The Seoul Story had a wonderful opportunity to sit down with rising girl group H1-KEY in conjunction with the release of their H1-KEYnote project! Members SEOI, RIINA, HWISEO, and YEL discussed extensively about the project, as well as reflecting on their music evolution, among others.
Q: What inspired the H1-KEYnote project?
SEOI: Rather than being inspired by something, we started this project to showcase more of our own musicality and our voices. So far, two songs have been released as a part of this project, and though the details have not been planned yet, we will be releasing more songs in the future when we come across songs with potentials to show our different charms.
Q: What do you hope that the listeners can learn about H1-KEY through the H1-KEYnote project?
HWISEO: Maintain an optimistic approach during tough times rather than being negative about it. By focusing on small moments of joy in your daily life, you can gradually enhance your overall happiness, even if it’s just a little bit each day.
Q: How do you feel the H1-KEYnote project reflects the evolution of your music?
YEL: For this project, we ventured into new territory beyond our usual themes of providing comfort and solace to listeners. This allowed us to grow and enhance our skills in expressing diverse emotions. Through diligent research and exploration, we evolved as artists and expanded our creative horizons.
Q: To dive into the H1-KEYnote project, ‘Thinkin’ About You’ is your first English song and also your first song of the project. Why did you choose to launch the project with this song and how was your experience preparing it?
HWISEO: We launched the H1-KEYnote project with our song, Thinkin’ About You. It’s not only our first English track but also our first song about love and break-up. Given its significance as a first in multiple aspects, we felt it was the perfect choice to kick off the project. This experience was new for us, especially considering it was our first English song. During the preparation process, we prioritized capturing the nuances accurately.
Q: Could you tell us the meaning behind ‘Thinkin’ About You’ and any stories around its creative process?
SEOI: Thinkin’ About You marks the debut of our H1-KEYnote project, serving as our first English song and our initial venture into love-themed music. This track holds special significance due to its numerous ‘firsts’. We focused extensively on highlighting our vocal abilities, making it an ideal introduction to this project. The lyrics talk about how the narrator misses one’s past lover and overcoming difficulties with a positive mindset, showcasing our distinctive musical style.
Q: You released ‘Deeper’ back in February. Can you tell us more about the process of preparing for this single and how different it was to your past releases?
RIINA: We spent a considerable amount of time working on the song Deeper and we actually held onto this song for a while. The song was from the producer Hong Ji Sang after we worked on Rose Blossom together. The recording sessions for Deeper went through numerous revisions, and we put in a lot of effort to capture the song’s emotions effectively.
Q: Which lyrics of ‘Deeper’ resonate with you the most and what can be applied to your life going forward?
HWISEO: The lyrics of Deeper begin with “I wondered if this was right”, a phrase that can be applied to various situations. I resonate with this line as it reflects my willingness to move forward despite doubts.
Q: The song, ‘Deeper’ is a hopeful song about overcoming hardships and challenges. What are some of the things you do to comfort yourselves when going through tough situations?
SEOI: As a group, we address tough situations by being objective, collectively understanding the issue and working together to find solutions. It seems like being realistic really helps. Personally, I find solace in listening to music, taking walks, and maintaining a positive mindset.
Q: ‘Deeper’ is a song with a lot of emotions. Can you speak about what this song means to you?
YEL: Deeper conveys the message of moving past sadness and pain to embrace growth and happiness, offering solace to listeners. When I listened to the song for the first time, it brought tears to my eyes. It beautifully captures the idea of bidding farewell to memories of sorrow and pain. This is what the song means to us.
Q: Will there be a third chapter to the H1-KEYnote project? What can you tell us about the next stories you plan to tell?
RIINA: Though the songs Thinkin’ About You and Deeper are part of the H1-KEYnote project, they talk about two very different things. While we can’t disclose the narratives of our upcoming releases, rest assured that they will carry forward the essence of the project, showcasing fresh vocal expressions and styles. Stay tuned for more!
Q: You’ve stated your desire to be “artists whom you can trust while listening”. How will you know when you have reached this goal?
RIINA: I believe we’ll know we’ve reached our goal when people begin to take notice of our song releases and give our music a listen. This marks our success as trusted singers, known for the quality of our songs.
Q: Can you share the emotions and significance of achieving your first-ever music show win for H1-KEY?
HWISEO: While we only won the music show once, it provided an excellent opportunity for us to introduce H1-KEY to a wider audience. I’m incredibly happy about this achievement as it serves as a stepping stone for our future endeavors. We are determined to accomplish even more in the days to come.
Q: H1-KEY is recognized for delivering an empowering message of self-love and resilience. Can you share with us some of your favorite artists who inspired you with a similar message?
YEL: I find songs by IU, who recently hosted a concert, align well with the messages our songs aim to convey. She shares her own stories of overcoming challenges as well as writes songs that resonate with the public’s taste. She’s a significant inspiration to me.
Q: Do you have a favorite H1-KEY song and why is it special to you?
SEOI: Our favorite song would be a B-side track, You Are My Key (for M1-KEY) because we wrote the lyrics thinking about our fans, M1-KEY, reflecting our deep feelings for them. It holds a special place in our hearts.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment with fans?
SEOI: Every interaction with our fans is special in our hearts, but one unforgettable moment stands out. It was when we took the role of a daily fan manager at the music show and saw our fans up close for the first time. As we made our debut during the pandemic, we hadn’t been able to see our audience or fans directly. Seeing our fans in person for the first time I realized that they do exist, and I felt immense gratitude. I really can’t forget this moment.
Q: (For HWISEO and RIINA) Both of you participated in ‘Queendom Puzzle’. In what ways has collaborated with other artists on the show challenge you as an H1-KEY member?
RIINA: Despite being one of the newest debuts on the show, we received great support from the other participants, which made our experience smoother. Additionally, having each other as fellow participants allowed us to rely on one another, adding to the positive aspects of the experience.
Q: Do you have any hidden skills that fans don’t know yet?
RIINA: These are some things we can’t reveal to our fans, as we sometimes get a bit mischievous. It’s something we all have, right?
HWISEO: I have shared it all, they’ve seen it all from me.
YEL: Some more research is needed.
RIINA: We enjoy imitating others and making animal sounds.
Q: If your group is to create your own variety show, what would it be about?
YEL: If the show has a physical aspect to it, I think it will be quite funny. I would like to try something like the show Running Man with the name tag race or games that involve physical movement and activity.
About H1-KEY
H1-KEY is a South Korean girl group under Grandline Group (GLG), that debuted on January 5, 2022, with the single album Athletic Girl. The group consists of four members: SEOI, RIINA, HWISEO, and YEL. The group name, H1-KEY, is inspired by the term “high-key,” aiming for confident and healthy beauty.
H1-KEY is back with their new single, “기뻐 (Deeper).” This song is the second track released that is part of their H1-KEYnote project, the first being their previous single, Thinkin’ About You, which was released on January 19. Through this project, the group hopes to continue showcasing their musical color by sending comfort and sentiments to all listeners and their fans, M1-KEY.
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Thank you to GLG and H1-KEY for the interview opportunity!
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