BUBBLEDRØP

**Bubbledrop** (Commonly stylized as **BUBBLEDRØP**) is a virtual girl group consisting of four Mortal Kombat characters: Cass, JJ, Frost and Kira. The group was put together by Leo Kahnum.

BUBBLEDRØP released their debut album, “REBEL,” in December 2021. The following year in June, they released their second album, FØUR.

They were inspired by K/DA, a virtual pop group created for League of Legends. The name “BUBBLEDRØP” comes from Cassie Cage’s use of bubble-gum in the Mortal Kombat games. Leo always knew that Cassie would be the leader of the group, similar to how she was the leader of the "Kombat Kids" in Mortal Kombat X, and Leo selected the other members based on how well they would embody K-pop group archetypes.

## Conception and creation

BUBBLEDRØP was a passion project by Leo, primarily because he loved K/DA. He envisioned something like the League of Legends girl group in Mortal Kombat.  K/DA inspired the creations of other virtual pop groups including S.T.U.N. from Mobile Legends, the South Korean girl group, æspa, MAVE:, and of course, BUBBLEDRØP.

Originally, Leo wanted BUBBLEDRØP to be a group that made punk pop / bubbly music. Cassie Cage even has a punk rock skin in Mortal Kombat Mobile. The idea to make them a K-pop inspired group instead was because Leo thought they were diverging from their League of Legends counterparts. BUBBLEDRØP are still very distinct from K/DA in that, their music is entirely English but they are similar to K/DA in that, the group members are significantly different to their video game counterparts.

The standard formation for K-pop groups is to have: a leader - someone at the forefront who leads the other group members, a main rapper - one who writes and performs the rap sections of the music although they can sing too, a visual / center - the beauty symbol of the group and usually the one who is the poster boy / girl for endorsements and partnerships, and a main dancer - the one who is the best dancer will often be at the forefront during choreographies and will often work with choreographers to create the dances for the groups' music. There are, of course, groups that deviate from these formations, such as BLACKPINK, NCT DREAM and TXT.

In BUBBLEDRØP, Cass is the group's leader; Frost is the main rapper; JJ is the visual / center; Kira is the main dancer.
The group was conceptualized months prior to their album release, but their costumes, music and backstories took until November 2021 to be completed. Leo originally sketched how the group would look and tried to incorporate aspects of their designs from Mortal Kombat. Some of these aspects included Cassie's sunglasses, Frost's ninja mask, Kira's vest jacket and her pigtails. Leo came up with a first draft but then scrapped it as the girl's designs were "over the top", and they did not look nor feel like credible pop stars. When he redesigned them, Leo prioritised making them resemble a credible K-pop group hence creating what would be their 'original look'.

There were further changes made when Leo modelled the group but, despite this, a lot of the original design got carried over to their final design. Cassie's design remained the same as she retained the one-sleeve top, black bodysuit and corset. Her hair did not change nor did she lose her sunglasses or platform boots. Jacqui was given a black and orange bodysuit and corresponding thigh high boots, with one extending above her waist, and the other hanging down. Her hair was also restyled. Frost's hair was also restyled and shortened to achieve a tomboy-ish look. She was given a jacket, a ripped top, shorts with fishnets and some thigh-high stockings. Kira only kept her red tights and choker from the original design ,while also being given a beanie on top of shoulder length hair, a cropped black jacket and some laced boots. This would be one of BUBBLEDRØP's main appearances for the entirety of the 'REBEL' era.

Leo described wanting the group's music to be hard hitting, empowering, honest, feminist and rebellious. With this in mind, Leo came up with titles for ten songs, and then wrote ten tracks for the group's first album, REBEL. Songs such as 'REBEL', 'expløsiøn' & 'BLASPHEMY' dive into the rebellious, hard-hitting sound Leo was going for. Songs like 'nøt a løver' & 'waste øf øxygen' show a more vulnerable nature of the group as the girl's sing about more personal topics. 'IDØL' & 'bømbshell' are the female empowerment songs on the album. In terms of their music, Leo drew inspiration for their music from artists such as BLACKPINK, Lady Gaga, Little Mix and of course, K/DA.

