In Aespa’s new music video for “Lemonade”—the title track on their second studio album, out today—the K-pop girl group swaps its signature Y3K aesthetic for mod fashion.
The colorful shift dresses, bouffant hair, and clustered eyelashes will strike fans as a major break from the sleek, Matrix-like image that Karina, Giselle, Winter, and NingNing have cultivated since their 2020 debut. But the change reflects an evolution in Aespa’s style across the board.
“I think a lot of people know Aespa and love us for our sharp and futuristic sound,” leader Karina tells Vogue. “But with Lemonade, we wanted to push that feeling even further. We’ve been calling it a more ‘sour’ version of Aespa—still very much us, but with a stronger, more electrifying flavor.”
Aespa’s artist visual team explains that the inspiration behind the 1950s-esque fashion came directly from the lead song’s retro feel and the parallel worlds portrayed in the video. (This, after all, is a group that loves a strong narrative concept.) But in other ways, “Lemonade” is a quintessential Aespa track—a catchy anthem for self-empowerment along the lines of prior hits like “Rich Man” and “Whiplash.”
“I think Lemonade is really about not letting outside noise affect you too much,” Giselle says. “No matter how chaotic things get, it’s about staying true to yourself and moving forward with confidence. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
The messaging suits a girl group that seems to be constantly leveling up. Just this month, Karina and NingNing made their Met Gala debuts; and this summer, Aespa will play Lollapalooza, marking another major milestone.
“We’re preparing something special that fans will be seeing for the first time there,” Winter says, teasing their festival set. “We’re really excited about it and can’t wait to share that moment with everyone in Chicago.”
Shortly after playing Lolla, the group will be off to Seoul to launch their next world tour, called Synk: Complaexity. The members will return to the United States in the fall, playing arenas across the country.
“We’re preparing a lot of new performances and different sides of Aespa that we haven’t shown before,” NingNing says. “The production and visuals are also on a bigger scale this time, so I’m really excited for everyone to finally experience it and see what we’ve been working on.”
See exclusive images from the making of Aespa’s “Lemonade” video below.
