In July 2021, JYP Entertainment announced plans for a new girl group debut in February 2022.1 The company employed an unconventional marketing strategy by offering pre-orders for a limited edition "Blind Package" from July 16-25, 2021, without revealing the group's name, concept, or members.2 This mysterious approach proved remarkably successful, with the package selling 40,000 copies within five days and eventually reaching over 60,000 copies before any member was revealed.2

From August through November 2021, JYP unveiled the seven members through dance videos and song covers, released in the following order: Jinni, Jiwoo, kyujin, Sullyoon, Bae, Haewon, and Lily.3 During this period, the group was tentatively known as "JYPn." On January 26, 2022, a video titled "NICE TO MIXX YOU" officially revealed the group's name as NMIXX, combining "N" (representing "now," "new," "next," and the unknown) with "MIX" (symbolizing combination and diversity).4

NMIXX officially debuted on February 22, 2022, with the single album "AD MARE."3 Their debut single "O.O" introduced the group's signature "MIXX POP" genre, characterized by abrupt shifts between contrasting musical styles within a single track.2 Billboard later noted that AD MARE sold over 220,000 copies in its first week, marking the highest debut album sales by a girl group in K-pop history at that time.2

During their postponed debut showcase on March 1, 2022, the group announced their official fandom name "NSWER," an acronym for North, South, East, West, and Route.4 The debut sparked intense discussion in the K-pop community, with reactions ranging from praise for the group's ambition to criticism of the jarring genre transitions. Despite mixed initial reception, the debut established NMIXX's identity as a group willing to take artistic risks with their experimental sound.

On December 9, 2022, JYP Entertainment announced that member Jinni would depart from NMIXX due to personal reasons.4 The group continued as a sextet, releasing their first EP "expérgo" on March 20, 2023, which marked a turning point in their career.5 The lead single "Love Me Like This" earned NMIXX their first music show win and peaked at number 11 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.1

The EP "expérgo" debuted at No. 122 on the Billboard 200, marking the group's first entry on the chart.2 Billboard praised the release, with their pre-release track "Young, Dumb, Stupid" debuting at No. 1 on the Hot Trending Songs chart in March 2023, driven by nearly 30 million music video views within days of release.6

In January 2024, NMIXX released "Fe3O4: Break," the first installment of their Fe3O4 trilogy.7 The EP featured the Latin-influenced pre-release "Soñar (Breaker)" and title track "DASH," which blended old-school hip-hop with pop-punk elements. Billboard reported that the album debuted at No. 2 on the World Albums chart and No. 171 on the Billboard 200, earning NMIXX their first No. 1 position on the Emerging Artists chart.7 Billboard noted that NMIXX became the first K-pop group to lead the Emerging Artists chart in 2024, achieving this milestone with 8,000 equivalent album units in the opening week.7

The trilogy continued with "Fe3O4: Stick Out" in August 2024, followed by "Fe3O4: Forward" in March 2025.8 Yonhap News Agency reported that the final installment concluded the group's album series with a narrative about the members "arriving and settling in the real world."8 Billboard ranked the pre-release track "High Horse" at #2 on their "Top 25 K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far)" list, praising its "minimalist approach, gradual build-up, and the oscillation between tension and release."9

In October 2024, NMIXX made history as the first K-pop group to participate in Billboard Latin Music Week.10 The group appeared on a panel titled "K-Pop Goes Latin with NMIXX," where Billboard's chief content officer Leila Cobo stated: "K-pop has cultivated a large, passionate fan base in Latin America, and now we're seeing popular K-pop artists like NMIXX embrace this by singing in Spanish."10

During the event, NMIXX premiered a Spanish version of "Soñar" performed a cappella and surprised attendees by performing the chorus of Karol G's "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido" with intricate harmonies.11 The members expressed their excitement about connecting with Latin American fans, noting they had been studying Spanish to deepen their relationship with the region's audience.11

NMIXX released their first full-length studio album "Blue Valentine" on October 13, 2025.1 The Korea Herald reported that the title track "Blue Valentine" topped Melon's monthly chart for November, marking a first for the group and logging the longest run atop the daily chart for a K-pop group in 2025.12 The track earned eight music show wins, cementing the group's commercial breakthrough.12

Billboard reported that "Blue Valentine" debuted at No. 78 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 43 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, surpassing their previous highest rankings set by debut track "O.O" in 2022.13 The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 177 and peaked at No. 2 on the World Albums chart, while also debuting at No. 7 on both the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales charts.13

In December 2025, NMIXX announced their first-ever world tour "Episode 1: Zero Frontier."14 Billboard reported that the Live Nation-promoted tour would kick off March 17, 2026 in Madrid, Spain, with stops in Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Toronto, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., Texas, and California, concluding on April 9 at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles.14

The tour announcement followed the group's sold-out debut concerts at Incheon Inspire Arena on November 29-30, 2025.14 Looking ahead to 2026, NMIXX will also make history as the first K-pop group to headline the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, following their well-received surprise appearance at the 2025 edition.1

The NSWER fandom has developed alongside NMIXX, is a fourth-generation girl group. The fandom name itself encapsulates the relationship between group and fans, with NMIXX representing the four cardinal directions and NSWER providing the "Route," together finding answers and paths forward. The fandom's symbol is a whale, which appears throughout the group's music videos.16

In January 2025, the group made history when NPR Music uploaded their "Tiny Desk Korea" performance to its main YouTube channel, making NMIXX the first-ever K-pop girl group to be featured on the platform.15 The Korea Herald reported that NPR Music described the group as "not just another South Korean girl group," noting they are "accomplished singers who performed this 26-minute set in one take and without sound reinforcement wedges that musicians traditionally use to hear themselves better."15 The performance showcased signature tracks including "Love Me Like This," "Run For Roses" and "Dash" performed without in-ear monitors, relying solely on a live band.15