Japanese girl group XG have dropped a piano version of their viral song ‘Is This Love’.
The Japanese septet, who appeared on a January 2025 issue of NME‘s The Cover, released the new version of ‘Is This Love’ on March 7. It dropped as a digital single, alongside a re-release of the original song and instrumental copies of both versions. ‘Is This Love’ was originally released in November 2024 on the girl group’s ‘AWE’ album.
The piano version of ‘Is This Love’ is notably stripped back from the original, with only the piano serving as its source of instrumentation aside from XG’s voices. “I ain’t playin’ no games, I mean what I say / Got you on my mind, if you feel the same / Won’t you swing my way? Baby, don’t make me wait / I don’t know if it’s meant to be, but it feels like everythin’,” they belt on the pre-chorus.
The ‘AWE’ album was led by title track ‘Howling’, and included the singles ‘IYKYK’ and ‘Something Ain’t Right’. The record also includes a remix of their May 2024 single ‘Woke Up’ featuring Korean and Japanese hip-hop artists like Jay Park, OZworld, AKLO, Paloalto, VERBAL, Awich, Tak and Dok2.
XG are currently in the final throes of their 2024 to 2025 ‘The First Howl’ world tour, with upcoming shows in Fukuoka, Osaka and encore shows in several cities across China before they head to Latin America for two shows this April. XG will also be performing at Coachella this year, making them the only Japanese act on the bill.
XG first debuted in 2022 with the single ‘Tippy Toes’. The group went on to release singles like ‘Mascara’ and ‘Shooting Star’ before dropping their first mini-album ‘New DNA’, led by the single ‘Puppet Show’ last September.
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Ice Spice has released her new single “Pretty Privilege,” marking a noticeable shift from her signature New York drill-inspired sound. But the change in style isn’t the only thing that’s getting people talking. Fans are once again speculating about the rumored tension between her and Cardi B, a topic that first gained attention when a snippet of the track appeared online.
For those who missed it, Cardi B had previously gone on a rant that included jabs at Ice Spice and her manager. Not long after, Spice previewed “Pretty Privilege,” which featured the lyric, “She might talk s**t on the ’Gram, but she won’t talk it to my face.” That line quickly sparked debate among listeners, with many believing it was aimed at the AM I THE DRAMA? rapper.
This added fuel to speculation that a rivalry might be brewing. During the phone call in question, Cardi B criticized Ice Spice while speaking to her manager, James Rosemond Jr. She later apologized for her remarks about Latto and claimed that Rosemond Jr. was responsible for leaking their private conversation.
Now that the full version of “Pretty Privilege” has been released, Complex reports that other theories have emerged. Some fans believe the song might actually target Brooklyn rapper Stunna Sandy, whom Spice was said to call out in her earlier track “Baddie Baddie.” On that record, she rapped, “I know that she wants to be me / But she is not doing it well,” leading to renewed discussions about hidden disses.
While talk of a feud between Cardi B and Ice Spice isn’t new, both artists have publicly denied having issues in the past. Even so, online chatter continues to shape how fans perceive their relationship. Aside from that controversial phone call, there’s no real evidence to suggest they’re actually on bad terms.
Still, as speculation keeps circulating, the story might take new turns. Whether it’s genuine tension or just fan-driven drama, it’s clear that the Internet has played a big role in keeping the conversation alive. For now, Cardi and Ice Spice don’t seem particularly close, but time will tell if the rumors fade or resurface once again.
