Rebranded boy band NOWZ gets fired up with EP 'Ignition'
Rookie boy band NOWZ, just over a year into its career, is relaunching itself with a new name and fresh ambition through its first EP, “Ignition.”
“Everglow,” the lead track for the new album, is a testament to the members’ renewed spirit following the quintet’s recent rebranding, representing the members’ determination to push forward.
“While ‘Everglow’ could mean to shine forever, what we really wanted to deliver with the song was our will,” said member Yeonwoo during a press showcase held in eastern Seoul on Wednesday.
“We’ve all been trainees for quite some time, and have gone through difficult times,” he said. “But we’re never going to give up, and we continue to chase the light.”
NOWZ’s first EP “Ignition,” which follows the digital single "Let's get it" released in November of last year, features five songs: the lead track “Everglow” — an alternative rock track marked by explosive, intense metal-inspired sound in the chorus — along with the prerelease “Fly to the youth,” “Problem Child,” “Louder,” and “DAY_AND.”
“Fly to the youth,” which dropped on June 17, was written by girl group i-dle's Yuqi and Pentagon’s Wooseok, with the five members of NOWZ also contributing to the lyrics.
The band, consisting of Hyeonbin, Yoon, Yeonwoo, Jinhyuk and Siyun, debuted on April 2, 2024, with its first single, “Nowadays,” as Cube Entertainment’s first new boy band in eight years since Pentagon, and its first new group in six years since i-dle.
Advice from Yuqi that stood out to the members was that “you don’t need to try too hard to look cool, just be your natural selves,” recalled Siyun.
The new album follows the group’s official rebranding announced a month ago from its original name, Nowadays, to NOWZ, which used to be a nickname by fans.
The “z” in the name NOWZ symbolizes the infinite possibilities the band can show “now,” according to its agency.
“As this marks our new beginning, we will achieve new milestones from now on,” declared member Jinkyuk. “So I hope you look forward to our journey.”
BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]
