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Exclusive Interview: Beyond the Spotlight: X:IN Gets Real About Growth & Vulnerability
- Rosa Gulliver
- Jun 15
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 17
Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | June 16, 2025
Modified September 17, 2025
After a year of quiet transition and bold preparation, multinational girl group X:IN makes a powerful return with their new mini-album Defend Myself. This release not only marks their first comeback in 2025, but also their debut under new agency BeBy Entertainment.
Emerging in 2023 as one of the most internationally diverse acts in the K-pop landscape, X:IN quickly made waves with their fierce stage presence and unique global appeal. The five-member group comprising of E.sha, Nova, Nizz, Hannah, and Aria embody a cross-cultural blend of backgrounds and talents, setting them apart in both sound and identity.
Now under the direction of BeBy Entertainment, X:IN has embraced a more self-reflective and experimental approach. Their new album Defend Myself tackles themes of inner conflict, identity, and empowerment, showcasing a matured artistry that signals their readiness to not just return, but redefine their place in the industry.
In this exclusive interview with TINYgMUSIC, X:IN opens up about the challenges behind their comeback, the creative process under a new label, and what fans can expect as they continue to evolve on their own terms.
Firstly, congratulations on the release of your third mini album. How does it feel to come back with Defend Myself?
I'm so nervous and excited because it's our comeback after such a long time. I hope the fans like it as much as we've prepared for it!
- E.sha
The title track, “Attention Seeker,” touches on the paradox of craving and fearing attention. How do each of you personally relate to this theme?
This song contains the story of our lives as seen by others and the various emotions we feel in our lives behind the scenes. It is a precious song that directly reflects our experiences.
- Nizz
What was the most emotionally challenging track to record on this mini-album, and why?
“Bitter Love.” My part in the bridge of the song comes out when everything else gets quieter and you can clearly hear my isolated vocals. Since I’ve never been in a similar situation like in the song, it was a little hard for me to imagine me being in that position and sing with those emotions.
- Aria
“Almost Done” feels like a deeply personal closing to the album. How did you collectively
shape its message, and what does “I’m almost there” mean to you now?
First, our producer explained the overall meaning of the song. “Almost Done” represents the idea that we’re almost there—working hard and getting closer to achieving our goals. He wanted the song to reflect each of our personal stories and the journey that brought us to this “almost done” point. He also envisioned the song being mostly in English. So, Nova and Aria wrote their parts directly in English. For the Korean members, E.Sha and Hannah, they first wrote the phrases they wanted to include in Korean. Then, to help bring those messages into the song, Nova and Aria translated and adapted them into English lyrics.
- Nova
The album explores inner conflict, identity, and survival. Were there any moments during its creation where you felt particularly vulnerable or empowered?
While preparing this album, I looked back on my inner feelings and stories that I had not been honest with, and I think I decided to look after myself better and found more courage.
- Hannah
How did your creative process differ this time compared to your first two mini-albums?
Previously I focused on choreography for B-side tracks. This time, I had the opportunity to participate on the title track's choreography. I participated with the mindset that I had to do better, and I think I put a lot of effort into the key choreography. Also, I participated in writing lyrics for the song “Almost Done” for the first time, and it was a really fun process, and I think it led to the creation of a more meaningful song.
- E.sha
Was there a specific moment when you realised you wanted to move beyond the “idol” label and be seen as “real artists”? What triggered that realisation?
This time, when I wrote the lyrics myself and participated directly in producing the album, I thought that I should give more opinions and participate because I thought that I would be able to express the message I wanted to express more clearly.
- Nizz
Are there any TMIs or memorable moments that happened during the album preparation, song recording, music video filming? What has been your favourite memory from the Defend Myself preparations?
One of the most memorable moments while creating our new album was recording “수리수리마하수리 수수리 사바하 (SABAHA).” The laughter at the end wasn’t originally part of the song, but the idea suddenly came to us, and our producer loved it! In the recording room, we all took turns trying different kinds of laughs, and we even convinced our CEO and producer, Control X, to do a classic horror movie laugh. To match the song’s crazy, spooky vibe, we also came up with the most ridiculous and fun ending moves for the choreography. It was such a creative and hilarious experience!
- Nova
“수리수리마하수리 수수리 사바하 (SABAHA)” is one of the most sonically adventurous tracks you've released. How did the concept of “spelling love” with occultish energy come about?
At first, the PD explained the concept of Sabah, and we had a good response and thought it would be really fun, so we did it.
- Hannah
In “Bitter Love,” there’s a quiet tension between pride and affection. Was this based on any personal experiences or emotions you’ve carried?
