CUBE Entertainment's new boy group in eight years since PENTAGON, NOWADAYS is a five-member band composed of HYEONBIN, YOON, YEONWOO, JINHYUK, and SIYUN. Making its debut on April 2nd with the self-titled single album, the boys are eager to head out on a journey and "start the fire without fear."
'NOWADAYS' comprises three tracks: "NOW," the title song "OoWee" which contains the group's own genre "Days-pop," combining soulful melodies with hip-hop elements, and "TICKET."
Notably, members JINHYUK and SIYUN participated in penning the two latter tracks, lending their perspectives to the songs' lyrics. JINHYUK stated, "We spent a lot of time considering what would come across as more real to the listeners." SIYUN then echoed, "Making an imaginary character and expressing our thoughts to one another was a lot of fun!"
Following their album release, the boys caught up with allkpop to talk about finally making their debut, role models, and what we should look forward to in the coming years. Read the full exclusive interview below!
Shout-out from NOWADAYS to allkpop readers:
allkpop: First, congratulations on your debut! Before we start, please tell us a little bit about yourself. Give us one or two fun facts about yourself, and tell us how you feel to finally debut after all the training.
HYEONBIN: I’m so excited that we have finally made our debut and to be with our fans! Two fun facts about me are that I’m very good at doing a handstand and I’m not shy in front of strangers!
YOON: First of all, I'm so excited to make my debut that I've been waiting for so long. I recall the members' adorable reaction the first time we wore in-ear and headset microphones during the showcase preparations.
YEONWOO: I'm thrilled to finally have the opportunity to meet and perform in person for our fans. Two fun facts about me are that there have been times when I slept for 15 hours straight and spent the entire day in bed!
JINHYUK: I'm thrilled because I've been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Two interesting things about me are that I look like the Pokemon character Xatu and that I often take some time before I speak.
SIYUN: Thank you so much! I’m so excited because this is the day I’ve been dreaming and waiting for every day. Also, I can’t wait to show our charms to everyone who isn't familiar with NOWADAYS yet! If I have to say two fun facts, I think I look like a lizard, and I can split my legs very straight.
allkpop: Speaking of training, is there anything memorable you could share with us from the moment you started training to now that you debuted? What was the experience like?
HYEONBIN: When we were trainees, I remember one time we got caught by the manager after eating ramen instead of our diet meal. And the day we once all went to an amusement park together, and it was a lot of fun!
YOON: I remember the time when I won first place in vocals for our monthly evaluation.
YEONWOO: On JINHYUK’s birthday, we all went to an amusement park with our members and the manager. It was a happy day where we could have fun without worrying about anything. We escaped from our stress by going on rides and our manager had bought some very delicious foods instead of our diet meal.
allkpop: If you could introduce yourself and NOWADAYS in one phrase or sentence, how would you do it? It would be great if all members answer this question!
HYEONBIN: If I were to introduce myself in one phrase, it would be an infinite possibility. For our group, it would be a super rookie.
YOON: I want to describe our group as super rookie!
YEONWOO: I think the best way to describe us is that we are close classmates' friends. We have been practicing together for a long time, therefore we are close friends and colleagues who know each other very well.
JINHYUK: I would describe NOWADAYS as a 5th generation rookie!
SIYUN: I would choose the word "rainbow" for our group! Like a rainbow, We all have unique colors that beautifully blend together.
allkpop: Tell us more about your debut album. What was your reaction when you first heard about the tracks, especially the title song “OoWee”?
HYEONBIN: When I first heard "OoWee," I thought this song perfectly captures NOWADAYS music style.
YOON: Our title track "OoWee" sounded like a mixture of various emotions. It felt like a combination of vibrant and trendy with a touch of darkness.
YEONWOO: I remember shouting "ay!" to myself right at the beginning of the hook “OoWee.” I think it's a really catchy melody with an easy-to-follow melody.
JINHYUK: I absolutely loved the song. I was excited to perform the distinct hip-hop elements found in the song.
SIYUN: The catchy beat and addictive hook of the song really stuck in my head and ear. I also felt it was the perfect song to show our members' charms.
allkpop: JINHYUK and SIYUN took part in creating the tracks. How does it feel to see your name on the credit part, especially that you just debuted which is an impressive feat? Could you walk us through how you worked on them?
JINHYUK: I was thrilled and proud at the same time! Regarding the working process, SIYUN and I had a lot of discussions about how to present it. We spent a lot of time revising the lyrics and considering what would come across as more real to the listeners.
SIYUN: Being a part of the album process for our first debut album makes me feel incredibly honored and excited. One day, I hope to record our album just using the names of NOWADAYS members! Working with JINHYUK was so much fun! Making an imaginary character and expressing our thoughts to one another was a lot of fun!
allkpop: Which artists influenced you the most to walk the same path?
HYEONBIN: Although I've listened to a lot of musicians who have inspired me to write songs and to perform. However, Ed Sheeran has had the biggest influence on me because through him, I got interested in composing songs.
SIYUN: My role model is Mark of NCT, who has the same rap position as me.
allkpop: What should we look forward to NOWADAYS? How do you plan to stand out in the industry?
YOON: All of our members want to perform well and not be limited to any certain role as an all rounder group!
YEONWOO: We want to be a group that is there for our fans whenever they need comfort or encouragement. Please stay tuned for more from us!
JINHYUK: Please look forward to the chemistry between our members. Additionally, we hope our fans will focus on the coexistence of coolness and comfort while enjoying our music.
allkpop: Lastly, tell us your goals as well as your final message for allkpop readers!
HYEONBIN: To all of allkpop readers, we are so happy to greet you guys today! We will continue to become better artists as NOWADAYS. Thank you!
YOON: We, NOWADAYS, debuted on April 2nd, please show a lot of support and we will continue to become better artists and will always do our best to show better stages!
YEONWOO: Hello allkpop readers! NOWADAYS debuted on April 2nd, and being able to greet many of our international fans through this interview we are very blessed. As we have been preparing for a long time, we have so much to show and hope everyone will enjoy NOWADAYS full of different charms! Thank you!
JINHYUK: Please show a lot of support and love for NOWADAYS. We will work harder in order to get closer with our fans, and we hope to meet our international fans all around the world someday! Until then please send us support and love. Thank you!
SIYUN: After a long time, NOWADAYS has finally debuted! We will fill our fans daily with great memories with various charms in the future! We hope everyone can support us and love us! Thank you!
Socials:
X: @CUBE_NOWADAYS
Instagram: @CUBE_NOWADAYS
TikTok: @cube_nowadays
YouTube: CUBE_NOWADAYS
Facebook: NOWADAYS
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