By Amanda Moses
xikers!!!
Monster rookies xikers has once again achieved an all-time high this month hitting number 73 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart with their new release HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial and Error.
In anticipation of xikers latest album release, Hello 82—a K-pop promotional and merchandise company—hosted a series of pop-up shops, cupsleeve events and other exclusives around the globe during the weekend.
KPop Nara in Midtown Manhattan was one of the New York City-based locations, along with a cupsleeve at Bear Donut, that partook in the release weekend pop-up extravaganza from March 8th to March 10th.
Fans, affectionally known as roady, geared up for the album’s release wearing xikers music video themed attire, cowboy hats, and their favorite photo cards pinned to their belongings at their respective Hello 82 Pop-ups and cupsleeve events.
With an homage to 1990s hip hop beats blended with electric guitar dance tunes, Trial and Error already has fan favorites like “We Don’t Stop” and “Supercalifragilistic.”
Kadri Cabral says that xikers are her inspiration, listening to their music and watching their performances, especially K-Pop in general has motivated her to pursue a career as a music producer.
“I remember when I got my first xikers album and [Kpop Nara] had the signed albums. As soon as I looked at Hunter, he was my favorite. Today is my first pop-up and it’s a fun experience,” Cabral said. “The energy is special. Their energy is insane. They remind me of ATEEZ, and I wish I could be like them.”
At each pop-up location fans were able to purchase signed albums and Hello 82 exclusive albums, and if they chose to, traded photocards with one another as they shared their favorite moments with their bias.
Sixteen-year-old Autumn Rain remembers watching xikers during their debut and hearing Yechan’s voice for the first—and from that moment on it was love at first sight.
“I looked into xikers when they were in their debut era making TikTok videos and I just fell in love with them, and their songs are so my style,” Rain said, “They are my number ones and I love them so much.”
xikers is a South Korean K-Pop group featuring Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Junghoon, Seeun, Yujun, Hunter and Yechan, who debuted in the spring of 2023. Almost one year ago on April 15 xikers made their debut as No.1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. With a total of three mini albums out, HOUSE OF TRICKY: Doorbell Ringing, HOUSE OF TRICKY: How to Play, and HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial and Error, the K-Pop group continues to rise up the ranks, showcasing a level of record-breaking talent.
In the fall, reporter Amanda Moses caught up with xikers as they embarked on their first world tour where they shared that they would be showing a whole new side of themselves as well as B-side performances.
“There is a relation to what [we] would want fans to take from the music as well as an inspiration because [we] have a positive energy that [we] want to send to the fans. Like you said before there is a sense of comfort that people will feel from [our] music or they’ll be able to overcome certain things while listening to [our] music. And in that sense, [we] want to enjoy the stage by [also] enjoying the stage that’s alongside [our] fans, not just one part of the performance,” Junmin said in the fall interview.
roady are now hoping to see another tour on the horizon so that they can experience HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial and Error songs.
Photos by Amanda Moses
