TWICE members (from left) Momo, Jeongyeon, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, Mina, Dahyun, Sana, Nayeon, Jihyo. Image: Twitter/@billboard
TWICE made history as the first Korean group to receive the coveted Breakthrough Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards 2023 on Thursday, March 2 (Philippine Standard Time).
The nine-member girl group — consisting of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu — accepted their award at the annual ceremony held at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, U.S.
“Receiving Breakthrough Artist at Billboard Women in Music Awards is the most magical way to start the year. Ever since we became TWICE, we believe in each other to always be together in taking a step towards our future. This moment is especially meaningful because all nine of us are standing in front of our fans who made our dreams come true,” Chaeyoung said, as the group accepted their award.
Chaeyoung added that the award is a reminder that “confidently” pushing for their dreams helps them break through, which is also a reference to their song “Breakthrough.”
“This title ‘Breakthrough Artist’ proves that if you confidently push for your dreams, people who support you will always be your team and you will break through,” she added.
Meanwhile, the group’s youngest member Tzuyu said the award is a motivation for TWICE to “break more barriers.”
“This accomplishment will motivate us to challenge ourselves and break more barriers. We want to express our gratitude towards everyone who always stands by our side in this journey, especially our fans, Once. TWICE will continue to break through,” she said.
To close the ceremony, TWICE also performed their newly-released single “Moonlight Sunrise.”
“Breakthrough award honorees @twicetagram closed out #BBWomenInMusic with an epic performance of ‘Moonlight Sunrise,’” Billboard’s caption read.
Hours after receiving the award, the “Fancy” hitmaker expressed their gratitude to fans for their recent milestone on their official Twitter account.
“TWICE [and] Billboard Women in Music. Breakthrough Artist. With you beside us, TWICE will continue to Breakthrough. Our dream is coming true ONCE! Thank you, @billboard,” their tweet read.
TWICE & Billboard Women in Music
🏆Breakthrough Artist
With you beside us,
TWICE will continue to Breakthrough💥
Our dream is coming true ONCE ! 🍭❤
Thank you, @billboard !#TWICE #트와이스#READYTOBE #SETMEFREE#MOONLIGHTSUNRISE#BBWomenInMusic pic.twitter.com/5FrPmGzD2I— TWICE (@JYPETWICE) March 2, 2023
In an exclusive interview with the U.S.-based music magazine, TWICE’s Dahyun said their dedicated legion of fans, also known as Once, are the “reason for [their] existence.”
“They are the reason for our existence as artists, and this year, thankfully, we have a lot of chances to meet our fans globally and domestically. We are really looking forward to that,” she said.
The girl group is set to release their upcoming 12th mini-album “Ready To Be” on Friday, March 10, and will kick off their “Ready To Be” world tour in April 2023 in South Korea. However, it remains unknown if there will be any stops in the Philippines.
MANIFESTING PH STOP! 🙏🏻
JUST IN: TWICE is set to kick off their “Ready to Be” world tour on April 2023 in South Korea.
Their world tour will have stops in Australia, Japan, the U.S., and Canada. The group is set to announce additional stops soon. | 📷: JYPE via @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/2itnvi3Zni
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) February 21, 2023
TWICE was formed by JYP Entertainment through the survival show “Sixteen”, and debuted in October 2015. Some of the group’s most popular songs include “Cheer Up,” “Fancy,” “What is Love,” “The Feels,” “I Can’t Stop Me,” and “More and More,” among many others.
MiSaMo, composed of Japanese members Mina, Sana, and Momo, are set to debut as the group’s first sub-unit in July of the same year. EDV