SM's New Girl Group Releases First Mini Album "Focus"
Lyrics by Kenzi, Choreography by Jonain... Out on the 20th
"When you think of Hearts to Hearts, I hope you remember our perfectly synchronized choreography."
Hearts to Hearts, the eight-member girl group launched by SM Entertainment, known as the 'idol powerhouse,' in February, is releasing their debut mini-album. On October 20, they held a showcase for their first mini-album, 'Focus,' at Blue Square in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and stated, "We will clearly showcase our unique color and capture everyone's attention."
'Focus,' which will be released at 6 p.m. on the same day, includes a total of six tracks, including the title track 'Focus' and the single 'Style' released in June. The title track is a house genre song based on a vintage piano riff, featuring an addictive chorus and chic vocals. The lyrics sensuously depict the moment when all attention is focused on someone. Kenzi participated in writing the lyrics, following their debut song 'The Chase' and 'Style.'
The members defined this album as "the starting point for establishing the unique color of Hearts to Hearts," emphasizing the importance of concept definition. In particular, the group moved away from their previous dreamy and lively image, instead highlighting a cool and chic mood and attempting to expand their genre. Jiwoo explained, "Since this is our first attempt at the house genre, we can present a new atmosphere."
Hearts to Hearts, following in the footsteps of SM's girl group lineage such as Girls' Generation, Red Velvet, f(x), and Aespa, has established 'team synergy' and 'perfectly synchronized choreography' as their identity. Ian said, "When I first heard 'Focus,' I felt like I was under a spell. We researched many new concepts and will show a confident side of ourselves."
The choreography for the title track was directed by Jonain, who was in charge of the choreography for 'Golden' in the Netflix animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' raising the level of perfection. The performance is designed so that the audience's attention is drawn to specific sections, and the energy explodes as the song progresses toward the end. Ian explained, "The choreography that focuses on the chorus is a key point, and we've also prepared various unit choreographies."
Yeeun shared, "Director Kangta from SM advised us that 'teamwork is crucial on stage and keeping promises between members is fundamental.' Since we are sincere about our performances, we always keep this in mind during practice." She added, "During group practice, we give each other feedback to enhance the quality of our performance."
As the group's strengths, they highlighted the unique energy and structure that come from being a large group. Aina said, "With eight members, we can showcase various unit combinations and stage formations, which is a competitive advantage for our performances." Carmen explained, "The strong teamwork we built during our trainee days is a great source of strength."
Yuha said, "We put a lot of effort into our performances. I want us to be recognized as the leading group in 'perfectly synchronized performances.'" The members emphasized that their repeated choreography training was so intense that "just practicing helped us lose weight."
Regarding their goals, Ian said, "I want us to win first place on music shows. I also really want us to top the music charts. We've worked so hard, so I hope people recognize how sincere and dedicated we are on stage." Hearts to Hearts has previously experienced winning first place on music shows with their debut song 'The Chase.' Expectations are high for their achievements in this round of promotions. Through 'Focus,' they plan to strengthen their identity as a performance-oriented group and actively compete as a fifth-generation idol group.
Jiwoo said, "The name 'Hearts to Hearts' means conveying our hearts to others. I hope that the emotions only we can feel, and the feelings only people our age can express, will continue to be delivered through our music."
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