Leo came up with a backstory for the group. He wanted the groups' origins to not be paramount but, regardless, he still took several days to write their lore. The girl's come from mostly different backgrounds and possess their own gifts and qualities, and endure setbacks and struggles that influence a lot of their decisions when they come together as a girl group. Leo wanted the group to get along with each other, just so that the notion of BUBBLEDRØP being four feminist icons would shine through; in the lore, the girls become best friends shortly after being put together.

In November 2021, Leo teased the arrival of BUBBLEDRØP on Twitter. Weeks later, it was announced that their debut album was coming. The lead single, “REBEL,” from their debut album, was released on November 30, 2021, with the album subsequently releasing worldwide the following day.

## Members

The members of BUBBLEDRØP consist of four characters from the Mortal Kombat video game:

* **Cass**, whose full name is Cassandra Carlton Cage (**Cassie Cage**), is a special forces soldier in Mortal Kombat. She is the daughter of Mortal Kombat characters, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. In Mortal Kombat X, she was the main protagonist who beats Shinnok, the game’s boss character, in the final chapter of the campaign. Cassie also gets the opening chapter of Mortal Kombat 11. She has a witty personality and is overall an upbeat character.
	+ In BUBBLEDRØP, Cassie, otherwise known as “Cass,” is the group’s leader and serves as the Lead Vocalist. Cass’s track on the debut album is “BLASPHEMY” which is a diss track to corrupt world leaders and a self-empowerment anthem.
* **JJ**, whose full name is Jacqueline Sonya Briggs (**Jacqui Briggs**), is also a special forces soldier in Mortal Kombat. She is the daughter of Mortal Kombat character, Jax Briggs. In Mortal Kombat X, she was part of the "Kombat kids," four heroes from EarthRealm, including Cassie, who are tasked with saving the realm from Shinnok. She gets the penultimate chapter in the story campaign. In Mortal Kombat 11, she shares a chapter with her father, Jax Briggs. Jacqui is a charming woman and a skilled fighter; she is the best friend of Cassie Cage.
	+ In BUBBLEDRØP, Jacqui, otherwise known as JJ is the visual of the group and serves as the main vocalist. She is the founding member of the group. JJ's track on the debut album is “DEATH LIST” which is about putting people who have done her wrong on a death list.
* **Frost** is a Lin Kuei assassin in Mortal Kombat. She debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as an evil female counterpart to Sub Zero. Since her debut, Frost has made two other playable appearances in mainline Mortal Kombat games: Mortal Kombat Armageddon and Mortal Kombat 11. In Mortal Kombat 11, she becomes cyberized and leads the Cyber initiative; she works for Kronika, the boss character of Mortal Kombat 11. Frost is a hot-headed young fighter who holds grudges against her clanmates for not respecting her.
	+ In BUBBLEDRØP, Frost is the main rapper and is the fourth and final member of the group. She joins BUBBLEDRØP years after her departure from her old group, Lin Kuei (林鬼). Frost’s track on the debut album is “SHADØWS” which is a rap / diss track she wrote after she was unfairly kicked out of her old group. She raps about how certain group's members of 林鬼 treated her badly.
* **Kira** is an anarchical arms dealer in Mortal Kombat. She debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception as a stand in for rivals, Sonya Blade & Kano. As such, her move set consisted of special moves from those characters. She is a member of the Black Dragon, a criminal organization based in EarthRealm, run by Kano and Kabal; she is the faction’s only playable female character. Since her debut, Kira has only made one other playable appearance with that being Mortal Kombat Armageddon, however, she had a prominent role in the 2022 animated film "Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind".
	+ In BUBBLEDRØP, Kira is the dancer of the group and serves as the lead rapper. Kira’s track on the debut album is “HØE DØWN” which she wrote about a friend who did not support her after she was given an opportunity to be signed at MKE.

### About the characters

The characters were chosen based on whether they could realistically work as pop stars in another universe as well as, of course, how well they would embody K-pop group archetypes. The four members of BUBBLEDROP are believed to be the youngest female characters in Mortal Kombat.

