EXO member Lay expanded his activities behind the scenes, taking on the role of producer for the seven-member boy group NouerA.
According to an exclusive report by TenAsia on February 10th, Lay has teamed up with NouerA, a group that debuted last year. Industry insiders say the collaboration was a strategic decision aimed at further strengthening NouerA’s global presence. Drawing on his years of experience as an artist, Lay participated as the chief producer and director, overseeing the overall production and creative direction of the group’s upcoming release.
Through this collaboration, NouerA aims to broaden its global musical spectrum while maintaining the group’s distinct identity. The members plan to showcase new music and performances that reflect both their original color and an expanded artistic vision shaped by Lay’s influence.
Lay has steadily built his reputation as a producer. Last year, he was involved in producing music for the girl group R.E.D, honing his production capabilities, and this year, he has extended his work to boy groups as well. On February 10th, NouerA announced their comeback by unveiling new content on their official social media channels, along with news of an upcoming mini album. Expectations have risen as the group teased a side of themselves not previously shown, further amplified by news of their collaboration with Lay.
Although Lay, who holds Chinese nationality, has been relatively inactive in Korea in recent years, he returned last month with EXO after a hiatus of two and a half years, receiving an enthusiastic response from fans. However, he previously surprised fans in December by announcing his absence from an EXO fan meeting on the day of the event. EXO recently made a comeback with their eighth full-length album, led by the title track “Crown,” which achieved five wins on music shows.
NouerA, who chose to collaborate with Lay, has attracted international attention even before their official debut. The group was invited to the Billboard No.1s Party held in Los Angeles, marking their first appearance in front of global music industry figures. They were later selected as a “2025 K-pop Rookie” by Billboard and Billboard Korea, demonstrating strong pre-debut buzz.
NouerA officially debuted in February last year with their first album 'Chapter: New is Now,' which recorded approximately 160,000 copies in first-week sales and around 180,000–190,000 copies in cumulative sales, signaling a solid start. Their second mini album, 'n: number of Cases,' released in June, surpassed 200,000 copies in first-week sales, setting a new personal record for the group.
Formed by Nouer Entertainment, NouerA is a global idol group consisting of four Korean members, two Chinese members, and one Japanese member. Last year, Nouer Entertainment, artists Zhou Anxin and Zhang Jiahao gained recognition after appearing on Mnet’s 'Boys Planet 2' and debuting as part of the project group ALPHA DRIVE ONE.
Now entering their second year since debut under the title of “global rookies,” NouerA is set to make their comeback on March 9th.
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