Pabllo Vittar and NMIXX to join forces for ‘Mexe’ – a landmark Brazil–Korea collaboration
by Hasan Beyaz
Pabllo Vittar is stepping into K-pop history with her first collaboration in the South Korean pop scene, teaming up with one of her favourite girl groups, NMIXX, for the infectious new single Mexe. The track drops alongside its music video on 22 August at 9AM KST, with a release timed to audiences across the globe – from São Paulo to Seoul, Los Angeles to Lisbon.
A playful teaser clip, featuring a Y2K-inspired pink flip phone, sets the tone for the project: bright, bold, and unashamedly fun. Sung in both English and Portuguese – including Portuguese lines performed by NMIXX themselves – Mexe fuses girl power energy with Brazilian funk beats, a sound that’s becoming increasingly present in K-pop’s experimental edge.
Speaking to Billboard Brasil, Pabllo shared how the collaboration came to life after NMIXX mentioned in an interview that they knew of her and would love to work together. “I thought, why not?” recalls the singer, who reached out to the group’s label, JYP Entertainment. Recording sessions took her to South Korea, where she became one of the rare non-JYP artists to work inside the company’s studios. She later returned in July to film the music video with Haewon, Lily, Sullyoon, Bae, Jiwoo and Kyujin – a 24-hour shoot complete with high-intensity choreography from Jéssi Muller and Pedro Reis, and strong, K-pop-inspired styling by Victor Miranda.
Beyond the music, Mexe carries historic significance: Pabllo becomes the first drag queen to collaborate with a K-pop artist. “Korea is quite conservative, and this is a big group from a big company working with a queer artist. I thought, my God, we’re going to shock Korea!” she told Billboard Brasil, viewing the moment as a chance to bring more diversity and visibility to queer fans within the scene.
A self-confessed multifandom K-popper since 2015, Pabllo’s love for the genre is well-documented – from her admiration of BLACKPINK, TWICE and LE SSERAFIM, to her ultimate bias in NMIXX, Lily. The pair bonded throughout filming, with the Australian-born vocalist gifting Pabllo a signed photocard.
Mexe is part of Pabllo’s forthcoming international album, following her April collaboration Fantasía with Argentine star Nathy Peluso. With its cross-cultural sound, high-gloss visuals and barrier-breaking partnership, the single marks a new chapter for the Brazilian superstar – one that brings the worlds of K-pop and Brazilian pop closer than ever.