Cass was the first character chosen as Leo always wanted her to lead. JJ was chosen as the center because Jacqui is this gorgeous woman in Mortal Kombat, which would translate to her being the main attraction / poster girl for BUBBLEDROP. Leo also wanted Cassie and Jacqui together as they are best friends in the video games. Leo included Frost because he thought her rebellious personality would fit well in a girl group. Frost is a character who stands out from others because she does not fit into any mold. She does not adhere to that "barbie doll" trope that many female characters in Mortal Kombat do. The version of Frost in the universe of BUBBLEDROP is this rebellious badass who is a gifted rapper. Kira was included because she is one of Leo’s favourite characters, and also because Kira had not been seen in a Mortal Kombat game since Mortal Kombat: Armageddon making her an underrated character to include in the group. Kira originally being a Sonya Blade prodigy character also played a part in the decision to include her as there would be an interesting dynamic with Cassie, who is Sonya Blade’s daughter in the Mortal Kombat games. She fills the role of the group's dancer mainly because it is the only position available for her. Kira's iteration in BUBBLEDROP is significantly different to her character in the Mortal Kombat games.

Leo also wanted diversity in the group so fans could identify with the girls. This was achieved as the four girls are of mostly diverse sexual orientations and racial backgrounds. Cass, who is the daughter of Hollywood actor, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade, who serves in the US military, is American. JJ is the daughter of Jackson Briggs, a family friend of Sonya Blade’s, and Vera Briggs; the couple are both of African American ancestry hence, Jacqui is also African American. Frost is Japanese, as the Lin Kuei are a Japanese clan in Mortal Kombat, however it is unknown whether the clan only recruit Japanese assassins. Kira is Arabian-American as her father is of Egyptian & Arabic descent, while her mother is American. In the games, specifically in Mortal Kombat Deception, her backstory depicts her being found by Kabal as an arms dealer near the middle east, so it can be assumed that she originated from that region. Frost is an openly queer woman, and Cass is believed to be pansexual. Kira and JJ are heterosexual.

## Lore

Cassie and Jacqui are best friends that grow up together in Arizona pursuing the same dream, that dream is becoming popstars, and hence dedicate their time to perfecting their craft. Cassie’s father informed the girls that they could audition for MKE, a talent agency he is partnered with, when they turned 18. MK Entertainment is an American entertainment agency based in Denver, Colorado, operating as a record label, talent agency, concert production company, and music publishing house.

Kira is an incredibly gifted dancer from Indiana and was the youngest ever dancer admitted into the Black Dragon Dance Academy. After a few years, she became part of the academy’s most elite dance group, the "Black Dragon," who tour with some of the biggest names in the music industry such as Kurtis Stryker, Mileena Kahnum, Dr. Darr and Lady Sindel.

Frost is a talented rapper who was born in Boston but grew up in Tokyo. She was formally a member of 林鬼 (Lin Kuei), a Japanese indie rap group and she was the only female member in that group. In November 2017, the group’s leader was detained for a crime he allegedly did not commit. As a result, his younger brother, who was also in the group, took his place as the leader and kicked Frost out. Following her exclusion, Frost auditioned for MKJ at 16 but was denied as she did not meet the age requirements (21) to be signed in Japan. The agents there told her she would be able to be signed by MKE over in the west. This prompted Frost and her mother to move back to Boston.

MKE agents scouted America at the beginning of 2019 in search for new trainees. They arrived at the Black Dragon Dance Academy in February and scheduled auditions for the academy's elite dancers. Out of the nine that auditioned, the agents were interested in two, those being Kira & Tasia, two members of the most elite group. They found that both girls were too similar so they could only take one to HQ in Colorado as a trainee, and Kira was the one chosen. At MKE, Kira once again impressed everyone with her dancing ability and she was tasked with helping new trainees improving their dancing abilities and in turn, they would help her with rapping and vocal techniques.

When Cassie and Jacqui found out about agents holding auditions in Phoenix, the duo signed up and a few weeks later, they auditioned for the talent scouts. After their audition, the agents decided to sign Jacqui with MKE but not Cassie. Despite Jacqui’s protests, Cassie was sent home and Jacqui was taken to HQ. Cassie took some time off to work on herself.

