South Korean girl group KISS OF LIFE has skyrocketed to the forefront of the pop industry with chart-topping songs and a sold-out North American tour, telling amNewYork Metro that they couldn’t have done it without the love and support of their fans.
The K-Pop quartet featuring Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul hosted two sold-out shows in New York City on Nov. 21 at Irving Plaza and Nov. 22 at Hammerstein Ballroom. Fans, affectionately known as KISSY, lauded the concerts and shared their appreciation for KISS OF LIFE and their ability to connect with the audiences through motivational music and positive messages.
As longtime supporter 19-year-old Kelly Zhu—who traveled from Portland, Oregon—looked upon the Hammerstein Ballroom stage, edging closer to the barricade, she couldn’t suppress her excitement to see the women whose music has been a source of personal inspiration for her.
“I think more so than music, their personalities inspire me a lot more. I do love how motivational their songs are to women and how empowering it can be without heavily catering to male gaze. But they inspire me more as people than the music themselves. Julie and Natty have worked hard for years knowing that they might not even debut and that in itself is extremely motivational to me, they keep pushing even with uncertainty,” Zhu shared.
KISS OF LIFE members stress that their fans are the heart of their effort, and work in earnest to be worthy of such affection. Whenever KISSY tell them that their music has had such a profound effect on their lives, they try their best to continue to share the healing power of music.
“It’s an honor for our fans to feel that way about our music. We are so happy to be able to give a source of comfort to our fans! It’s amazing how powerful music can be, and we are grateful to be in a position to share with the world our artistry. On the other hand, it’s a two-way street, we also get so much healing and comfort from our KISSY and seeing them up close while touring fills us with joy. Hopefully, we can continue to heal each other with our music,” KISS OF LIFE member Julie told amNewYork Metro.
These interactions with fans are not just fleeting moments for KISS OF LIFE, they not only treat each meeting and performance as pivotal parts of their work, but they remember faces in the audience and do their best to make it a positive experience for all.
“At one show, before the concert started, I spotted a fan who looked a little sad, so I thought to myself, ‘I really want to make this fan smile and laugh today.’ I sang my heart out while looking straight at that person throughout the concert and little by little he started to smile more and more. During the encore, that person wrote on their phone screen in Korean and English ‘Today was a rough day for me, thank you so much you were so cute.’ When I saw that I felt such joy welling up inside of me that I almost laughed to the point tears were in my eyes. It really was a special moment, and I was just so glad I could put a smile on that person’s face,” Haneul candidly shared.
KISS OF LIFE’s first world tour has been called a massive success, traveling to 21 cities in just over one month from Nov. 10 and ending on Dec. 13, including Minneapolis, New York, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle. The band tells amNewYork Metro that they try to put out as much positivity as they receive and promise to continue their steadfast efforts.
“We are blessed to have so many KISSYs come and give us so much love and support! The energy we receive each concert gives us so much joy and happiness… we can’t believe we already came halfway through and can’t wait to see the rest of our KISSYs!! Honestly, it feels as if we in reverse are receiving such positive energy that we can’t wait for the rest of the tour,” Julie said.
Since debuting in July 2023, the quartet have been quick to earn the moniker of “Monster Rookies,” thanks to their breakthrough performances and chart-topping music. KISS OF LIFE say they are humbled by this title and are trying their best to live up to it by consistently pushing themselves with every stage.
“We’re so thankful that people recognize us for our stage performance. I’m not sure if we are deserving of the title but we are trying our best to live up to it. Even if it hasn’t been that long since we debuted, we try to give every stage big or small the highest level of professionalism and as much stage presence as we can muster. We work hard to make sure that we give it our all in everything that we do,” Belle said.
In October, KISS OF LIFE released their third mini album, Lose Yourself, and the group has continued to intertwine fun musical hits with their liberating and energetic attitudes.
“We want to share positivity with the world, really letting everyone [know] that they are precious. We want everyone to be confident in themselves while embracing their imperfections. Beauty again is in the eye of the beholder so one person’s imperfection is another’s definition of perfection,” Belle said.
Creating songs that embody a sense of fearlessness has been something they’ve concentrated on since their debut. Their first album included solo songs from each of the members so that audiences can get a sense of who they are as artists and individuals. It has been said that member Natty’s songs “Sugarcoat” alongside the title track “Shhh” were the groundbreaking hits that cemented their fame.
“[What sets us apart from others,] I think it’s because each member has their specific color and strengths. Our energy really derives from the freedom to express ourselves and when you have such high-grade different ingredients it’s impossible for the result not to be good,” Natty said. “We want to continue to work hard in showing the world better and better music and performances, so please look forward to it. We want everyone to walk this journey with us for a long, long time!”
With only three stops left at the Warfield in San Francisco on Dec. 10, at the Moore Theater in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 12, and the Vogue Theater in Vancouver on Dec. 13, KISS OF LIFE says fans can expect a night they will never forget.
“[Fans can expect] The best time of their lives? Kidding. We wanted to make sure we felt as close as possible with our fans while showcasing our vocals. There are a few interesting segments that you’ll just have to watch out for,” Belle said sweetly.
