Gen Z representative group ARrC, known for their experimental sound, expressed their gratitude and admiration after working alongside their senior labelmates Billlie as if they were one team.
ARrC’s second single, “CTRL+ALT+SKIID,” features the track “Wow (Way of Winning),” which drew attention for including Billlie members Moon Sua and Siyoon not only as vocalists but also as lyricists.
During a recent interview held at Mystic Story’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, ARrC (Andy, Choi Han, Doha, Hyunmin, Jibin, Kkien, and Rioto) revealed, “We were the ones who first proposed the collaboration to our seniors, Billlie.”
Hyunmin explained, “When I first heard ‘Wow,’ I thought it would be great to collaborate. Billlie are artists who, like us, are passionate about music and constantly pursue change. We reached out to them, and they gladly accepted — that’s how the project came together.”
He continued, “Visually, it looked refreshing, and musically, the song became even richer. The synergy brought out some really fun and striking scenes, both performance-wise and visually, so I’m really excited for everyone to see it.”
Not only did Moon Sua and Siyoon participate in the vocals and lyrics, but their chemistry with ARrC in the concept photos gave the project a complete, team-like feel.
Hyunmin shared, “While preparing the content, the Billlie members gave us lots of ideas like, ‘Let’s try this facial expression,’ or ‘How about we make a moment where we look at each other?’ They really helped us relax. Even during monitoring, they constantly offered feedback and creative input — every moment on set was a learning experience.”
Billlie, who debuted in December 2021, are about three years senior to ARrC, who debuted in August 2023. Despite the age and experience gap, the collaboration process was smooth.
Rioto said, “At first, it felt a little awkward, but they quickly made the atmosphere comfortable. Thanks to that, both practice and filming went really well.”
Choi Han added, “I’m usually shy, so in the beginning, I was just quietly practicing in the back. But when the Billlie members suggested ideas and asked for my thoughts, it naturally opened up conversation. From then on, we weren’t awkward at all, and we worked really hard to create something great together.”
When asked what made them feel Billlie’s involvement was necessary, Choi Han explained, “When I first heard the demo, the refined yet teasing rap tone stood out. Our rap line could’ve handled it, but I thought having a different voice in the mix would make it even more captivating.”
For ARrC, “Wow” marked their first-ever collaboration with another artist. Hyunmin reflected, “When we practice alone, we have our own system and rhythm. But practicing with another artist for the first time, especially with Billlie, gave us new insights. We learned from how they approach rehearsals and hope to apply those lessons to improve our own process.”
On the difference in rehearsal styles between the two groups, Hyunmin smiled and said, “When we make mistakes, we usually just laugh it off like, ‘It happens.’ But Billlie would say, ‘It’s okay, love you!’ even when someone messed up. That kind of warmth — encouraging each other with love — was really something we learned from.”
As Mystic Story’s first boy group and the company’s first new act in about two years and eight months since Billlie’s debut, ARrC has long received attention and support from their seniors.
Doha shared, “Since our debut, the Billlie members have often watched our performances and given feedback — like how we looked too stiff or weren’t showing our color well on stage. Now that we’ve actually collaborated with them on ‘Wow,’ we want to take their advice and show how much we’ve grown.”
Both ARrC and Billlie share a reputation for pushing boundaries through experimental music and performance, earning recognition as “icons of Gen Z.” Asked how they hoped the public would respond to this unique collaboration, Choi Han said, “While our sound is experimental, we still aim to make it understandable to the public. I hope people can relate to the lyrics and find our blend of hip-hop and diverse genres refreshing and addictive. I’d love for listeners to appreciate those new attempts.”
After their successful collaboration with Billlie, ARrC also revealed their ambitious dream of someday working with legendary British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney.
Hyunmin said, “Just as BTS collaborated with Coldplay on ‘My Universe,’ both artists delivered positive influence to the world through music. Seeing that synergy was inspiring. I think if we ever got the chance to work with someone like Paul McCartney, merging his musical philosophy with ARrC’s message could create something truly special.”
He continued passionately, “His music carries the message that ‘love can solve everything.’ There’s too much hatred in the world today, but he reminds us that love and compassion can lead humanity in a better direction. We also want our music to comfort people and spread that same message — that love can heal and change the world for the better.”
SEE ALSO: ARrC releases music video for latest title track "SKIID"
SHARE
