Global band hrtz.wav (HaatzWave) expressed unique determination and goals ahead of their full-fledged debut activities.
Kakao Entertainment on the 6th released a Q&A answered directly by hrtz.wav (HaatzWave) members two days before the release of their first mini album 'The First Wave' . Yoon Young-jun (keyboard), Rian (vocals), Dain (bass), Kayten (guitar), Hagiwa (drums) introduced their music and team identity and said their goal is to be leaders of the band scene worldwide, not just in Korea.
The album includes six tracks of high-quality band sound, including the title track 'NINETEEN' written by all members and the self-composed 'Eoriberri' by Rian and Dain. hrtz.wav (HaatzWave) said, "We wanted to show another youth of ours," and explained, "The members' various perspectives widened the scope of the music."
The debut stage announcing the start of hrtz.wav (HaatzWave)'s wave will be first revealed at a fan showcase held on the debut day, the 8th, at 8 p.m. at the Culture Depot performance hall in Mapo District, Seoul. After that, they plan to continue active activities through various music programs and festivals.
hrtz.wav (HaatzWave)'s mini album 1 'The First Wave' will be released online and offline at 6 p.m. on the 8th.
The following is a Q&A with hrtz.wav (HaatzWave).
Q1. feelings about debuting
A1. (Dain) After ranking first by position at 'Steel Heart Club', we finally are debuting together as members. To repay the expectations of the fans who have supported us so far, every member prepared for the debut through much thought and effort in many areas. As the debut approaches, I feel excited and the times we've had come to mind, making them feel more precious. Since you've waited a long time, we want to repay you with a performance worthy of your expectations, and we will put our sincerity and energy into each stage. We will continue to be a team that grows.
Q2. Is there a distinctive color and message the team wanted to convey in the title track 'NINETEEN', which all members participated in writing? Track 5 'Eoriberri' was written and composed by members Rian and Dain, and members participated in the album work together—are there any memorable production episodes?
A2. (Rian) 'NINETEEN' is a song that expresses the desire to show another youth of ours that differs from what the five different people showed on 'Steel Heart Club'. In particular, the fact that we visualize youth through various points is the color we wanted to include. 'Eoriberri', which I made with Dain, is also a song that captures the ambiguous but thrilling feelings you can feel at that age. It's a song expressing feelings on the border between a fling and unrequited love; while weighing titles, we thought 'Eoriberri' fit best and decided on it.
Q3. You have received love calls from major domestic and international festivals. What kind of performances do you want to be a team that shows on festival stages and others? Is there a stage you especially want to stand on?
A3. (Yoon Young-jun) Beyond simply good performances, I want to create stages that are remembered for a long time. Because these are venues where diverse audiences gather, we want to present shows that naturally immerse even those seeing us for the first time. Ultimately, our goal is to stand on big stages like Glastonbury and Coachella and bring our music to the world.
Q4. In an era when many bands are gaining popularity, what is hrtz.wav (HaatzWave)'s distinct difference?
A4. (Yoon Young-jun) HaatzWave is a team whose members each have distinct personalities, making it fun to watch each individual. At the same time, because we create greater synergy together, I think you can feel twofold or threefold the charm. If you watch our stages that contain our unique colors going forward, I believe you will empathize even more.
Q5. Looking at the members' ages, the composition stands out, from Kayten (19), whose age matches the title track name, to Hagiwa (3), who continues a mysterious-concept image, and eldest brother Yoon Young-jun (25). I'm curious what ideas you shared and developed to blend each distinct personality and charm into one album.
A5. (Hagiwa) I think the fact that members have different ages and backgrounds is the team's charm. 19-year-old Kayten brings energy and trendiness, and hyung Yoon Young-jun adds stability and musical depth. I think I add color to the team with a unique character not found in other bands. While writing the lyrics for the title song 'NINETEEN' with the members, we talked a lot about "how can we make each personality into one wave." At that time, I felt our diverse perspectives broadened the scope of the music.
Q6. I'm curious about the members' actual satisfaction with the team name hrtz.wav (HaatzWave), which Kayten personally proposed. Please introduce what identity you put into the team name.
A6. (Hagiwa) From the first time we heard the name, all members were satisfied. It combines 'heart', 'Hertz', and '.wav', which signifies the wave of trends, to embody our music and identity. It also means that beyond simple performance, we want to deliver emotions and energy as a 'wave of sound' to the world. We want to be a team where each personality gathers to form one big wave.
Q7. After participating in 'Steel Heart Club' and preparing to debut as a team, what has changed and in what ways do you feel you have grown as a team?
A7. (Rian) Because we are a team formed through participation in a survival show, I think everyone was ready to grow from the start. It wasn't an easy process, but because every member had strong will to improve and develop, through steady rehearsals and practice we were able to noticeably improve both skills and performance. Sharing hardships and joys made our team cohesion stronger.
Q8. Do you have goals after debut? Ambitions and determination about what kind of band you want the public to remember you as.
A8. (Kayten) Our goal is to become a team that leads the global band scene beyond Korea. Through music we want to deliver joy and love and contribute to making a better world. We want to be remembered as a band that many people can empathize with and be comforted by. Please listen to our debut album 'The First Wave' a lot and look forward to our future activities.
[Photo] Provided by Kakao Entertainment.
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