Following a long break, K-pop girl group Billlie makes their return with “Cloud Palace.” The single serves as the lead-in to their upcoming album, The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter Two. The seven-member group is known for using their music and videos to build their narrative universe. Asia Blooming sat down with Billlie to learn more about where they’ll be taking their music in this next chapter.
“We took time to fully understand and organize the emotions and message this song carries,” Moon Sua started. “We tried to stay true to what makes us truly ‘Billlie’ while showing who we are now.” Tsuki later added, “I think the biggest growth lies in how much we got to understand about Billlie. Back then, it was more about the process of searching for what belonged to Billlie. Now, we can make our own choices in what story to tell and why. Musically, we have also learned how to convey our emotions with more depth and to utilize the atmosphere from negative space, and I believe that added to solidifying Billlie’s identity.” Four years into their career, Billie continues to explore and shape their unique musical identity.
This upcoming album continues the story that began almost four years ago in 2022, when Billlie released The Collective Soul and Unconscious: Chapter One. “Rather than introducing the next chapter, I see this song as a door leading to it,” Haram shared. “If the first chapter was a record of asking questions and searching for answers, I think now is the time to look back at those questions again. Those initial emotions and themes are still alive, and I feel that we can now relate to and interpret them more deeply through Billlie’s current perspective.”
“Cloud Palace” showcases Billlie’s light, airy vocals, creating a dreamy yet subtly unsettling atmosphere. The group’s approach to the song was to “express the emotion that exists between dreams and reality,” said Moon Sua. As this song comes after a long break, Siyoon shared, “The story captures the realization that all the time we spent wandering was ultimately a process of moving forward.” Haram added, “At the end of Billlie’s long story, we finally become aware of ourselves. The realization that the place we’d been searching for until now was actually within us felt like it allowed us to show who Billlie truly is right now, in the most honest way.”
Now Billlie is excited to show the world their new style. “With the experience and depth we’ve built over the years, we’re going to make our next album as exciting and impactful as possible,” Suhyeon shared. From the music to the videos and the overall story the group is trying to tell, the group aims to weave everything together in a complete package for listeners to unravel and enjoy. Ultimately, the group hopes for listeners to not only enjoy their new music, but to walk away thinking, “What stories will Billlie tell next?”
