A “stepping stone” is what K-pop boy band Trendz hopes for with their second single album, “Blue Set Chapter: New Dayz.”
“We are now in the second year of our career as Trendz. Last year was a blessing for us because we could do a lot of performances and appearances. But we have this mindset that, just like the title track of this album ,'New Dayz,' we will start anew," said Havit of Trendz during the group’s interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday.
"We personally think that we will grow a lot as artists through this new album."
Trendz, known for their powerful and charismatic performances, went for a different note this time, incorporating a theme of brightness and free spirit.
“Blue Set Chapter: New Dayz” comprises three tracks led by the titular “New Dayz,” alongside “Nightmare” and “Fantasy.”
“The moment we heard the titular track, we thought that now we could enjoy (performing) on stage, as the title track is a bright song. Not only is the song addictive but I think the public will also like the choreography. The dance moves are really easy so we are aiming for it to go viral through challenge content on social media,” said Yoonwoo, subvocalist and subrapper for the group.
“There are a lot of details in our dance so it will be fun for the public to catch these. For example, we used sign language that means ‘curiosity’ as a feature dance move in ‘New Dayz,’” added the group’s leader, Hankook.
Trendz also tried acting for the first time in the “New Dayz” music video. The story centers on teenagers suffering from school violence and waiting for the day they can break out of it.
“Acting was really awkward at first but we had a lot of help from Eunil, as he studied acting in high school. We practiced for hours in front of a mirror," said Yechan, the youngest in the group.
"After seeing the results, we were happy that we could show a different part of ourselves. We want to be idols who are good at everything.”
The septet also used the album to show more of their talent by taking part in writing the lyrics.
“Writing the lyrics to the song helps us understand our song better as we get to listen carefully to every beat. Depending on how we interpret the melody, the lyrics come out differently. When we write the lyrics, we get more attached to the song and we are also more confident when performing,” said Hankook.
With this new album, Trendz hope to get a chance to meet fans overseas, as they know that many among their fan community -- called “Friendz” -- who have supported them since their debut live abroad.
The boy band was encouraged by fans who complimented their powerful performance from content online.
“We are really thankful for their love and if we have the chance to visit our fans out there, we will go anywhere at any time. In fact, we know that we are getting some love calls from the US and Japan. So until the time comes, please wait for us,” said Yoonwoo.
Different from a year ago when they had just made their debut and were nervous to perform on stage, Trendz appeared more at ease, with their vocals and performances on a new level, highlighting their teamwork.
“When we were recording the album, we were less criticized by our composers and producers. They complimented us for our lyrics, vocals and rapping. It actually took less time to record the album than last time,” said Leon. "Now we get to have more say in our album as well."
“Through this album, we will show that we have grown up as better artists. We ask for your support and love. We will always try to become artists that can be a positive influence to society,” said ra.L.