Since their debut, Billlie have built a reputation as one of K-pop’s most conceptually driven acts – a group whose music, visuals, and narratives are stitched together across chapters rather than confined to single releases.

Formed in 2021 under MYSTIC STORY, the seven-member group have steadily built a reputation for ambitious world-building across their releases, balancing experimental pop with emotionally driven songwriting. Since debuting, their work has often leaned into surreal imagery and layered storytelling – the Billlie-verse – as a way of inviting listeners into an expanding universe where meaning is uncovered gradually rather than explained outright. It is an approach that has defined Billlie’s identity from the start, but one that also demands constant evolution.

cloud palace ~ false awakening, their latest pre-release single, arrives as a deliberate shift in how that storytelling is expressed. Rather than pushing the narrative outward, the release turns inward. It feels less like a dramatic opening statement and more like a moment of self-recognition – the point at which searching gives way to confronting what has already been there. As a bridge to their next album, cloud palace ~ false awakening functions as a sharpening of their focus.

Across the members’ reflections, a shared language emerges: honesty, incompleteness, and acceptance. The “false awakening” referenced in the title is framed as a necessary stage of growth. For Billlie, waking up does not mean arriving at clarity all at once. It means recognising that certainty can be misleading, and that uncertainty still holds value. The pre-release single invites listeners to pause rather than rush forward, offering space to acknowledge those emotions that are unresolved or unnamed.

That mindset extends to how the group speaks about their future. While cloud palace opens the door to what comes next, the members are careful in how they define the next chapter, describing a deepening of emotional detail and a more refined expression of feeling – music shaped by time, experience, and accumulated reflection. There’s a confidence built in trusting that Billlie’s identity is strong enough to hold change.

Years of touring and performing internationally have reinforced that belief. Through their Our FLOWERLD (Belllie’ve You) world tour – which spanned multiple legs across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania – the group learned that meaning is not fixed; it shifts with each audience, each room, each exchange of energy. Those experiences have clarified why they continue to build this world in the first place – not to perfect a concept, but to create connection.

Looking ahead, Billlie resists defining success through visibility alone. What matters more is continuity: the ability to keep making music with sincerity, to let their story unfold naturally, and to be remembered not just for moments, but for the emotional through-line that connects them.

If this new chapter marks anything, it is the moment Billlie steps forward with clearer self-awareness – not fully awake, perhaps, but awake enough to move honestly into what comes next.

“cloud palace ~ false awakening” feels like the start of something new. What kind of story or mood do you think this song opens for the next chapter of Billlie?

MOON SUA cloud palace ~ false awakening feels like a single that opens the door to a moment of finally facing yourself, after a long period of searching. The title track, “cloud palace,” brings together the emotions that had been wandering throughout the “palace” series and leads to the realization that the answer was within us all along. I think the song conveys that, in the next chapter, Billlie emerges from the fog and breaks free from the rules that once confined us, stepping forward on our own.

TSUKI “cloud palace” tells Billlie’s true story that had been hidden deep within the subconscious. The “false awakening” we encounter in the blurred space between dreams and reality may be incomplete, but because of that, it becomes a moment where more honest emotions and our true selves can surface. From here on, we will express Billlie-verse more clearly and honestly, both in storytelling and in music, and I think this track marks the beginning of that journey.

You first performed “cloud palace” at your fan meeting before it was officially released. How did fans’ reactions affect how you now think about this song and what comes next?

MOON SUA Since we revealed the song before its official release, I think some fans felt a little unfamiliar with it at first. But at the same time, I could really feel how closely they were listening. Because they already understood the flow of the “palace” series so well, they seemed to receive it with genuine curiosity and interest. To me, it felt like a gift we were sharing with fans who had waited for us such a long time, and because of their reactions, the song still feels especially dear to me.

