UNIS' 'GimmeSummer☆' Gets Love From Songwriter Carlos K.; Japan Comeback Team Rallies Behind Release
UNIS' new Japanese title track "GimmeSummer☆" is getting a boost from behind the scenes, with songwriter Carlos K. and members of the music video's production team publicly cheering on the release on social media.
The track dropped as a surprise pre-release single on July 17 KST, ahead of UNIS' first Japanese mini album, "UNI☆Sparkle!," landing July 31.
The Songwriter Behind the Track
"GimmeSummer☆" was written and composed by Carlos K., the Japan-based songwriter, arranger, and producer who has racked up four Japan Record Awards across 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2025. Since joining Sweden's Roasting House in the early 2010s, he's built a catalog spanning Nogizaka46, Flower, and multiple AKB48-family groups, and more recently served as producer on Lilas Ikuta's "Koikaze," a 2025 single from her album "Laugh." He co-wrote "GimmeSummer☆" alongside Kanata Okajima, the million-selling songwriter and vocal producer known for co-writing BTS's "Crystal Snow" - a No. 1 hit in 17 countries - as well as recent credits with aespa, TXT, TWICE, and IVE. Both writers took to their social pages this week to celebrate the song's rollout, adding to the wave of goodwill around UNIS' Japan-focused comeback.
The Video's Creative Team Weighs In
The "GimmeSummer☆" music video, filmed on location in Okinawa, was helmed by director MONA, whose past work includes directing Meme Tokyo's "AGAIN AND AGAIN" music video. Production and VFX support came from VeAble Tokyo, the same team that handled the visual effects on that earlier project. Members of the crew shared their support for the finished video following its release, with posts highlighting the shoot's summery, coming-of-age visual concept; a school-excursion story that follows the members through city streets, a beach afternoon, and a fireworks-lit night.
What's Coming on 'UNI☆Sparkle!'
"GimmeSummer☆" is UNIS' first-ever summer single, built around the excitement and nerves of young love and friendship - a shift from the softer, "cute" tone of the group's earlier Japanese-language songs. It anchors "UNI☆Sparkle!," UNIS' first physical album in Japan, which leans into Y2K-era J-pop styling across five tracks: the title song, new track "BBYBBY," previously released digital singles "moshimoshi♡" and "mwah…," and a Japanese version of "SWICY." According to F&F Entertainment's announcement, the record follows a string of standalone Japanese originals starting with a collaboration with singer-songwriter noa on "Shaking My Head" that UNIS has released since expanding into the Japanese market last year.
With the full mini album still a week and a half away, attention now turns to how "UNI☆Sparkle!" fares on its July 31 release.
About UNIS
UNIS is an eight-member girl group under F&F Entertainment. The group was formed through the SBS reality survival show Universe Ticket, which aired from November 2023 to January 2024. They officially debuted on March 27, 2024, with their first mini-album We UNIS. Their group name stands for "U&I Story," representing the ongoing story between the group and their fans.