At MKE in Colorado, Jacqui was treated as a golden child as she was a great singer, a great dancer and had an incredibly charming personality. In September 2019, higher ups at MKE proposed BUBBLEDROP, the company’s first all-female group since The Cøven. They announced the trainees they wanted for the group: they were Jacqui, Taja, Ferra and Kira. Jacqui was chosen to be the group’s lead with Taja, Ferra and Kira as the group’s center, rapper and dancer, respectively. Kira was taking some time off work following the death of her father earlier that month. Jacqui did not get on well with Taja, not to mention Ferra who did not want to be in the group. Jacqui told management that BUBBLEDROP could not work and insisted they give Cassie another chance.

Cassie took some time to reflect but missed doing what she loved, which was performing with Jacqui. She travelled to Chicago and met up with some aspiring artists and asked to perform with them. For a while, Cassie performed with various groups and singers, and they turned to her for advice and support. She became their mentor. One of the groups Cassie was in consisted of Frost, Ember and Ivy. Cassie got on very well with Frost as the pair had a lot in common; they enjoyed being around each other and they performed well with each other. She went under the alias, Storm, and she performed with their band for a few weeks before she received word from Jacqui that MKE wanted Cassie to audition again.

Kira returned from her break and met up with Jacqui. Unlike the other BUBBLEDROP members, Jacqui thought Kira was committed and she knew that this was someone she wanted in a group with her. Jacqui loved Kira’s outgoing personality and Kira found someone to confide in about how she felt. They both opened up to each other about constant pressure they felt they were under. The girls bonded and became close friends in little time.

Cassie returned to MKE to audition and Jacqui, Kira, Taja & Ferra were also present. This time, the agents were extremely impressed with Cassie and even claimed that she could be the forefront of BUBBLEDROP. Jacqui told the agents that the role as the lead was more suited for Cassie than her, so she was willing to give up her lead position for her best friend. At this point, Taja was incredibly frustrated and lashed out at the girls, calling them “selfish brats.” Jacqui retaliated claiming that it was Taja alone who was holding the group back, to which Kira and even Ferra agreed with. In light of these accusations, the agents came to the decision to remove Taja from the group and offer her position as the group’s visual to Jacqui. Kira noticed Ferra looking glum and asked her what was wrong, which prompted Ferra to tell everyone she did not wish to be in BUBBLEDROP. The agents chose to respect her wishes allowing her to leave the group and then declared the rapper position in BUBBLEDROP vacant. They tasked Cassie with filling the void left by Ferra by finding another rapper for the group. Cassie immediately thought of the gifted rapper she performed with in Chicago and told the agents to allow Frost to audition.

Frost was flown in to MKE HQ to audition. The agents were so impressed with her, they said she was one of the greatest rappers they had ever heard. They gave her the options to either be signed as a solo rapper or to reconvene with Cassie in BUBBLEDROP as the group’s main rapper. Frost knew she would be letting go of a huge opportunity by refusing the offer to go solo however, she only had prior experience being part of a group, and it was being around people that made her happy that she excelled. Considering this, Frost told MKE that she wanted to be in BUBBLEDROP. She was then reunited with Cassie and became acquainted with Kira & Jacqui.

BUBBLEDROP came together as a dancer and rapper at the top of their craft, the company’s golden child and a leader who could stand in the forefront while simultaneously bringing the group together. In December 2019, BUBBLEDRØP was born.

## Career

### 2019-2020: Formation and pre-debut

Cass, JJ, Frost & Kira were put together by MKE, a record label in America. The members were designated their roles in the group upon formation, and then began working on their music in December 2019. BUBBLEDROP wrote ten songs at the beginning of 2020 over lockdown, however, the music wouldn’t be recorded until August 2021. MKE wanted the album to be ready by winter, so it could then release in December, but because of the persisting restrictions caused by the lockdowns, the deadline MKE proposed could not be met and so the album was delayed. Despite this setback, BUBBLEDROP were given more time to perfect their first record.

