EXCLUSIVE: TXT opens up about drawing inspiration from little things; says physical distance isn't detachment

Hailed by critics and fans alike as the leaders of the 4^th generation of K-Pop, TOMORROW x TOGETHER has evolved into a force to be reckoned with, both artistically and commercially. With their roots solidly placed all across the globe, TOMORROW X TOGETHER are on a journey to world domination, albeit in a way we never expected. Alongside topping music charts left and right, the message that their music encompasses has changed lives beyond measure. Like a gentle breeze of change in the music industry, TOMORROW X TOGETHER can never be defined as just an idol boy group. Rather, they have proved themselves to be poets in their song-writing, artists in the truest sense of the word and rays of hope to millions of young people who can identify themselves in TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s music.

Ahead of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s upcoming Japanese studio album 'STILL DREAMING' to be released on January 20, 2021 featuring the singles like ‘Drama’, their original Japanese song ‘Everlasting Shine’, a whole new track called ‘Force’, two intro/outro tracks and the Japanese version of their smash hit ‘Blue Hour', Pinkvilla had the honour of interviewing TOMORROW X TOGETHER to catch a glimpse of their artistic process, their inspirations, expectations and more.

The voice of the youth, leaders of the 4th generation of K-Pop and role models to millions, how do you feel about your journey so far?

YEONJUN: Thank you for the compliments! The other members probably feel the same, but every moment I spend with them is always exciting and meaningful. Like any group of people, we did sometimes clash or run into disagreements, but we overcame those together through candid and open communication. Our teamwork definitely grew much stronger because of these experiences as well.

SOOBIN: We’re constantly striving to make music that can deliver a universal message of hope and positivity to many people no matter what background they have, and we feel like we’ve matured both as artists and as a team throughout the album-making process. We’ll continue to work harder so we can show even more diverse performances and grow further.

Fans often feel an inherent connection with your music that resonates with people of all ages. Where do you draw inspiration from?

YEONJUN: TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s music is inspired by our own stories and experiences. We always hope that whoever listens to our music will be able to relate to the messages in our songs. We also gain much inspiration from other amazing artists, and from simply watching movies and TV shows as well. Our latest album, minisode1 : Blue Hour, captured the everyday experiences, struggles, and big questions that teenagers everywhere are facing in this COVID-hampered era in a way and style that is unique to us (TOMORROW X TOGETHER).

HUENINGKAI: I don’t think inspiration necessarily needs to come from somewhere fancy or exceptionally remarkable. We typically gain inspiration from our daily lives: watching movies or just walking around and taking in our surroundings. We’re constantly observing and taking in new things to convey these feelings and experiences through TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s music. I hope that when you listen to our music and hear our lyrics, you can relate them to your own experiences and stories.

Do you think you can deal better with your own personal experiences by translating them into music?

SOOBIN: It’s definitely much easier to create music when I have personal experiences to draw from.

YEONJUN: Yes, I do feel that the process of translating my experiences into music is one that requires a lot of introspection, and this process of reflecting and expressing my thoughts through music is one that I receive comfort and strength from.

BEOMGYU: I’m someone who very much enjoys sharing my own experiences through music. This is also something that helps me de-stress when I have a lot of thoughts running through my mind. “Maze in the Mirror,” a track on our The Dream Chapter: ETERNITY album, is a song that recalls when we were going through a difficult time back in our trainee days.

TAEHYUN: I definitely think the songwriting process goes much smoother when we’re writing about topics we’ve had first-hand experiences with just because there’s a wider spectrum of words or feelings that readily come to mind and we can incorporate into our music.

HUENINGKAI: Translating our experiences into music is something that helps us process and better express our thoughts. As BEOMGYU said, “Maze in the Mirror” is a song into which we poured our honest thoughts and raw emotions into, so I’m thankful that our MOA liked it. I think I really grew as a songwriter when I was working on this song, and so I was able to better convey the messages we wanted to deliver through it.

 

Your music videos often incorporate a dreamy, fantastical fairy tale vibe. How do you come up with such concepts?

