it’s about the refreshing feeling and energy. Our songs deliver a sense of cool, refreshing breeze while also capturing the lively spirit of a joyful summer.

Your first full-length album Unlock My World has been received quite warmly, even critically acclaimed, too. All the B-Sides were memorable. Was there any pressure to exceed what you accomplished there?

SAE ROM: I wanted to refrain from pressuring myself because I didn't want to focus too much on the scores. So instead of feeling pressured, I focused on my responsibility and personal ambition, which motivated me to prepare even more diligently.

NA GYUNG: We approach every album with the determination to continuously improve. This time, we put in even more efforts to put together an energetic, never-before-seen performance!

Your beloved fans, flover, have been immensely supportive. As you approach your 7th year in the industry, how do you think you’ve grown with them and through them?

JI WON: flovers have been with us since our debut, when the group was still new and young, showering us with love and support. Thanks to them, we’ve grown into a stronger, more solid version of fromis_9. We still have a lot to learn, but we want to keep growing together with flovers.

SEO YEON: Because of flovers, I feel like I’ve become a stronger person, capable of overcoming tough situations that come my way. Their love has allowed me and the other fromis_9 members to keep thriving. I hope we can continue this journey together for a long time.

These days, what are you looking forward to the most? What’s the next goal for fromis_9?

JI SUN: Meeting our fans, of course! I’m thrilled to showcase new performances in front of them. Our next goal is to reach even more people with our music and have more opportunities to perform for flovers worldwide!

CHAE YOUNG: I’m really looking forward to our 'Supersonic' stages the most. On top of that, I hope to meet and spend more time with flovers.

NA GYUNG: I can’t wait to see the synergy we'll create with flovers with our new album Supersonic. Our next goal is to spend more time and create beautiful memories with them.

fromis_9's 3rd Single Album Supersonic is out now on major platforms. Listen here: