Bloom*Iz
{{Infobox album
| name = Bloom*Iz
| type = studio
| artist = Iz*One
| cover = Iz*One - Bloom*Iz.png
| caption = Digital and "I*Will" version cover
| alt =
| released = February 17, 2020
| recorded = September – October 2019
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|K-pop|synth-pop|bubblegum pop}}
| length = 40:31
| language = Korean
| label = {{hlist|Off the Record|Stone Music|Genie}}
| producer =
| prev_title = Heart*Iz
| prev_year = 2019
| year = 2020
| next_title = Oneiric Diary
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Bloom*Iz
| type = studio
| single1 = Fiesta
| single1date = February 17, 2020
}}
}}
Bloom*Iz (pronounced "bloom eyes") is the first and only Korean-language studio album by South Korean–Japanese girl group Iz*One, a project group formed through the 2018 Mnet reality competition show Produce 48. The album was released on February 17, 2020 by Off the Record Entertainment and distributed by Stone Music Entertainment and Genie Music.{{cite web|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/421/0004439796|title=아이즈원, 17일 컴백 확정…첫 정규 '블룸아이즈' 발매|website=News1|language=ko|date=February 3, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2020}} It features 12 tracks, including the lead single "Fiesta".
The album was originally scheduled for release on November 11, 2019,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8542733/izone-oneus-ace-debut-social-50-chart|title=IZ*ONE, ONEUS & A.C.E. Debut on Social 50 Chart|magazine=Billboard|last=Rutherford|first=Kevin|date=November 5, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} but it was postponed following the Mnet vote manipulation investigation, it was the group's first full-length album since their debut in October 2018, and their first Korean release since Heart*Iz{{cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20191107000806|title=Girl band IZ*ONE postpones release of new album amid vote-rigging scandal|work=The Korea Herald|date=November 7, 2019|accessdate=November 7, 2019}} the previous year.
The album is available in three different versions: "I Was", "I Am", and "I Will".
Release
On October 29, 2019, a concept trailer titled "When Iz Your Blooming Moment?" was uploaded on the group's YouTube channel. Its concept, featuring flowers in full bloom and the members in various states of waking, was called "colorful and sensual". The group's official website was also re-branded.{{cite web|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/now/article/112/0003228959|title=아이즈원, 11월 11일 첫 정규 앨범 '블룸아이즈'로 컴백...트레일러 영상 공개|work=The Korea Herald|via=Naver|last=Lee|first=Hyun-jin|language=ko|date=October 30, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} The track listing was revealed through the group's social media on November 3.{{cite tweet|user=official_izone|number=1190647778864586752|title=IZ*ONE (#아이즈원) – 1st Album [BLOOM*IZ] TRACK LIST|date=November 3, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}} However, following the Mnet vote manipulation investigation, where the Produce 48 producer Ahn Joon-young admitted he had manipulated the rankings for Produce 48 during his November 5 arrest, Off the Record announced that the album's release had been postponed.
On January 23, 2020, an official statement from Mnet was released, stating that promotions for Iz*One, including the release of Bloom*Iz, would resume in mid-February.{{Cite web|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=018&aid=0004561182|title=아이즈원, 2월 활동 재개한다 [공식]|website=entertain.naver.com|language=ko|access-date=2020-01-23}} On February 2, Iz*One's official Twitter account announced the release of Bloom*Iz for February 17, 2020.{{cite tweet|user=official_izone|number=1223984463249494016|title=IZ*ONE (#아이즈원) - 1st Album [BLOOM*IZ] COVER IMAGE|date=February 2, 2020|accessdate=February 2, 2020}} Three days later, Mnet M2MPD's Twitter account revealed that the group's comeback showcase will be aired simultaneously on Mnet, M2, and Stone Music's YouTube and Facebook.{{Cite web|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/now/article/469/0000464034|title=아이즈원, 17일 컴백 당일 Mnet 컴백쇼로 복귀…본격 활동 재개|website=entertain.naver.com|language=ko|access-date=2020-02-05}} Over February 6–7, unreleased photos of the members were revealed as part of their early promotions for the upcoming comeback.
Promotion
Iz*One promoted the single "Fiesta" on the music shows M Countdown, Music Bank, Music Core, Inkigayo, The Show, and Show Champion which started on February 17.
Critical reception
Billboard described the title track "Fiesta" as a "festive synth pop song which takes its name to heart with the sliding, synth pop throbber of a track that explodes into a brass led dance breakdown" and reported that the mixed emotions portrayed in the other tracks of the album show power in the group coming together in moments of collective delicate vulnerability.{{cite magazine |last=Benjamin |first=Jeff |date=February 27, 2020 |title=IZ*ONE Bloom Back on World Albums & World Digital Song Sales Charts With Third Album |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/izone-bloomiz-world-albums-digital-song-sales-chart/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601025030/https://www.billboard.com/pro/izone-bloomiz-world-albums-digital-song-sales-chart/ |archive-date=June 1, 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}
Kat Moon of Time named the album as one of the best K-pop releases of 2020 noticing how fierce and bold girl crush image has become increasingly popular in K-pop but Iz*One's image has stayed unapologetically sweet and cute. She called the album a welcome addition to the group's "kaleidoscopic" discography describing how the album showcases the group at its best, serving up a sonic palette of colors that demonstrates the varied hues and tints in bubblegum pop.{{cite magazine |title=The Best K-Pop Songs and Albums of 2020|url=https://time.com/5920059/best-kpop-2020/|magazine=Time|language=|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020}}
Commercial performance
The album topped in its first week of pre-order availability across various Korean and Japanese websites, including Aladin, Yes24, and Tower Records. In addition, the album topped the Japanese Tower Records online pre-order chart and Synnara Records' real-time chart in 2019 with 150,000 sales six days before its release.{{cite web|url=https://jp.yna.co.kr/view/AJP20191105001900882|title=［韓流］ＩＺ＊ＯＮＥの１ｓｔフルアルバム 韓日で予約１位|publisher=Yonhap News Agency|language=ja|date=November 5, 2019|accessdate=November 6, 2019}}{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Gi-ho |date=November 5, 2019 |title=아이즈원, 글로벌 대세다운 흥행력…컴백 ‘기대 UP’ |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/005/0001255935 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website= |publisher=Kukmin Ilbo |language=ko |via=Naver}} However, the release was postponed following the Mnet vote manipulation investigation, and orders were cancelled and refunded.{{cite web|url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/312/0000419591|title=[TEN 이슈] 아이즈원, 앨범·방송부터 영화까지 '올스톱' 후폭풍|date=November 8, 2019|accessdate=February 19, 2020|work=TenAsia|language=ko}}
On February 17, on their first day of sales, Iz*One took the record for the most albums sold on the first day for a girl group, with about 184,000 copies sold.{{Cite web|date=February 17, 2020|title=IZ*ONE's "BLOOM*IZ" Breaks K-Pop Girl Group Record For First Week Album Sales On Day Of Release|url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1383479wpp/izones-bloomiz-breaks-k-pop-girl-group-record-for-first-week-album-sales-on-day-of-release|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Soompi|language=en}} The album also broke the record of girl group's first week sales on Hanteo,{{Cite web|date=2020-02-24|title=1st Week Album Sales For IZ*ONE "BLOOM*IZ" Exceeds Any K-Pop Girl Group {{!}} Kpopmap|url=https://www.kpopmap.com/1st-week-album-sales-for-izone-bloomiz-exceeds-any-kpop-girl-group/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Kpopmap|language=en-US}} with 356,313 copies sold on its first 7 days, until it was broken by their next album four months later.{{Cite web|date=June 22, 2020|title=IZ*ONE Breaks Own Record Of Highest First Week Album Sales For K-Pop Girl Group|url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1408255wpp/izone-breaks-own-record-of-highest-first-week-album-sales-for-k-pop-girl-group|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Soompi|language=en}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Bloom*Iz track listing
| extra_column = Arrangement
| total_length = 40:44
| title1 = Eyes
| lyrics1 = Jo Yoon-kyung, Andy Love, Andreas Öberg, David Amber, Ryan S. Jhun
| music1 = Andy Love, Andreas Öberg, David Amber, Ryan S. Jhun
| extra1 = David Amber
| length1 = 3:37
| title2 = Fiesta
| lyrics2 = Seo Ji-eum, Go Hyun-jung (JamFactory), Choi Hyun-joon, Kim Seung-soo
| extra2 = Choi Hyun-joon, Kim Seung-soo
| music2 = Choi Hyun-joon, Kim Seung-soo
| length2 = 3:37
| title3 = Dreamlike
| note3 = Kwon Eun-bi, Sakura Miyawaki, Kang Hye-won, Choi Ye-na, Hitomi Honda, Jang Won-young
| lyrics3 = Jang Won-young, Yoon Sang-jo, Kang Yeon-wook
| music3 = Yoon Sang-jo, Kang Yeon-wook
| extra3 = Yoon Sang-jo, Kang Yeon-wook
| length3 = 3:46
| title4 = Ayayaya
| note4 = Kwon Eun-bi, Sakura Miyawaki, Kang Hye-won, Lee Chae-yeon, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju, Nako Yabuki, Jo Yu-ri, An Yu-jin
| lyrics4 = Inner Child (MonoTree)
| music4 = Yoon Jong-sung (MonoTree), Anna Timgren, Shin Min-kyung
| extra4 = Yoon Jong-sung (MonoTree), Shin Min-kyung
| length4 = 3:22
| title5 = So Curious
| note5 = Choi Ye-na, Lee Chae-yeon, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju, Nako Yabuki, Hitomi Honda, Jo Yu-ri, An Yu-jin, Jang Won-young
| lyrics5 = Tenzo, Kebee
| music5 = Tenzo, MUNA, Loogone, Shaun Kim
| extra5 = MUNA, Loogone
| length5 = 3:22
| title6 = Spaceship
| lyrics6 = Kwon Eun-bi, Elum (Prismfilter), Anchor (Prismfilter)
| music6 = Kwon Eun-bi, Nmore (Prismfilter), Elum (Prismfilter), Anchor (Prismfilter)
| extra6 = Nmore (Prismfilter)
| length6 = 2:51
| title7 = Destiny
| note7 = 우연이 아니야; Uyeon-i aniya; lit. Not a Coincidence
| lyrics7 = Iggy, Yongbae, Lee Seu-ran
| music7 = Iggy, Yongbae
| extra7 = Iggy, Yongbae
| length7 = 3:21
| title8 = You & I
| lyrics8 = Kim Hyun-ah, Kim Min-ju
| music8 = Park Tae-jin
| extra8 = Park Tae-jin
| length8 = 3:24
| title9 = Daydream
| note9 = Kwon Eun-bi, Lee Chae-yeon, Kim Min-ju, An Yu-jin
| lyrics9 = danke (Lalala Studio), Min Yeon-jae
| music9 = AiRPLAY, Nash Overstreet, Sidnie Tipton
| extra9 = AiRPLAY
| length9 = 3:23
| title10 = Pink Blusher
| note10 = Sakura Miyawaki, Kang Hye-won, Nako Yabuki, Hitomi Honda, Jang Won-young
| lyrics10 = Boombastic
| music10 = Boombastic
| extra10 = Boombastic
| length10 = 3:14
| title11 = Someday
| note11 = 언젠가 우리의 밤도 지나가겠죠; Eonjenga uriui bamdo jinagagetjyo; lit. Someday Our Night Will Pass (Choi Ye-na, Kim Chae-won, Jo Yu-ri)
| lyrics11 = Jo Yu-ri
| music11 = Jo Yu-ri, Nmore (Prismfilter), Building Owner (Prismfilter)
| extra11 = Nmore (Prismfilter), Building Owner (Prismfilter)
| length11 = 3:17
| title12 = Open Your Eyes
| lyrics12 = Black Edition,{{cite web|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=015&aid=0004236712|title=MC몽, 아이즈원 새 앨범 수록곡 '오픈 유어 아이즈' 참여[공식]|website=The Korea Economic Daily|language=ko|date=November 6, 2019|accessdate=February 9, 2020}} EastWest, Bull$EyE, yuka (Full8loom)
| music12 = Black Edition, EastWest, Bull$EyE, yuka (Full8loom)
| extra12 = EastWest, Bull$EyE, yuka (Full8loom)
| length12 = 3:17
| all_writing =
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance of Bloom*lz ! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2020&month=03&day=2|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2020/03/02 付け|work=Billboard Japan|language=ja|accessdate=February 26, 2020}}
| 6 |
|---|
| {{album chart|Oricon|3|date=2020-03-02|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 26, 2020}} |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=08&hitYear=2020&termGbn=week|title=Gaon Album Chart – Week 8, 2020|website=Gaon Chart|language=ko|accessdate=February 27, 2020}}
| 2 |
| {{album chart|BillboardWorld|15|artist=IzOne|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 26, 2020}} |
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Bloom*Iz}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=South Korea|type=album|artist=Iz*One|title=Bloom*Iz|relyear=2020|award=Platinum|certmonth=4|certyear=2020|accessdate=April 16, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}