Hong Kong – Pop sensation COLLAR is defying expectations with the release of their highly anticipated second studio album, PERSONA, which landed Friday. The seven-member girl group—comprising Marf, Gao, Day, Candy, Winka, Ivy, and Sumling—delivers a collection of seven original tracks that scrap uniformity in favor of showcasing each member’s distinct identity.
The album features new songs including Tears of Light, SKSKZAZA, Assassin vs. Best Friend, Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Managing You, and (Almost) Perfect Girl. A final track, Wandering Footprints, is set to drop Saturday as the album’s closer, marking a milestone as the first group song co-written by members Gao and Ivy. According to the group, the lyrics are designed to channel COLLAR’s authentic spirit, weaving in hidden “codes” between the artists and their fans.
Bold Visuals and Genre-Bending Sounds
COLLAR’s music videos for PERSONA push creative boundaries. The visual for Assassin vs. Best Friend adopts a cult-film aesthetic, while Managing You embraces a retro 2D pixel-art style. The album’s cover art likewise rebels against typical girl-group conventions: each member appears in a unique look rather than a coordinated uniform.
Sumling’s outfit, inspired by the film Kill Bill, reflects her dual career as a singer and actress. “People usually see me as quiet and introverted,” she explained. “But this look—the tailoring, the lines, the eyes—it’s an ‘aggressive beauty.’ It lets me release the part of myself that’s ready to fight. That’s very different from my usual image, but it’s exactly what I’ve wanted to express.”
Day, known for her Japanese pop influences, sported an ultra-cute aesthetic that echoes her debut solo single. “I think the look is super adorable,” she said. “It shows that the stylist and the team also see me as the ‘cute担当’ [cute representative].”
Fan Reactions and Emotional High Points
The group admitted they were nervous about fan reception, especially regarding the album’s departure from their usual dance-heavy style. Candy singled out Tears of Light as the track that surprised her most. “It’s the first song we released from the album, and it’s very important,” she said. “It’s more R&B—not our typical dance-pop. At first, I didn’t know if people would accept it. But when we saw how much they loved it, we felt relieved.”
Marf echoed that sentiment, calling the song “a movie we all acted in together, performed with sincerity.”
Winka shared the group’s anticipation for the physical album release. “I heard the company already has the CDs. I really want to see them soon. I hope this is an album everyone will treasure. It will not let people down.”
Creative Collaboration Behind the Lyrics
The closing track, Wandering Footprints, marks a collaborative writing effort between Gao and Ivy. Ivy admitted the pressure was intense. “I knew it would be stressful, so before I volunteered, my first step was to drag Gao into it to share the burden,” she said with a laugh. “Beyond worrying about whether the lyrics were good, my biggest concern was whether we could look back and feel a real connection. Working with Gao gave me new perspectives on COLLAR and on myself. It was a really interesting process. Thank you, Gao Gao.”
Gao revealed that writing the lyrics took about a month. “The whole process was very nourishing,” she said. “It made me even more confident in the chemistry between Ivy and me. We thought about inviting other members to join, but schedules didn’t line up. If fans pay close attention, they will find some secret ‘codes’ between us and them hidden in the lyrics.”
Broader Impact
With PERSONA, COLLAR signals a shift in Hong Kong’s pop landscape, prioritizing artistic individuality over polished group conformity. As the album drops across streaming platforms and physical stores, fans are already dissecting its layered lyrics and visuals—suggesting that for COLLAR, this release is not just music, but a statement of self.
