K-pop’s “it girls” bring an ice cool charge to their signature molten metallic sound
K-pop hitmakers Aespa return to continue their reign as one of the hottest groups around, with fiery new single “Dirty Work,” out now via SM Entertainment/Virgin Records.
“Dirty Work” is a dance track with a gripping synth bass and members Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning dropping into their lower registers to highlight a different facet of their vocal range. The music video further highlights Aespa’s expansive scale as artists, with the industrial backdrop of a Hyundai Steel plant, featuring storage yards, heavy machinery, and a staggering 225 extras. At the center, the unstoppable four-piece take on the role of bold resistors who fearlessly tackle any “dirty work” for their team.
The single surpassed 1.01 million pre-orders, leaving the group poised to achieve their sixth consecutive million-seller. The single also includes an English version, an instrumental, and a version featuring Flo Milli. The American rapper first gained attention for her viral single “Beef FloMix” in 2018. She later broke into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Never Lose Me.”
Earlier this week, the global sensations made history as the first K-pop girl group to headline Mawazine Festival, a world-renowned music festival held in Morocco.
In 2024, Aespa solidified their position at the top with their first full-length album Armageddon, which delivered a powerful, self-empowering message: “Only I can define myself.” The album features the mega hit “Supernova.” Aespa swiftly achieved their third consecutive hit with “Whiplash,” an EDM track in the techno genre they tackled for the first time since debut. What followed was a long list of major award wins at numerous domestic and international music ceremonies, taking them to yet another career high.
“Dirty Work” arrives ahead of the group’s eagerly anticipated return to the UK for SmTown Live in London at The O2 tomorrow (Sat, June 28th). The single is also available in physical format, with a limited edition version titled “Dirty Work (Dirty Crew Ring Ver.)” arriving on July 4th.
