AHOF. Picture: Courtesy of F&F Leisure
AHOF, the nine-member K-pop boy band fashioned via the Korean actuality present Universe League, has made their official debut with the mini album Who We Are. The multinational group that includes Jeongwoo, Woongki, Han, and Juwon from South Korea, Steven from Australia, Shuaibo from China, JL from the Philippines, Chihen from Taiwan, and Daisuke from Japan, has been months within the making. Now, they’re lastly unveiling Who We Are to introduce the world to the sound, efficiency fashion, and feelings driving their inventive id.
The Energy of 9
So, what’s behind the moniker AHOF? Whereas it means “9” in Korean, the identify speaks extra to the energy and unity of the group’s 9 members than simply the quantity itself. AHOF—which stands for All-Time Corridor of Famer—was coined by the band’s company, F&F Leisure, as a method of manifesting their place in Ok-pop’s corridor of fame. To the members, it’s the whole lot. Woongki says the identify provides them the “energy and energy to run with out exhaustion” as they pursue their Ok-pop desires, whereas Juwon provides that it’s solely significant when all 9 members are collectively. “There’s no which means if we aren’t 9.”
Unraveling the Album’s Narrative
The synergy is palpable in Who We Are, which tells a narrative of self-discovery, nervousness, and hope. This six-track file takes you on an emotional journey, from their pre-debut jitters to the exhilaration of lastly sharing their music with the world. With songs like “The Little Star,” “The Universe,” “Rendezvous,” “Incompleted,” “Cosmic Underdog,” and “AHOF,” the rookie group units the tone for the longer term music, with Steven saying, “It’s a begin of showcasing the colour of the band, and are a real labor of affection from us.”
A Sound of Feelings
The title observe, “Rendezvous,” which racked up over 5 million views on YouTube in only a day, is a poignant reflection of their journey to this point. It’s received a dreamy vibe and captures that second when flaws and religion collide. Shifting from tender moments to intense releases, it captures the group’s anxieties about connection, change and fan acceptance. That is most obvious in traces like, “Will you continue to be the identical as you have been that day? Have you ever modified an excessive amount of? Are you loving another person and forgetting me?” revealing a deeper concern of drifting aside. Woongki admits to pouring his coronary heart into the lyrics and says he drew from his personal experiences. “It’s a track that exhibits our group’s vitality and route, which just about sums up why the observe is an enormous deal,” in response to Steven. The members additionally point out that the album unfolds like a narrative. “Should you take heed to the songs in sequence, you’ll get readability on the narrative: the nervousness, uncertainty, and feelings every of us went via. It’s like a narrative that items all of that collectively.”
Moments of Vulnerability
For JL, the track “The Little Star” resonates deeply. “‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ was one in all my vocal observe songs whereas I used to be a trainee,” he remembers, which explains his robust emotional connection to the observe. “After I heard the demo, I cried so much.” The music’s vulnerability is a key aspect within the album, Woongki emphasizes. All through the playlist, “you’ll really feel our feelings, which makes Who We Are all of the extra particular and significant,” he provides.
The Music-Making Course of
Who We Are is an eclectic mixture of views, with every member contributing to its sound. El Capitan, the famend Korean singer-songwriter and file producer, has been central to its manufacturing. The recording classes have been probably the most difficult a part of the method, because the members fine-tuned their songs till they received them good. “We modified and re-recorded a number of occasions for perfection,” Steven reveals. For non-Korean members Shuaibo and Daisuke, the language barrier made issues a bit tougher. “All of the songs have been in Korean, and I needed to file with good pronunciation,” the latter shares.
The Message Behind Who We Are
The album is a promise to followers that AHOF will keep trustworthy and at all times give it their greatest. Han breaks it down as a drama in six episodes, a brief however impactful glimpse into all of the vibes and feels the group hopes will stick with listeners. As Chihen places it, “Please keep in mind our songs.” The album’s themes of hope and perseverance urge followers to chase their desires and by no means let go—a message that speaks to AHOF’s personal journey, one which has solely simply begun with Who We Are.
