"Girls" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Aespa for their second extended play of the same name. It was released as the EP's lead single on July 8, 2022, by SM Entertainment.
On June 27, 2022, SM Entertainment announced Aespa would be releasing their second extended play titled Girls on July 8.[1] On July 7, the music video teaser was released.[2] The remix versions by Brllnt and Minit were released on October 21.[3]
"Girls" was written by Yoo Young-jin, composed by Ryan S. Jhun, Hanif Hitmanic Sabzevari, Dennis DeKo Kordnejad, Rodnae "Chikk" Bell, Pontus PJ Ljung, and Yoo Young-jin, and arranged by Ryan S. Jhun, Hanif Hitmanic Sabzevari, Dennis DeKo Kordnejad, Pontus PJ Ljung, and Yoo Young-jin.[4] Musically, the song was described as a "dark", "brooding" dance, pop and electropop song with "heavy bass synth" and lyrics about "Aespa and ae-Aespa having a full-fledged battle with Black Mamba [the antagonist]".[5][6][7] The song's "glitchy, electronic-heavy production" softens during the bridge, before "sliding into a nutty techno breakdown" at the end.[8]
"Girls" debuted at number 72 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart in the chart issue dated July 3–9, 2022;[9] on its component charts, the song debuted at number 16 on the Circle Download Chart,[10] number 98 on the Circle Streaming Chart,[11] and number 74 on the Circle BGM Chart.[12] It ascended to number eight on the Circle Digital Chart in the chart issue dated July 31 – August 6, 2022;[13] on its component charts, the song ascended to number eight on the Circle Download Chart,[14] number 11 on the Circle Streaming Chart,[15] and number 57 on the Circle BGM Chart in the chart issue dated July 10–16, 2022.[16] On the Billboard South Korea Songs, the song debuted at number one in the chart issue dated July 3, 2022.[17]
In Japan, "Girls" debuted at number 94 on the Billboard JapanHot 100 in the chart issue dated July 13, 2022,[18] ascending to number 30 in the following week.[19] On its component charts, it debuted at number 79 on the Top Download Songs in the chart issue dated July 13, 2022,[20] and number 39 on the Top Streaming Songs in the chart issue dated July 20, 2022.[21] On the Oricon Combined Singles, the song debuted at number 35 in the chart issue dated July 25, 2022.[22] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 23 on the RMNZ Hot Singles in the chart issue dated July 18, 2022.[23] In Australia, the song debuted at number 18 on the ARIA Top 20 Hitseekers Singles Chart in the chart issue dated July 18, 2022.[24]
In Singapore, "Girls" debuted at number 13 on the RIAS Top Streaming Chart,[25] and number five on the RIAS Top Regional Chart in the chart issue dated July 8–14, 2022.[25] It also debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Singapore Songs in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[26] In Malaysia, the song debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Malaysia Songs in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[27] In Indonesia, the song debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Indonesia Songs in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[28] In Hong Kong, the song debuted at number 15 on the Billboard Hong Kong Songs in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[29] In Taiwan, the song debuted at number eight on the Billboard Taiwan Songs in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[30] In Vietnam, the song debuted at number eight on the Billboard VietnamHot 100 in the chart issue dated July 21, 2022.[31]
In the United States, "Girls" debuted at number six on the BillboardWorld Digital Song Sales in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[32] Globally, the song debuted at number 42 on the BillboardGlobal 200,[33] and number 25 on the BillboardGlobal Excl. U.S in the chart issue dated July 23, 2022.[34]
Following the release of Girls, Aespa performed "Girls" alongside "Black Mamba" on Good Morning America's Summer Concert series on July 8.[35] The group held a live event called "Aespa Girls Comeback Live" on July 11 on YouTube and TikTok to introduce the extended play and its songs, including "Girls", and to communicate with their fans.[36] They subsequently performed on two music programs in the first week of promotion in South Korea: Mnet's M Countdown on July 14,[37] and MBC's Show! Music Core on July 16.[38] On the second week, they performed on KBS's Music Bank on July 22.[39]
"Girls" received two music program awards in South Korea. It won on the July 20 episode of Show Champion and July 21, 2022, episode of M Countdown.[40][41] "Girls" was named amongst the best songs of 2022 by Rolling Stone (65th)[42] and Rhian Daly from The Forty Five (36th),[43] as well as one of the best K-pop songs of the year by Dazed (31st).[44]
^Kwak, Hyun-soo (June 27, 2022). "'7월 8일 컴백' 에스파 윈터 강렬+시크 티저 이미지 공개" ['Comeback on July 8' Aespa's winter intense + chic teaser image released] (in Korean). YTN. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong, Jin-ah (October 21, 2022). "에스파 '걸스' 리믹스 싱글 음원 오늘 공개" [Aespa 'Girls' remix single sound source released today] (in Korean). Newsis. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Naver.
^"Girls - The 2nd Mini Album" (in Korean). Dreamus. SM Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Melon.
^Lee, Deok-haeng (July 8, 2022). "에스파, 블랙 맘바와의 전투 그리고 성장 'Girls' [12시★카페]" [Aespa, Battle with Black Mamba and Growth 'Girls' [12 o'clock Cafe]] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^ ab"週間 合算シングルランキング – 2022年07月25日付" [Oricon Weekly Total Single Ranking – Published on July 25, 2022]. Oricon (in Japanese). July 11–17, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
^ ab"Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. July 18, 2022. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ ab"The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 18 July 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1689. Australian Recording Industry Association. July 18, 2022. p. 24.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (July 4, 2022). "에스파, 8일 신곡 'Girls' 발매→11일 팬들과 랜선 소통[공식]" [Aespa releases new song 'Girls' on the 8th → Communication with fans on the 11th via LAN [Official]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Ji-eun (July 14, 2022). "나연, 에스파 누르고 1위...영탁·청하 컴백 (엠카)[종합]" [Nayeon, beat Aespa to take 1st place...Young-tak·Chung-ha comeback (MCA) [General]] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang, Da-yun (July 16, 2022). "'음악중심' 트와이스 나연, 출연 없이 1위...에스파·있지 컴백-WSG워너비·에이핑크 초봄 데뷔 [종합]" ['Music Core' Twice Nayeon, 1st place without appearance...Aespa·Itzy Comeback-WSG Wannabe·Apink Chobom Debut [General]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang, Da-yoon (July 22, 2022). "'뮤직뱅크' 있지(Itzy) 1위 "♥믿지 너무 고마워"...에스파·세븐틴·스테이씨 컴백 [종합]" ['Music Bank' Itzy 1st place "♥ Thank you so much for believing"..Aespa·Seventeen·STAYC comeback [General]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Naver.
^"Show Champion 442회 Top5" [Show Champion Episode 442 Top 5]. MBC Plus (in Korean). July 20, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
^Lee, Seung-hoon (July 21, 2022). "'엠카' 에스파, 'Girls' 1위 무한질주..현아⋅효린⋅스테이씨⋅엑디즈⋅세븐틴 컴백[종합]" ['Mcar' Aespa, 'Girls' 1st place infinity run..Hyunah·Hyorin·STAYC·Xdinary Heroes·Seventeen comeback] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park, Se-yeon (February 18, 2023). "에스파, 7월 올해의 가수상 "멋진 음악으로 돌아올 것"[써클뮤직어워즈]" [Aespa, July Artist of the Year Award "We will return with great music" [Circle Music Awards]] (in Korean). Maeil Business News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Naver.