SIYOON When we played it for them the first time, I could see a bit of surprise on their faces. Since this song carries a mood we hadn’t shown before, I could tell our fans were both excited and curious at the same time. “cloud palace” is a song we prepared for our fandom, Belllie’ve, so we really wanted them to hear it first. Sharing that moment and this song felt like a way of giving them an early glimpse into the kinds of stories Billlie will be telling next.

The title talks about dreams and waking up. What does “false awakening” mean to you right now, as artists entering a new phase?

MOON SUA “false awakening” goes beyond simply describing the boundary between dreams and reality, as it represents a moment of looking more deeply into oneself. I used to think I knew myself well, but as time passed, I realized that wasn’t entirely true. Still, I see that type of realization itself as another step of growth. This album reflects Billlie’s journey so far and who we are right now, as well as the result of accepting everything as it is and capturing our most honest state without filtering anything out. More than anything, we wanted to convey the message that because we’re not complete yet, we still have room to keep moving forward.

HARAM To me, “false awakening” feels like a phrase that makes you stop and reassess yourself. You may feel awake, but in reality, you’re not fully awake yet, which also means that there are still emotions and possibilities you haven’t discovered. Rather than being a bold declaration of “this is the beginning,” this song feels like a quiet acknowledgment of where Billlie stands right now. It’s also our response and promise to Belllie’ve, who have been waiting for us in the same place all this time. In addition, it carries our desire to unfold the next chapter of our story with even more honesty.

If this song is a key to the next album, what do you think it unlocks emotionally for listeners? (Not musically, but in terms of feeling or mindset.)

SUHYEON I hope this song can be a key that lets you pause for a moment and look into your own heart, rather than being a key that gives you all the answers. I wish this song allowed a moment where you don’t deny your confusion, but gently acknowledge where you are standing now. What we want to say through this song is that it’s okay not to have your emotions perfectly sorted out. I hope listeners can feel that simply facing those feelings is already a step forward.

TSUKI For me, this title track feels less like a key and more like a door that opens up space for listeners to take out their own honest stories. Music has the power to quietly reach someone’s heart and help them take a breath. I hope that, at least while listening to this song, people can accept their situation and emotions just as they are, and find a small sense of comfort or courage within that moment.

When fans hear your next full release, what do you hope feels new, and what do you hope still feels very “Billlie”?

SHEON I hope that when people listen to our next album, they feel that the emotional texture has become more delicate than before. Rather than it simply feeling like the mood has changed, we want the next album to naturally convey the time we’ve gone through to arrive where we are now. I think each track’s emotions and messages feel more honest and deeper, so I hope listeners feel like they’re naturally following Billlie’s journey through time.

HARUNA At the same time, I hope it still feels unmistakably ‘Billlie’ in the sense that there’s no correct way for music. We want to leave room for listeners to understand it in their own way, depending on their experiences and emotions, while keeping the sincerity within the music unchanged. Even as we try new things, I believe Billlie’s tone and honesty in how we approach emotions will continue to flow naturally into the next album as well.

Billlie is known for strong concepts. How do you make sure the concept always supports the music, not the other way around?

HARAM Whenever we prepare an album, the very first standard we set is always the music. Instead of starting with a story or concept, we try to fully understand the emotions and messages within the songs themselves. We believe that once we have a deep grasp of those emotions and messages, the concept naturally follows as something that explains and expands the music.

SIYOON During practice, we share a lot of our own emotions or interpretations from listening to the songs. Even when we listen to the same track, each member can sense a slightly different mood, so sharing each member’s perspectives really helps us find balance. After we align on the emotional core and atmosphere of the music, we add the stage aspects and story on top of that. That way, everything can lead to highlighting each other. As a team, we always try to keep the balance for music, concept, and story to flow together naturally as one.

After releasing many connected albums, do you feel more confident trying new things, or more careful about protecting Billlie’s identity? How do you balance the two?

