Stray Kids Announces Global Rush with 4th Studio Album 'KARMA'

The group Stray Kids announced on the 22nd that they are embarking on a new challenge in the global music market with the release of their 4th studio album 'KARMA'. At a press conference held in Yeouido, Seoul, they expressed strong confidence, stating, "This is an album we made with great effort."

Stray Kids shared their thoughts on the title track 'CEREMONY', saying, "As soon as I heard it, I thought, 'This is a song that will work.' Our goal is to introduce another color of Stray Kids to the world."

'KARMA' is the first regular album released by Stray Kids in about 2 years and 2 months since their 3rd album '★★★★★' (Five Star) released in June 2023. The members have captured their growth story in the album, having forged their own path without wavering amidst external scrutiny and internal conflicts.

Changbin introduced the album by saying, "I wanted to release an album that deals with the positive meaning of karma, which is the fruit of the achievements and efforts we have made together with STAY so far." He reflected on the past eight years, stating, "I am so grateful for this moment and have received so much love that it feels unbelievable." He also added, "In the early days, I had many doubts about whether the music we were making was right, but thanks to the trust of the members and STAY, I was able to work hard with confidence. We overcame adversity, and a dream-like moment has come."

This album includes a total of 11 tracks, including the title track 'CEREMONY', 'Bichuri', 'CREED', 'Mess', 'In My Head', and 'Twist'.

'CEREMONY' is a song that harmonizes intense trap EDM with Bailey funk rhythms, powerful beats, and addictive hooks. It contains themes of celebrating success achieved by overcoming adversity, and the in-house producing team '3RACHA' (Bang Chan, Changbin, Han) participated in the lyrics and composition. Notably, the music video, shot with various sports concepts, features e-sports superstar 'Faker' making a surprise appearance, drawing attention.

Seungmin explained, "We thought of the sports concept because all eight members are doing their best in their respective positions, just like in a soccer or baseball game, while heading towards the same goal." He added, "The way each of us perfectly embodies our assigned positions while running towards victory feels like a relay race."

The members shared, "Through the lyrics 'Take my award like a bouquet / Look, my two hands are full... I don't know how far we'll go / It's always noisy around us,' we cleverly expressed our confidence and ambition."

Stray Kids has achieved great success in the overseas market, recording 6 consecutive albums at number one on the 'Billboard 200'. If they reach the top of the 'Billboard 200' with this 4th album, they will set a record for the most number one albums in K-pop history with 7, surpassing BTS.

Stray Kids' 'KARMA' is set to compete on the 'Billboard 200' chart against the Netflix animated series 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' OST and country star Morgan Wallen's 'I'm The Problem'.

Hyunjin responded to a question about the Billboard record, saying, "While records are important, what matters more is that we enjoy making music and albums together." He added, "We want to live as Stray Kids who are crazy about music, and we will humbly accept the results in the future."

Stray Kids met with fans through their world tour 'dominATE', which lasted 11 months from August last year, covering 34 regions and 54 performances worldwide. They set a record as the first K-pop group to perform at 13 major venues around the world, including the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Changbin revealed that he captured the emotional moment of performing at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where soccer player Son Heung-min played, on video, while Seungmin, a baseball fan, shared a story about buying a jersey at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, where Lee Jung-hoo is affiliated. The members recalled, "It was a precious and meaningful tour where various cultures were connected through music."

Hyunjin said, "It was my first time performing at a stadium, so I practiced with a nervous heart," and added, "I felt grateful seeing the eyes of STAY in such a large stadium, and I thought I must work hard on stage." He also seriously mentioned, "I will remember the eyes of STAY that I saw during this stadium performance until the day I die."

Finally, Han expressed, "Stray Kids has grown from 'branches' to a 'deep-rooted' sturdy tree," and added, "We have become adults and cool beings. I want to continue to be active together for a long time and love the members."