This is not a personal experience, but something I wrote while imagining myself as the main character of the song~
- Nizz
If you could each choose one lyric from the album that resonates most with your personal
journey, what would it be, and why?
I would say “to the top, gotta race, no more time for no tears” as I've always looked straight ahead of what's in front of me and pushed myself forward despite my inner conflicts worries and lack of confidence.
- Aria
We can see that this album is thought-provoking. Which lyrics from any of the songs is your favourite or hit you the hardest?
In the track “Almost Done,” there is a lyric in my part that goes ‘This is why I dream big, hope one day I’ll become someone else dream.’ When I first heard the theme of this song, I really wanted to say that I used to dream of becoming an idol while watching someone, but now I want to dream bigger so that someone can see me and dream of becoming an idol.
- E.sha
This album reveals a more honest and raw version of X:IN. How do you balance maintaining a public image with expressing your true selves?
We always try to stay true to ourselves while understanding the responsibility that comes with being in the public eye. As artists, expressing who we are is a big part of what we do. It’s all about finding a balance between being genuine and staying mindful and thankful to the people who support us.
- Nova
What message do you hope for listeners to pick up from the album?
Defend Myself has the meaning of protecting oneself in difficult situations, so I hope that the public will listen to our song and gain strength no matter what difficult situation they are in.
- Hannah
How do you support each other when navigating the emotional highs and lows of fame, especially when dealing with public scrutiny?
All of us have similar mindsets and we always try to keep our focus on the brighter side and the positives instead of the negatives, helping us to keep doing our thing the way we want while also taking constructive criticisms into account.
- Aria
What do you hope your fans take away from Defend Myself, emotionally or personally?
I hope you feel supported. Even if you go through difficult times, you can do it in the end. I hope you don't lose yourself in the meantime, believe in yourself, and go all the way.
- E.sha
Which track on the album do you think is closest to your music taste?
"Bitter Love," it's the most emotional song in this album, so I think it suits my taste
- Nizz
Among the four album tracks, which is your favourite and why?
My favourite track would probably be “Almost Done,” as most of the lyrics were written by our members. I personally included my own story in the rap part, so it definitely holds a special meaning for me.
- Nova
How would you describe this comeback in one word or phrase?
I would like to express it as the brain because all of our emotions are felt and start from the brain.
- Hannah
With everything you have experienced so far, how would you describe the “you” that is developing and growing right now?
Right now I feel like I'm more mature, and developing a better sense of understanding of my work and have more clarity on what I want to do moving forward.
- Aria
With Defend Myself as a turning point, where do you see X:IN heading next musically and
artistically?
Starting with this album, I want to continue to participate in the various aspects of the album-making process and establish our own unique colour. In that sense, I think I grew another level while preparing and promoting this album.
If you could send a message to your past selves, back when you debuted, what would you say, now that you’ve come this far?
Congratulations on your debut, Soojung~ I hope that even after debuting, you won't forget your purpose and will become a person who works hard and has fun doing what you want to do. Don't settle, but always keep growing, you've worked so hard, and I hope you will create more happy moments with your fans in the future~♥
- Nizz
Is there anything we should expect from X:IN in the future, perhaps a full album, maybe a tour or other activities?
Unfortunately, we can’t reveal any specific plans just yet, we don’t want to spoil anything! But we promise there will be plenty of amazing memories and opportunities to meet our fans, both in South Korea and around the world.
- Nova
About X:IN
X:IN is a five-member multinational girl group that debuted with the digital single “KEEPING THE FIRE” on April 11, 2023. Prior to their debut, the group introduced themselves with the pre-release single “Who am I” on March 12, 2023. Just four months later, they made a comeback with their first mini-album SYNCHRONICITY on August 30, 2023. Since then, the group has released their second mini-album THE REAL, a 2024 rock version of their debut track “KEEPING THE FIRE,” and the digital single “ACHA%.” In October 2024, X:IN collaborated with Russian singer TSOY on the single “Seoul - Moskva,” featuring lyrics in Russian, English, and Korean—a first-of-its-kind release in K-pop.
X:IN, short for EXIN, comes from a Latin word that means 'furthermore.' The 'X' stands for an unknown variable, a mathematical concept, symbolising the group's goal to explore endless possibilities in music and performance. The group consists of Korean members E.sha, Nizz, and Hannah, alongside Russian member Nova and Indian member Aria. Notably, X:IN is one of the first K-pop groups to include an Indian member, with Aria also being the first K-pop idol from Kerala.
Keep up with X:IN
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