Earlier this month, EVNNE had their third (arguably best) comeback with their mini-album HOT MESS. Since its release, every single song has been on repeat as EVNNE captured musical perfection and their unique aura through each track. We got the chance to assist a roundtable ahead of their comeback, and we learned about the process behind the comeback, the concept they captured, and so much more, and it made us love this comeback even more. We’re here to tell you all about it!
The New EVNNE
The last time we caught up with EVNNE was right after their first comeback with ‘UGLY,’ even before their music show win. Since then, it’s been nothing but uphills for EVNNE. They got their music show wins, went on tour in North America, held several fan meetings, and released new music, including their third mini-album. Of course, this was about to change the rookies we had met. Touring means meeting new fans, experiencing music differently, and becoming even greater artists..
I would say that our expressions have become freer and more bold, and our stage presence has gotten stronger especially while touring. I think we definitely improved a lot as a group and noticed our own growth.
Hanbin
Despite this being their best release ever, there are gems in EVNNE’s discography that lead the way for this. They’ve truly never failed when it came to music and performances. Indeed, songs like ‘FESTA‘ and the impact they had on tour really shaped what their next comeback would be.
I think our song ‘Festa’ was the most meaningful song to me [during the tour]. We were able to build a deeper connection with our fans because it brought our fans to sing along and have fun with us when we were performing. I think this song allowed us to get closer to our fans.
Jihoo
HOT MESS is all about freeing yourself and living your true self in the most celebratory way. In many ways, this is what EVNNE has always been about, as well as the energy they’ve always given to the world and their fans.
Something we are always aiming for when performing on stage is having fun on stage, as we always talk about it amongst ourselves before going on stage. I think one of the biggest elements and keywords for this comeback is having fun with joy, which allows us to pursue the music and performances we’ve always strived to do.
Yunseo
The New Comeback
2024 had an impact on EVNNE as a group and as artists, and HOT MESS is the result of it. With four main releases under their belts, EVNNE have already made it really clear that there is no concept they’re not interested in taking on. It serves well because EVNNE have proven time and time again that there is no concept they can’t do. All their previous title tracks had their own image, concept, and energy. ‘HOT MESS’ is the brightest one yet. It’s fun, explosive, and one of their catchiest songs.
Whenever I listen to ‘HOT MESS,’ I think really delivers that popping and explosive feeling. As for the choreography, I feel like the chorus dance part will be slightly different for every stage, so it would have unexpected details and elements that would be fun to watch out for.
Jihoo
Even after so much exploring through genres yet keeping their unique sound, ‘HOT MESS’ still feels like the most genuine, freeing, and authentic concept so far. EVNNE have always had a very lively, goofy energy to them, and it’s one of the reasons it is so easy to fall for their dynamic. That side that we’ve always loved about EVNNE is being translated into an album, in every track, every twist and turn.
For our last album, we were all about the visuals, like finding the best angle for us, but this album is quite different. The theme and mindset are more like, ‘No worries, as long as we have fun together everything’s fine.’ So, enjoying the music and stage with our fans is the whole point of this album.
Jihoo
Our album HOT MESS concept captures EVNNE’s positivity of having fun even in messy and chaotic situations, making even those situations intriguing and attractive. I think our album covers multiple genres rather than just one. We were able to express music of various genres in a fun way with our own unique colors.
Yunseo
Indeed, HOT MESS is about so much more than just the title track. It takes more than one song to make it EVNNE‘s best comeback, with all the competition it has. HOT MESS takes you on a journey and creates a world with every song. While ‘HOT MESS’ perfectly embodies the concept of the release, the mini-album explores different genres. ‘CROWN’ is the perfect example of how they break expectations yet create songs that are so incredibly perfect for them.
I think ‘CROWN’ suits us the most. It is a very powerful and bold song, so I think it fits our characteristics that we want to portray well.
Hanbin
The Behind-The-Scenes
So, we have a perfect mini-album, but there is more to be said about the minds and ideas behind it. HOT MESS is a universe on its own. During the roundtable, Jihoo talked about how they worked a lot on getting the details right during the recordings and editing. Every single detail in every track is so important. It can definitely be heard: there is so much love in every track and so many details to look at, whether it’s production, lyrics, or vocals.
EVNNE have always had a bit of a hand in the making of their music. HOT MESS is no exception; if anything, it allowed the members even more to explore their unique writing and composing styles. Jihoo talked about how songwriting and composing have always been a way for him to express his inner artist, and he’s not the only one. HOT MESS counts with the participation of not only Jihoo, but also Seungeon, Yunseo, and of course, Keita.
Keita composed and wrote the song that was released in honor of their fan meeting in Japan. ‘KESHIKI‘ was a true showcase of his talent as a producer. Junghyun even raved about how one of the skills he wants to learn the most from one of the members is producing and composing from Keita. Yunseo took part in the making of ‘Love Like That,’ while Jihoo and Seungeon took part in writing the title track.
This album is very memorable to me because I participated in writing the lyrics for the title song for the first time, as well as for the B-side track in the album. It’s very meaningful to know that my own story and lyrics that I wrote can be delivered to our fans, so I cannot wait to share them.
Seungeon
‘Youth’ is a b-side that stands out for many reasons. Its youthful, hopeful, and emotional sound makes it an instant highlight. It’s sincere and raw and showcases the authenticity that EVNNE explored in this mini-album. It’s even more special because Seungeon wrote the lyrics by himself, and it’s something even the members are proud of. It gives ‘Youth’ a whole other meaning when it was already one of their most beautiful songs.
I felt proud of SEUNGEON. We spent a lot of time together since our trainees days, and we were both passionately learning and working hard on songwriting and composing. In our upcoming album, he was, for the first time, in charge of the full lyrics for the song “Youth.” It’s such a cool achievement and I want to congratulate him on that. The song delivers a beautiful story about youth and essentially EVNNE, so seeing his progress and work makes me incredibly proud. I truly want to give him a big round of applause for his hard work!
Yunseo
What’s Next For EVNNE?
‘HOT MESS’ is far from being where EVNNE’s ambitions end, both as a group and individually. Even with so many genres already under their belts, when asked, Jihoo talked about wanting to try synth-pop in the future. These boys are filled with ambition, inspiration, and hopes for the future, and it’s looking nothing but bright for them.
I think we would individually have different goals and visions in the coming years, but as EVNNE, I think one common dream for our future is continuing to have fun on stage and keep making music together. For now, that would apply to our comeback that the seven of us would love to focus on. We are always eager to learn more and improve ourselves, so please look forward to our growth over the years as well.
Yunseo
After their first showcase tour in North America, EVNNE is holding their first-ever concert in Seoul in April to kick off another tour later on, making it another massive milestone for them. Many new performances and surprises are on their way, and we hope we’ll get to see these new songs come to life on stage then!
What did you love the most about their ‘HOT MESS’ comeback? What B-side are you wishing to see them perform at their concert? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.
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