5 Must-Listen Tracks from ILLIT’s Upcoming Album: A Deep Dive into ‘MAMIHLA-PINATAPAI’

Photo: Belif Lab

[Sports Today reporter Yun Hye-young] K-pop quintet ILLIT is sharpening its sound with a new release aimed at teens and young adults — a direction the group is calling \”ILLIT core.\”

ILLIT (Yuna, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, Iroha) revealed the tracklist for their fourth mini-album, MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, at noon on the 31st via the HYBE Labels YouTube channel. The record features five songs: the title track \”It’s Me,\” plus \”GRWM (Get Ready With Me),\” \”paw, paw!,\” \”Mamihlapinatapai,\” and \”Love, older you.\”

\”It’s Me\” zeroes in on that fraught moment after a first date when both people start wondering how to define the relationship. The song flips that uncertainty into boldness with the refrain, \”I’m your favorite!\” Singer-songwriter youra and producer The Deep co-wrote the lyrics, amplifying ILLIT’s confident charm. youra — praised for her quirky, effervescent lines on the group’s debut single \”NOT CUTE ANYMORE\” — reunites with the members, raising expectations for fresh creative chemistry.

The album broadly reflects the concerns and emotions of ILLIT’s generation. \”GRWM (Get Ready With Me)\” captures intimate moments of sharing bare faces and honest feelings with someone close, while \”paw, paw!\” channels tender affection for a beloved pet — both tracks are positioned to resonate with listeners. \”paw, paw!\” is notable as member Iroha’s first songwriting credit since debut; she drew on personal experience to craft candid, heartfelt lyrics. HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk (\”hitman\” bang) also lent his touch, helping shape the song’s delicate emotional arc and raising its overall polish.

The album is rounded out by \”Mamihlapinatapai,\” a track for young people who have become \”lazy perfectionists\” under the pressure of endless choices and responsibilities, and \”Love, older you,\” a letter to a younger self who struggled and wanted to give up. \”Love, older you\” incorporates the members’ real-life stories, promising a distinct ILLIT sensibility.

The tracklist was presented as a motion poster, a visual that leaves a strong impression. Inspired by a DVD screensaver, the poster shows the album logo drifting across the frame and changing color each time it collides with a wall. The design intuitively conveys ILLIT’s varied concepts and wide musical range, adding momentum to the new release. ILLIT’s fourth mini-album, MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, will be released on April 30.

[Sports Today reporter Yun Hye-young ent@stoo.com]
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