From a musical and industrial perspective, SEVENTEEN’s best-ever chart rankings and gross sales numbers all really feel wholly deserved for his or her tenth mini album FML.
With 135,000 equal album items earned in the USA within the week ending Might 4, in accordance with Luminate, the set marks the Okay-pop group’s greatest gross sales week, plus a brand new chart peak of No. 2 on the Billboard 200. (With simply 3,000 items separating them from ending Morgan Wallen’s two-month run atop the chart). Because the top-selling album of the week, in addition to the fourth-largest gross sales week for all of 2023, SEVENTEEN additionally notch their fifth No. 1 on Prime Album Gross sales in addition to seventh No. 1 on World Albums.
After FML racked up over a reported 4.64 million in pre-orders globally to be the most-ordered album in Okay-pop historical past, SEVENTEEN inform Billboard that their newest accomplishments are hardly understandable.
“I feel [our debut album] 17 CARAT offered 1,400 copies and we had been actually grateful,” Mingyu displays. “So, 4.64 million is a quantity that’s actually troublesome to understand. [Laughs] It’s shut to three,000 instances what number of had been offered for our debut album—it’s all very surreal. It makes me assume quite a bit about what we have to do to return this huge quantity of affection.”
All through FML, the 13-member boy band share with followers—identified affectionately as CARATs—how they continue to be trustworthy about life’s hardships but additionally supply hope.
“Inside our album, we provide two methods of defining the expression ‘FML,’” Joshua explains. “There’s ‘F*ck My Life,’ which is what the acronym normally means, and we additionally supply ‘Combat for My Life,’ which is what we wish the acronym to imply. There are a number of different methods to show the expression ‘FML’ round to imply one thing else apart from ‘F*ck My Life,’ and that’s what we hope our followers, CARATs, and listeners can even take a stab at after listening to the album.”
Provides Woozi, who wrote on each observe on FML and co-produced 5 songs, “From a macroscopic view, we frequently solely see the nice elements, the picturesque elements of everybody’s lives, however there are such a lot of battles that aren’t seen to the bare eye. Everybody goes by means of tough instances, fiercely combating to stay their lives. We wished FML to be a mirrored image of those totally different layers.”
The fellows acknowledge an uncharacteristically boldness within the group’s two new Okay-pop singles, “F*ck My Life” and the anthemic, energizing “Tremendous,” the latter of which marked SEVENTEEN’s first Prime 40 hits on the Billboard International 200 and Billboard International Excl. US, however say it’s mandatory as a way to categorical themselves genuinely.
“These are our trustworthy ideas with out an try to decorate them up,” Wonwoo shares. “By letting everybody know the issues we really feel and asking ourselves to struggle for our lives, we hope these listening can even achieve a bit extra vitality to do the identical along with us. I feel it’s a mindset that all of us relate to even when the trailer and our track won’t appear to be they provide probably the most pleasing or comforting set of phrases.”
By means of SEVENTEEN’s onerous battle as Okay-pop underdogs—with twice as many members as most teams—members S.Coups, Mingyu Joshua, Woozi, Woowoo, Jeonghan, Hoshi, Jun, DK, The 8, Seungkwan, Vernon and Dino rose to the highest ranks of the worldwide charts motivated not simply by their inherent expertise to precise themselves creatively as a “self-producing” group however discover peace from delighting their supportive followers all over the world.
“We at all times work to make our CARATs proud,” SEVENTEEN’s chief S.Coups says. “And I feel they might be probably the most happy with us now.”
Learn on for the unique track-by-track breakdown with SEVENTEEN under.
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“F*ck My Life”
Composed by: WOOZI, BUMZU
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU
Organized by: BUMZU, BuildingOwner
WOOZI: It’s the primary time ever that SEVENTEEN is singing a lead single of this tempo, I feel. However I don’t
assume that it’s any much less “SEVENTEEN” than our earlier lead singles. We’d make totally different selections every time on the subject of how we categorical what we expect and really feel, however at each track’s core, it stays the identical that we simply current and carry out what feels true to us at that time limit.THE 8: At first, the observe is perhaps shocking each sonically and due to its title, however “F*ck My Life,” as
properly as “Tremendous,” had been simply the songs we wished to share with everybody presently. We actually favored them each so couldn’t single one out to be the lead single both. I feel the distinction between the 2 lead singles makes the album extra enjoyable, and truly works to higher articulate the general message of the album. -
“Tremendous”
Composed by: WOOZI, BUMZU, August Rigo
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU, S.COUPS, VERNON
Organized by: BUMZU
WOOZI: Initially, we simply had the obscure concept of highlighting a robust picture of SEVENTEEN by means of the lead single for this album. Fascinated by superheroes for that motive, we began pulling collectively concepts from the various variations of heroic figures we all know of and that finally changed into “Tremendous.”
