Global Girl Group To Launch With Potential Aussie Member

HYBE LABELS, in partnership with Geffen Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, have started a competition to form a brand-new girl group, with the potential for an Australian singer to be part of the band.

HYBE is a South Korean record label, agency and music production company that also takes on event production and concert production, as well as utilising a music publishing house.

Earlier this year, and in 2022, singers and dancers from Australia, the US and UK, South Korea and Japan participated in a global talent search to form a new girl group.

On Tuesday (29 July), HYBE and Geffen will reveal the contestants for their new series, The Debut: Dream Academy, which will premiere on YouTube on Friday, 1 September. As the show goes on, we’ll see the finalised girl group, maybe with an Australian member.

Korea JoongAng Daily reports that the show will take place in the US and be filmed over 12 weeks.

Bang Si-hyuk, Founder and Chairman of HYBE, said to John Janick, Chairman and CEO of Geffen, in a recent YouTube clip, “I’ve always had a dream to give talented young people the opportunity to become a member of a remarkable group that is created based on K-pop”.

Bang says, “based on K-pop”, as this upcoming girl group has to be pop but more mainstream than K-pop already out there. According to Bang, the band “have to be targeted to the American market”.

In a press release, HYBE noted that “It’s time to use the K-pop production system overseas to find new talents across the globe. This is what makes The Debut: Dream Academy meaningful.”

A teaser video posted by HYBE stars some of its already-signed artists, including the girl group LE SSERAFIM, pictured above.

The band said, “I’m sure they’re excited but nervous at the same time with a big challenge. The more challenges you face, the more worries you’ll have. But we think the most important thing is to have fun.”

You can “enrol” in the Dream Academy here and watch HYBE’s teaser video below.