Four songs were scrapped off the album and replaced by four tracks written exclusively by the group members. This was because the girls all spent time drafting songs outside of their writing sessions with each other. When they shared what they had written over online meetings, they wanted to include those songs on the album. The four songs taken off the album were scrapped but the girls later revealed that those tracks could still see the light of day. Two of the four unreleased songs were entitled “end yøurself” & “vendetta.” Most songs were re-recorded by Cass in February 2021 following her tonsillectomy. As the lockdown restrictions started to lift towards summer, Kira began working with choreographers to create choreographies for “REBEL”, “IDØL” & “HØE DØWN.” JJ & Frost worked with their team about schedules, promos, outfits etc.

In May 2021, many artists at MKE, including BUBBLEDROP, advocated for live concerts. JJ & Frost often worked together to organise the setup of the groups’ live performances. Despite the overwhelming demand, the record label rejected the artists'’ proposal for live concerts until all restrictions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic had been lifted.

Everything regarding the groups’ first album was ready by August 2021, and the girls presented their record and ideas to the publishing team at MKE. The team were very impressed with the girl’s work that they greenlit their second record. They told them to start writing music for a sophomore album while they waited for promotion of the album to begin. The group began promo for REBEL in October 2021.

### 2021: Debut, REBEL

In November 2021, BUBBLEDRØP teased their arrival. They announced that their debut album was coming and over the next few weeks, the girls did promotional work for their first record. Mini bios were released on social media platforms about each of the four group members. The name of the first record, and it’s track listing, was revealed on November 20th. BUBBLEDROP also did interviews with EarthRealm Weekly, Nether Vogue, and Edenian Times. They announced that the lead single, “REBEL,” from their debut album, would be released on November 30, 2021, with an accompanying music-video, and the album would be releasing worldwide the following day.

REBEL released on December 1st, 2021, to overwhelmingly positive reception. Rolling Tremors gave the album a 5\* rating. The lead single ‘REBEL’ reached number one on the EarthRealm WW Digital Chart and topped the EarthRealm Hot 100 for several weeks. It was dethroned by 'IDØL,' the group’s second single from their debut album, following the release of its music video on December 15th. Other tracks such as “waste øf øxygen,” “nøt a løver” & “bømbshell” all managed to peak in the Top 10 at spots 4, 5, and 6, respectively. All the other songs from REBEL managed to chart in the Top 25. Nathan Dawson of NTV called BUBBLEDROP “a gifted group of artists destined for greatness.” Nitara Knight of Vaeturnus Radio stated that “in every category, ‘REBEL’ is a success.” BUBBLEDROP continued to promote their music on radio stations and make guest appearances on late-night shows such as The Late Cage Show, VorpaxTV, The Tonight show with Asgaarth Hawkins among many others. BUBBLEDROP teased working with fellow MKE girl group, SØS towards the end of 2021.

At the end of December 2021, JJ announced her engagement to her boyfriend of four years, Takeda Takahashi. The group told fans that their second record was greenlit and that they were currently way into working on their sophomore album. They announced a short hiatus on December 30th.

### 2022: FØUR, Leaving MKE

BUBBLEDRØP featured on the January 2022 cover of ‘Nether Vogue.’ In the magazine, they announced that their sophomore album was well underway, and it would only be a couple of months until the ten tracks were set to be released. They also stated that the album could drop as soon as Summer 2022.

At the beginning of 2022, the group posted images of numbers embossed on white backgrounds on their social media. This led to speculation that they were teasing their second album. The group began referring to their fanbase as their 'BDROP ARMY'.

The girls collaborated with KM Kosmetics to release merchandise, once in January and once again in March. JJ had her marriage ceremony on February 18th, 2022, with her fiancée, Takahashi Takeda. The couple embarked on their honeymoon on February 25th, one week later. Shortly after, JJ, who was formerly known as JSB, had her stage name changed to reflect the change in her legal name following her marriage. The group announced that their second album was set to be released in June and revealed it's title and track list at the end of April. Promotion began shortly after.

BUBBLEDRØP announced that the lead single, “FØUR,” from their second album, would be released on May 20, 2022, with an accompanying music-video. The song topped the EarthRealm WW Digital Chart and the EarthRealm Hot 100 for one week, making it the group's third number one single. BUBBLEDRØP released *"*SLAY*"* on June 1st as the second single from their second album, which also released worldwide on the same day. The track was released in celebration of Pride Month and peaked at number 2 on the EarthRealm Hot 100 for two weeks. BUBBLEDRØP released consecutive music videos over the following weeks for *"*Maybe I Knøw*", "*I KILLED ALL MY EXES*",* and *"*wherever i gø*"*, respectively, with "I KILLED ALL MY EXES" topping the EarthRealm WW Digital Chart and the EarthRealm Hot 100.