BEOMGYU: We gain inspiration from our everyday lives and we try to convey this through both our music as well as our music videos. In the case of "We Lost The Summer," we think the music video illustrated a storyline that everyone living through this COVID-19 era could wholeheartedly relate to. It starts off with the five of us having a good time, laughing together when suddenly we receive an emergency alert notification that separates us to our individual homes. We all learn to deal with our new reality of only being able to interact with each other in the online space via the screens of our electronic devices. Our members are very proud of the final outcome, and we’re very thankful to the director and all our staff members for working so hard on it. We’re also really thankful to our fans, MOA, for showing the song so much love.

2020 was an incredible year for TXT and you celebrated your first year anniversary on March 4, 2020. With your second debut anniversary approaching, what are some resolutions you have for this year?

SOOBIN: Performing in an empty venue without our fans doesn’t feel quite as fulfilling as it does when we perform for our fans in person. I can’t wait to go on stage once again in front of our MOAs and hear their cheers with my own ears. A personal resolution of mine for the year is to make it a habit to practice the piano until I can get really good at it.

YEONJUN: I sincerely hope that this situation gets better soon. Once it does, I’d like to have TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s first solo concert. Another hope of mine is to create and release a rap song. It’ll be a new challenge but I’m ready for it!

BEOMGYU: My resolution for 2021 as an artist is to meet our MOA more often. Like everyone else, I’m also hoping for the pandemic to quickly pass so everything can return to normal and we can once again spend time with the people we love. Personally, I’d like to go on a trip with our members as well.

TAEHYUN: I want to continue to work very hard on my music so that I can hopefully release a mixtape soon. My personal resolution is learning how to cook!

HUENINGKAI: Being healthy and safe is my number one priority for the year. I’d also like to perform for our fans at our own offline concert as soon as the situation permits!

Your music helped millions across the world deal with the personal pressures of a pandemic. How did you, personally, manage to make it through the past year under the same harrowing circumstances? 

SOOBIN: We know that this is a difficult and dark time for many people around the world. We’re so glad that TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s music could be a source of comfort during this time, and we take much comfort in knowing that as well. We’re always thinking of MOA, and we’re actively working and practising hard during this time so we can show our fans even better performances once we can all meet in person.

BEOMGYU: Just because we have to stay physically apart doesn’t mean we’re far away from each other. We want to stay connected with our fans, MOA, and we’ve done so and are still doing so by keeping in touch with them through Weverse and Twitter. That’s how we’ve overcome the harrowing circumstances.

Have you developed any new hobbies during your time at home this past year? 

SOOBIN: I’ve been playing computer games at home lately. It helps me de-stress and feel a moment of normalcy during these unprecedented times. A new hobby I’ve developed is playing piano! It’s something I’ve been really interested in lately, so I’ve been practising it a lot.

YEONJUN: It’s not necessarily a new hobby, but I’ve always enjoyed watching movies and TV shows, so I’ve been spending my time at home catching up on new releases and rewatching some of my all-time favorites.

BEOMGYU: It’s still quite unsafe to go outside and meet up with friends these days, right? So I’ve been keeping in touch with my close friends over the phone. It’s a relaxing and uplifting way to end my day!

TAEHYUN: I’ve once again come to realize the importance of staying healthy. To take care of my health and also to show better performances on stage, I’ve been spending a lot of my time doing home workouts.

HUENINGKAI: I really enjoy spending time at home talking with our members. Because we’ve spent so much time together over the past few years, we understand each other better than anyone else. I think that’s why I really feel at peace when I’m with them. We support each other and give each other advice when one of us is feeling down or held in a tough spot.

TXT is one of the most popular and successful 4th generation K-Pop groups in Japan, topping charts and breaking records consistently with every Japanese release. Your highly anticipated Japanese album ‘STILL DREAMING’ is finally going to be released on January 20. What are your hopes and expectations for this album?

TAEHYUN: Our first Japanese studio album STILL DREAMING delivers the message that, like our name, we gathered under one dream to build a new tomorrow. I hope that many will be able to listen to this album and relate to the messages as well as find comfort.

Finally, India has millions of MOAs who would love nothing more than to see you live one day. Do you have any plans of coming to India for a concert when the pandemic is finally over? Is there anything you would like to say to your fans in the meantime?

HUENINGKAI: We haven’t been to India yet, but we would absolutely love to visit one day. Until then, we hope our MOA will stay safe and healthy. We’d like to thank our MOA in India for their continued love and support. We’ll see you soon! Take care!

ALSO READ: ARTIST HIGHLIGHT: TXT is the 4th generation boy group you need to look out for

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