Having debuted in 2019 but together since 2015, ONEWE has a long path in its career. The band – which consists of Yonghoon, Harin, Kanghyun, DongMyeong, and CyA – adopted their new name after signing with RBW Entertainment and, with the change, started working with other famous names of the industry.
The musicians play roles on every step of the composition of their hits and were able to talk to KoreaIN among the promotions of their latest album, [Planet Nine : Voyager], released at the beginning of the month. On an informal and detailed chat, they told us where they get inspiration to write, about the interaction with their colleagues at RBW, and their passion for Brazilian football.
Check the full interview below.
KoreaIN: You are now back with your 2nd Mini album [Planet Nine: VOYAGER]. Congratulations! Could you introduce more about your new songs this time? Please tell us about your inspirations and expectations for it.
Yonghoon: Ah yeah. We are back 7 months after our second mini-album and we are very excited. This album is very important because all five members took part in the creation of the lyrics and we think WEVE [their fandom] will like it a lot.
KoreaIN: The band has been widely active during the pandemics period. From the release of your first album – One – to Planet Nine and the singles released in 2021. How was the past year for you guys? What were the challenges you had, and how did create music help through those difficult times?
DongMyeong: These are difficult times due to coronavirus, but the hardest part was not being able to meet our WEVE. We always make music using the strength that WEVE gives us but, for not being able to meet in person, we got very sad. Still, we worked hard making music while WEVE gave us strength and cheered on us any way they could, and, thanks to that, we could face hardships and continue our activities.
KoreaIN: What role does each of you play while creating those new songs? What are the individual and collective processes?
Harin: As a band, when a member brings a new song, we usually save it to use later, using each member’s strength and expertise and coordinating the whole creational process. And, if there’s a particular path one of us wants to try, we all work on it to bring the best possible result.
KoreaIN: Some of your songs’ names have cosmic or weather elements on the name. Rain, aurora, star, cosmos, and the newest single Universe. Is this some coincidence? Where did you get inspiration from?
Kanghyun: Since there are times in which we write our own songs, we get inspiration from our daily lives. Rain to be, for instance, we wrote this song because every time we were on our way to a schedule it rained. We always write songs that are connected to our everyday lives.
KoreaIN: Among many k-pop groups, ONEWE follows different dynamics as a band. Does it give you any freedom in the creative process? How do you feel about it?
CyA: First, every band has an image of freedom, right? And, since our company is like a family and our hyung producers help us to create our own songs, we have the freedom to write lyrics and do other things. I think this is a good direction since our songs have been successful in expressing our feelings exactly the way we wanted to.
KoreaIN: You were already active as a band even before becoming ONEWE and this means that you all have a longer path than many other artists. What were the main changes that you were able to see after all those years?
Kanghyun: First, we’ve been together for a long time when compared to other teams. We are almost a family, and I think that, because of that, our trust in one another is very strong. So, whenever we are doing something, we tend to support each other, and I think this is our main strength.
KoreaIN: After moving to RBW, you were able to collaborate with many artists. What advice were you able to get from them?
Harin: In our company, we have ONEUS, PURPLE KISS, and MAMAMOO. When working together, more than receiving advice, we were able to grow close. Musically as well, they helped and cheered on us a lot and, because of that, we still think “Oh, let’s become an even cooler band and even better artists”. We feel we have very strong supporters on our side.
KoreaIN: You have a very close relationship with ONEUS – including the fact that Dongmyeong and Xion are literally twin brothers – and have collaborated with them many times. How does it feel to merge such different styles?
DongMyeong: Honestly, we practice a lot together and we are still a team that gets along very well, both publically and personally. When working together, I feel that, since we are specialized in different areas, we can learn a lot with each other. I think that in terms of music and work, we can grow and learn a lot with one another.
KoreaIN: As your first interview to a Brazilian outlet, can you share with us the things that you know or heard before about Brazil and Brazilian culture? Did you hear any songs or artists? Maybe have interacted with Brazilian fans online before?
Kanghyun: We have interacted with Brazilian fans through video calls at places like Arirang TV, we also frequently see them on our fancafe. To be honest, we don’t know Brazilian culture very well but, if we have a chance, we would love to go to Brazil for a tour and also to learn more about the culture.
Yonghoon: One of the things I like about Brazil is football. Among my favorite players there is always a Brazilian star. I don’t know much about Brazilian singers but I know that the country is famous for football.
You can also watch the full interview in video at our YouTube channel:
Translation: Jeiciane Torres, Ilgaz Gocen, and Ramona Albu
English version: Greyce Oliveira
Image: RBW Entertainment
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