Newly debuted K-pop trained boy group RE:WIND has returned to the music scene with a mini-album, following their launch in March.
RE:WIND consists of three members: Eddie, Elaya, and Lei, all of whom were former K-pop trainees in South Korea. The members bring unique experience to the group, having already worked in the entertainment industry in fields like acting and songwriting prior to their debut.
The Asian-American group’s first mini-album, ‘RE:MINISCE,’ features five tracks with writing credits from the members that reflect their personal stories: “FOREVER,” “Little Too Late,” “Heart, Break, Repeat,” “We Got Time,” and “RE:SET.”
Following the release of ‘RE:MINISCE,’ allkpop spoke with the members about the album’s message and their favorite songs from the project.
Shout-out to allkpop:
allkpop: Introduce yourselves to everyone!
Elaya: Hi! I’m Elaya, RE:WIND’s mom and pop as well as co-creator!
Eddie: Hi! I’m Eddie, RE:WIND’s maknae and performance director.
Lei: Hi! I’m Lei, RE:WIND’s low voice and music director!
allkpop: You're just a few months into your official debut as K-pop idols. What have been some of the biggest surprises or challenges so far?
RE:WIND: Firstly, we’re so, so grateful to our team and to our fans, Day1s, to be in this position — I think every day that we get to do a new activity or participate in a new part of the creative process is really exciting. This week, we got to meet fans in person for the first time as a group, and behind the scenes, every time we’re in the studio is a fresh experience.
On the other hand, you might know that we are all from different parts of the U.S., so having to prepare everything remotely is a big logistical challenge. Being physically apart from each other as friends is also tough, but it makes spending time in person together that much more special!
I think we’re also definitely in a different place right now than where we maybe envisioned ourselves when we were training in Korean companies, but part of what makes us unique is that this path is our own and it’s on our own terms.
allkpop: Since you’re just new to the industry, what’s something you want to know about RE:WIND and the group’s music? What’s something everyone should know about or look forward to?
RE:WIND: Our members have been in the entertainment/music industry before; Eddie has been acting (‘Criminal Minds,’ ‘The Wild Robot,’ ‘K-Pops!,’ etc.) for years and Lei has worked in a recording studio and as a songwriter previously, too. Because of this, on the surface we are really new to the industry, but we also have a professional touch we think fans can see peek through in our music and performances.
Fans can definitely look forward to us continuing to be very, very hands on in our creative process and vision, and we’re super excited to keep doing things the way we truly feel is right!
allkpop: Let’s talk about your album. The members were deeply involved in the process. How did you find the preparations?
RE:WIND: We actually directly participated in writing the tracks “Heart, Break, Repeat” and “We Got Time” by hopping on calls with our producer David Kater to churn out the topline and lyrics. I think both sessions were like four hours of nonstop writing each.
And as usual, with our other producer team ENIJAE, they match our vision so well and were so receptive to our feedback to create the final product. It’s like they have RE:WIND telepathy!
On the dance side, Eddie created a large part of our “Little Too Late” choreography, and we really love how it turned out!
allkpop: What do you want to convey with ‘RE:MINISCE’?
RE:WIND: A core part of our musical identity that we hope listeners can clearly feel through our mini-album is the feeling of nostalgia. We grew up on the tailend of the 2000s boy band, 90s R&B era, and we know that generation of music resonates with many of our listeners.
Music is also ever-present in our highest and lowest moments, and we want to allow listeners to return to the past through these tracks. Was there a moment in time you wish you could have again, or even change? Was there a time when you poured all of your love and effort into something or someone, only for things to not work out? Let ‘RE:MINISCE’ take you back, for better or for worse. For reflection and growth.
allkpop: Which song from the album do you think is closest to your musical taste, or which one caught your attention first?
RE:WIND: We’ve discussed this a lot, especially after the songs officially came out!
Lei: I think my answer for both right now is “Heart, Break, Repeat” because of the bridge part where we do a fun three-part harmony. It’s like an injection straight into my a cappella nerd veins…
Eddie: I think “FOREVER” is still my favorite since I really like anthem songs. Heart, Break, Repeat also caught my ear when we first listened to the guide version playback after writing it because it’s really spontaneous.
Elaya: “Heart, Break, Repeat” is my taste, and is also the track that means the most to me as its writer, and “Little Too Late” definitely caught my attention first!
allkpop: Are there any artists that you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
RE:WIND: We’d love to connect and collaborate with other Asian American artists who have a unique take on blending their cultural influences with a western sound. I think music that reflects our lives and upbringings will be really meaningful to work on, especially if we can share it with another artist.
allkpop: Lastly, please leave a message to allkpop readers and your fans! Share with us your goals as well!
RE:WIND: Hi allkpop readers! If you’re coming across us for the first time, we are RE:WIND, the first all-Asian American K-Pop group, and we’ve recently released our five-track debut mini-album called ‘RE:MINISCE.’ We are incredibly thankful for all of the support we’ve received so far, and can’t wait to reach more people with this music that comes straight from our hearts. We’ve officially debuted as artists now, but we’re also just three boys with a Discord and a dream, and hope our music is relatable to everyone. A huge thank you to allkpop for this interview, and we hope to see you all again soon!
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