[Edaily Starin Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] "'Mia' is the first K-pop song I’ve ever released as a long-time indie musician in Hongdae."

Electronic music producer KIRARA recently caught the attention of K-pop fans by posting this message on her social media.
“Mia” is a track from “V8,” the first mini-album by V8, a new unit formed by Seventeen members Vernon and D.I. KIRARA, a two-time winner of the “Korean Popular Music Awards,” made her K-pop debut with this track.
Kirara shared her thoughts, saying, “Vernon personally sent me a DM (direct message) to propose a collaboration,” adding, “He was the best client of my life, who personally taught me that I was capable. Thanks to him, my horizons have broadened a bit.”
“V8” is an album centered on the theme of “wasted youth.” It tells stories of wandering, confusion, recovery, and growth through a diverse range of electronic music.
“Mia,” the fourth track on the album, is a solo song by Vernon that explores the themes of wandering and inner turmoil—experiences everyone goes through at least once. Kirara contributed to the composition and arrangement, creating a sound characterized by intuitive synth leads and an addictive beat.
V8 has received critical acclaim for showcasing a different musical style from SEVENTEEN’s music with an album filled with electronic tracks, including “Mia.”
Since its release, K-pop fans have been seeking out Kirara’s previous music, such as “Wish.” This collaboration has brought new attention to an indie musician who previously lacked widespread recognition.
The collaboration between SEVENTEEN’s V8 and Kirara is a prime example of the current trend in the K-pop market, where collaborations between idols and indie and genre-specific musicians are steadily increasing. It is widely observed that a “win-win” structure is taking shape, in which idols broaden their musical spectrum by incorporating the individuality and musicality of indie artists, while indie artists increase their visibility through collaborations with idols who have a global fanbase.

◇Collaboration Strategies for Differentiation
Earlier this May, singer-songwriter Han Roro served as the sole lyricist for “Heavy Serenade,” the title track of the mini-album released by the girl group NMIXX. The collaboration came about after their agency, JYP Entertainment, initiated the proposal.
As K-pop has gone global and songs with English lyrics have become more common, Han Roro’s uniquely literary and lyrical lyrics created synergy with NMIXX’s signature “MIXX POP” style, which pursues a fresh sound by blending two or more genres. The song gained immense popularity, reaching the top ranks of Melon’s Top 100 chart and topping YouTube Music’s “Trending” chart.
While collaborations in the past were primarily centered on guest appearances or project tracks, a notable trend recently has been the increasing involvement of indie musicians from the album production stage onward.
Earlier, the boy group Boy Next Door unveiled “Knock Knock” as a pre-release track from their full-length album *HOME*, released last month, featuring hip-hop artists Phenomeco and Lil Moshfit. Choi Ye-na, a former member of the project girl group IZ*ONE, included “Sticker”—a collaboration with singer-songwriter Yoon Machi—on her mini-album “LOVE CATCHER,” released last March. Yoon Machi has also collaborated with the girl group TWICE and ITZY member Yuna.
An A&R representative from a K-pop agency stated, “The more an idol artist strives for a distinct musical identity, the more actively they seek collaborations with various creators to demonstrate their artistry and uniqueness.” The representative added, “As this approach is receiving positive reviews for breaking away from K-pop stereotypes and expanding the genre’s boundaries, we expect to see more cases where collaborations with indie musicians are actively considered from the album planning stage moving forward.”