In July, BUBBLEDRØP announced that they had parted ways with their record label. At the 2022 Armageddon Awards, BUBBLEDRØP took home awards for *'Album of the Year'* with their debut album “REBEL"; *'Record of the Year'* with their song “REBEL"; and *'Best New Artist of 2022.'* The group confirmed signing with the label 'JCage Records' on Twitter and in August, they announced that their third album was in the works.

### 2022-2023: KISS ØF DEATH, World Tour

On October 22, 2022, BUBBLEDRØP announced on social media that they had new music coming out in 2023. After several teasers over the first few weeks of November, BUBBLEDRØP released "November Gale" as the lead single from their third album, with an accompanying music video, on November 20. The song reached Number 1 on the EarthRealm Hot 100 as it blew up during the Halloween season, making it the group's fifth number one single.

On November 27, it was announced that BUBBLEDRØP would be headlining the Kombat Cup Halftime Show in 2023. In an interview with Nitara Knight, they revealed that they would embark on a world tour in 2023, spanning from spring till the end of summer. It was revealed at the end of November that the group would be gracing the cover of Nether Vogue once again.

On December 1, BUBBLEDRØP unveiled the album cover and track list of their third studio album, entitled "KISS ØF DEATH", set to be released on January 1, 2023. On December 10, the group announced their first ever music collaboration with Sareena, Kia & Jataaka of Sisterhood of Shadow, on MIRRØR MIRRØR. The song would be their second single from KISS ØF DEATH, and it was released on December 22nd, with an accompanying music video. BUBBLEDRØP released ten teasers for each of the ten tracks from their album. KISS ØF DEATH released worldwide January 01, 2023.

KISS ØF DEATH debuted at #1 on the EarthRealm Albums Chart, making it their third consecutive album to achieve this feat. A week after the album release, BUBBLEDRØP teased a music video for X-RATED RØMANCE, which was then uploaded on January 12. On January 31, the group released the final music video from KISS ØF DEATH, which was for the title track itself. On February 19, BUBBLEDRØP had their peformance at the Kombat Cup Halftime Show, becoming the first girl group in history to do so.

On March 04, the group unveiled the official poster for their upcoming world tour entitled "BUBBLEDRØP ACT ONE: WORLD TOUR", that they were set to embark upon starting April 10 through to June 03. BUBBLEDRØP held 48 shows before concluding the tour at Wellington, New Zealand. After a two month hiatus, BUBBLEDRØP performed their chart topping song, MIRRØR MIRRØR at the 2023 Armageddon Awards. They also took home the award for "Best Pop Duo Performance" with SØS for MIRRØR MIRRØR, with both bands becoming the first girl groups in history to win this award.

### 2023-2024: STARDØM Era

In September 2023, BUBBLEDRØP subtly announced their highly anticipated fourth album. After an eventful month for the group with them gracing covers of magazines such as People & ELLE, as well as headlining the Seido Light Festival, BUBBLEDRØP started uploading concept teasers for their fourth album. On October 23, they announced the title of the lead single, "ZØDIAC", as well as their collaboration with Jade Joshabel on said single. ZØDIAC featuring Jade Joshabel would then release worldwide on October 29 with an accompanying music video.

On November 1, the group announced a reveal event livestream for their fourth album that would take place on November 8. At the event, the group discussed their year in retrospective, had a Q&A session with fans, invited Jade to interview and perform ZØDIAC with, announced two additional secret collaborations on their upcoming album, and lastly the release date and unveiling of the album cover & tracklist.

## Discography

### Albums

**List of studio albums, with selected details, chart positions, and certifications**
(EarthRealm WW Albums Chart)
* **Label**: MKE, YGE
 FØUR | * **Released**: 1 June 2022
* **Label**: MKE, YGE
 KISS ØF DEATH | * **Released**: 1 January 2023
* **Label**: JCR, YGE