MOON SUA This feels like a question we’ll probably keep thinking about and working through going forward. We’re always considering how to show something new while still preserving Billlie’s identity at the core. But one thing I can promise is that no matter what genre we take on, I’m confident we can always express it in a way that feels unmistakably Billlie, and that is our biggest confidence right now.

SIYOON Honestly, I believe that we can fully show either way through our own style and color. I think we’ve already shared many sides of ourselves, but there are still so many stories we want to tell and sides we want to show. We want to be even more ambitious and continue to challenge ourselves with new attempts, while also steadily carrying forward Billlie’s unique stories.

You’ve performed in many different countries. What have live audiences taught you that studio work alone cannot?

HARUNA While performing live, the thought that stayed with me the most was that the energy on stage is never something I can complete on my own. Even with the same song, the stage takes on a completely different atmosphere depending on the audience’s energy, expressions, and reactions. As I sense and respond to those momentary signals, I learned that music isn’t just something you present, but something you create together. While learning musical precision in the studio, on stage, I realized that a performance only truly comes to life when the sincerity of the artist meets that of the audience.

SUHYEON Meeting audiences in different countries made me realize that even if our languages and cultures are different, the moments when emotions connect are always similar. There are times when the audience might not fully understand our exact words, but a single expression on their face or a small reaction can actually make me focus more and remind me why I sing in the first place. I see live stages as spaces where we share energy with the audience. I believe that each of those precious stages and experiences helps make Billlie’s music and performances even stronger.

Over time, artists often change how they define “success.” What does success mean to you now, compared to when you first debuted?

SHEON When we first debuted, I believed that simply standing on stage was already a form of success. But now, rather than focusing on how much I gain, I think more about how I can continue to grow and how I can shape my own musicality and individuality. As time passes, my personal values in music have gradually taken form, and if I can share those values with others and enjoy that process together, I think that’s when I’ll be able to say to myself, “I’ve succeeded.”

SUHYEON Early in our debut days, I thought success meant becoming well-known and receiving a lot of love. But as time went by, the definition of success now feels less like fame and more like how long I can continue doing what I truly love. If I can keep working on music while genuinely enjoying it with sincerity, and stand on stage healthily and steadily for a long time, then I think that alone already counts as success.

Through shows like KPOPPED, you worked with global artists from different genres. Did those experiences change what you want to try next as a group?

TSUKI Preparing a stage with international artists for the first time through KPOPPED, I felt that the whole process of creating a performance, including how songs were interpreted and how the main focus was decided, was very different from what I was used to. I kept thinking, “Wow, you can think about things this way too,” and I learned so much from that. Seeing the stage we thought and created together gave me a lot of confidence as well. Knowing that we’re receiving so much love from the global audience, this experience made me want to grow even more and challenge myself in a wider range of shows and fields.

SIYOON Working alongside so many artists really made me realize, firsthand, how many interpretations and forms of expression exist even within the genre of K-pop. Because of that, when I think about collaborations or new challenges now, I focus less on the boundaries of genre and more on what we genuinely want to do in that moment. Moving forward, we want to continue protecting Billlie’s unique color while expanding our musical spectrum through new genres and collaborations with other artists.

When you look far ahead, what kind of artists do you hope people say Billlie became, not just what kind of group you were at one moment in time?

HARAM I hope we’re remembered as a team that consistently and calmly documented our emotions and messages through music. When people listen to Billlie’s songs years from now, I want them to naturally think, “Oh, this is what they were talking about at that time,” and remember Billlie as a group whose music has an unbroken flow.

SHEON When people think of Billlie in the future, I hope we’re remembered with a title, “Billlie is the genre.” We’ve always believed that no matter what genre we try, we can fully make it our own. Each member has continued to grow individually, and as the seven of us come together and complete a harmony of our characteristics, we’ve been able to shape an even clearer group identity. That’s why I hope Billlie is remembered as a group that defines its own genre.

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This feature is taken from our third printed issue, available for purchase  here.