aespa Admits They're "AI" On Stage—But Get Real About Idol Life Ahead of Lollapalooza

When Giselle was asked how she'd explain aespa's whole concept to someone hearing the group for the first time, she simply said: "We're not real, we're AI." She laughed it off — but by the back half of the interview, the conversation swung in the complete opposite direction. She admitted that being an idol "feels very unreal, it goes against a lot of things I believe in," and that trying to stay honest is the hardest part of the job. That contrast says more about where aespa is right now than any press line ever could.

The interview took place the morning before their show, with Karina, Winter, Giselle, and Ningning speaking makeup-free in a hotel suite. It marked aespa's first time performing at Lollapalooza Chicago, and only their fourth appearance at a major U.S. music festival. That year's festival was thrown off schedule by heavy rain and flooding at Grant Park, forcing Lil Uzi Vert's set to be cancelled last minute. The four members braved the rain to catch Smashing Pumpkins the day before, and made it in time for the tail end of Charli xcx's set — Ningning shared that a tall guy blocking her view not only moved once he noticed, but gave her his wristband too.

This U.S. trip also marks a milestone for aespa since their 2020 debut with "Black Mamba" under SM Entertainment — they're now on their second full studio album, "Lemonade." Released in late May, the ten-track album will make up most of their Lollapalooza setlist the following day, with a surprise collaboration performance planned alongside Ty Dolla $ign. Giselle named "Camouflage" as her favorite, revealing she used a bit of "baby voice" while recording it. Karina's pick is "My Plan," and she pointed out how the track's sound design mimics the mechanical ticks of a wind-up doll.

Ahead Of A Rainy Stage, Here's The Song That Actually Scares Them

Choreography is what actually makes the four of them nervous. "Switchblade" is heavy on footwork, and Giselle worried performing it in the rain could go badly — but Karina is actually most excited for that one, saying it brings the best energy live. Her concern instead is "Black Mamba," which includes a floor sequence she can't imagine doing soaking wet. Winter, on the other hand, is looking forward to performing their debut track again, but like Ningning, she's dreading "Hold On Tight" — this performance version has been cut to a faster tempo, and both mentioned their fear of "falling and becoming a meme."

When it comes to music taste, Giselle shared she's recently been obsessed with digicore artist zayok, and even met up with him in LA once. Before shows, she pumps herself up with old Young Thug tracks and the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind." Karina leans toward R&B and jazz, but switches to wordless classical music before and after performances to calm herself down. Ningning said she's been replaying Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles" on repeat lately — for a very simple reason: she just finished watching "White Chicks." Their pre-stage rituals aren't anything dramatic either. Giselle and Ningning like to put on music and dance to warm up, and this time they were even discussing whether to have a drink together before going on. Karina, meanwhile, needs to keep her energy up while performing, but privately unwinds by reading to quiet her mind.

Asked about the best and hardest parts of being an idol, the four gave answers that neither overlapped nor softened each other. Winter said the hardest part is delivering results on stage — but that it's also the happiest part, because performing itself brings a kind of self-fulfillment. Karina admitted that early on, the hardest thing was that the group's music wasn't always exactly her personal taste, though she's slowly found her balance with it now. Ningning said her biggest struggle is letting the audience see who she really is. Giselle echoed that sentiment, saying being an idol is fundamentally "unreal" — and that staying honest within that role is the hardest lesson of all.