MINGYU: I additionally actually just like the strains “I really like my crew, I really like my crew!” I feel it precisely expresses the place our heads are proper now.
HOSHI: It’s additionally the proper track for a efficiency—it’s exhilarating when over 200 dancers’ footwork begins to sync up and with out even considering, you simply know that your whole crew is performing in unison. It’s a unique kind of vitality, which I hope will likely be handed onto our viewers too!
WOOZI: “Tremendous” can also be our reply to the query that follows the primary observe of the album, “F*ck My Life.” For those who ask “So, how is SEVENTEEN combating for ‘your’ life?” “Tremendous” offers our reply by speaking about how SEVENTEEN has fought our manner by means of, for whom and with whose help, all of which additionally proceed to propel us ahead.
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“Fireplace”
Composed by: BUMZU, WONWOO, VERNON
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU, S.COUPS, WONWOO, MINGYU, VERNON
Organized by: BUMZU
VERNON: “Fireplace” was a enjoyable track to work on. I threw within the concept of including within the bells, went on the keyboard and requested [producer] BUMZU if he may make it sound this fashion. Hopefully will probably be a track that will get everybody dancing.
S.COUPS: I’m positive all the Hip-Hop Unit members have already imagined what it’ll be prefer to put “Fireplace” on stage. It’s an addicting sound, one which form of simply hooks you on. It’ll be a lot enjoyable to get pleasure from it with our CARATs at a present, I actually can’t wait.
WONWOO: Within the midst of the addicting sound, I feel the Hip-Hop Unit members’ distinct characters additionally stand out in every of our verses. It provides an ideal extent of variety throughout the observe, and it’s enjoyable as a result of all of us sound very totally different and every have a really totally different [verse].
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“I Do not Perceive However I Luv U”
Composed by: WOOZI, BUMZU, Nmore
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU, HOSHI, DINO
Organized by: BUMZU, Nmore
HOSHI: “I Don’t Perceive However I Luv U” is our letter again to the heartwarming and exquisite message from our CARATs. While you’re performing in entrance of hundreds of people who have gathered at that exact second in time and placement simply to see you carry out, and you are feeling that pure feeling of pleasure and love within the air; it’s not a sense and a sight you’ll be able to ever overlook. That air of affection just isn’t one thing that may be described in phrases, as is the connection we’ve got with our followers internationally whatever the language any of us communicate. I hope realizing that brings consolation to everybody listening.
JUN: We recorded this track over a number of classes, beginning with a session earlier than the tour and persevering with on after as properly. I didn’t notice it on the time, however after touring round everywhere in the world, the music should have hit me otherwise. BUMZU stated I sounded totally different, that there was a change in how I sing the track.
DINO: Now we have had the privilege of attending to expertise these highly effective connections firsthand touring round international locations and, due to that privilege, I feel we have to strive tougher to make it identified how stunning these emotional connections are.
JUN: Including on, we’re the Efficiency Unit in any case! We’ve by no means actually set a restrict to the kind of music we carry out. The way forward for our crew lies in performances that sound nice, look nice and one thing everybody watching may also turn into part of.
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“Mud”
Composed by: WOOZI, BUMZU, Park Kitae
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU
Organized by: BUMZU, Park Kitae
WOOZI: The melody got here collectively first, and I assumed that there was a way of loneliness and longing that got here with the sound. Outdoors the bounds of this track too, I feel it’s usually the case that we really feel a mix of those sentiments suddenly—placing the 2 collectively didn’t really feel troublesome or like a wrestle.
JEONGHAN: From our standpoint, this observe may be very classically WOOZI, and has SEVENTEEN written throughout it. We’ve been seeing numerous fan responses that say the track sounds prefer it could possibly be a soundtrack to a cartoon sequence, which I agree with! I’m completely satisfied to see our followers additionally having fun with and digging into the track.
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“April Bathe”
Composed by: WOOZI, BUMZU, SOFTSERVEBOY, Kareem James
Lyrics by: WOOZI, BUMZU, SOFTSERVEBOY, Kareem James
DK: Wanting again, we additionally made our debut in Might, so the saying “April showers carry Might flowers” is one thing we actually resonate with! We wished our tenth mini album FML to console these listening, even when it’s just a bit bit. Everybody has troubles of their very own, so no matter it’s that you simply’re going by means of, we hope it is possible for you to to really feel a bit higher and are available to have a bit little bit of hope that brighter days will come after listening to our album.
DINO: We weren’t initially purported to say it however because it’s been spoiled already by a few of our members… We’re planning on one other comeback later this yr. We hope you’ll be part of us then too!