Taylor Swift’s Labelmates? Massive izna US Label Partnership Ready to Conquer America
The global K-pop invasion isn’t slowing down anytime soon, and two of the industry’s most exciting rookie groups are packed and ready for their big American breakthrough. If you’ve been keeping your eyes on the charts, you’ll want to turn your volume up for this: the newly announced izna US Label Partnership is about to take the Western music scene by storm.
K-pop agency WakeOne dropped a massive announcement on Wednesday, revealing they have signed a strategic partnership with Republic Collective—a powerful division of Universal Music Group (UMG). Under this major deal, Republic Collective will act as the official U.S. partner handling all promotions and album distributions for WakeOne’s rising stars, the girl group izna and the boy band Alpha Drive One.
Rubbing Shoulders with Pop Royalty
To understand how massive this izna US Label Partnership actually is, you only need to look at Republic Collective’s star-studded family tree. This powerhouse division consolidates heavy-hitter labels like Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Mercury Records. That means these rookie K-pop groups are now technically labelmates with global icons like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and Ariana Grande. Not a bad crowd to hang out with for your American debut, right?
Republic Collective is also no stranger to the magic of Hallyu, having recently handled the hit soundtrack for the animated film KPop Demon Hunters (2025). “We are pleased to join with Republic Collective at such an important time, as izna and Alpha Drive One prepare for their global expansion,” WakeOne stated in a press release, adding that they plan to pursue a wide range of global activities to maximize their artists’ international influence.
Setting the Tempo and Driving the Beat Global
For fans who have followed these groups since day one, this international leap feels like a natural evolution. The seven-member girl group izna was formed through Mnet’s fierce 2024 survival show I-Land 2 and has been on a fast track to stardom ever since. In fact, the news comes right on the heels of their third EP release, Set the Tempo, which dropped on June 8 with the addictive lead track “Metronome.” Talk about perfect timing to set a new global tempo!
Meanwhile, their brother group Alpha Drive One—born from the 2025 audition show Boys II Planet—has been turning heads since their January debut with the mini-album Euphoria. Despite some recent roster adjustments, the group’s sleek choreography and catchy hooks have proven they have exactly what it takes to drive straight into the hearts of American fans.
