It’s the night on the finish of a sometimes packed week for Stray Youngsters, however the four-time Billboard 200 chart-toppers are unquestionably buzzing to debate one in all their large first tasks in 2024, which they’ve deemed “the 12 months of giving.”
Within the seven days forward of this Feb. 8 interview, Stray Youngsters members Felix, Seungmin and I.N. all attended completely different Paris Vogue Week exhibits — with Felix making his runway debut strolling for Louis Vuitton within the luxurious model’s ready-to-wear 2024/2025 assortment presentation — Han dropped a brand new tune “13” through the group’s YouTube channel, Bang Chan additionally revealed his English tune “Eternity” and its accompanying video on YouTube as Nylon Japan premiered a putting vogue movie tied to his new journal cowl, and all the group continued preparations for his or her upcoming fan-meeting live performance “SKZ’S MAGIC SCHOOL” happening on the finish of March. Even when Bang Chan notes that “the Youngsters typically will be shy” in having all eight members focus on their newest endeavors, what comes by way of in each their full-group cheering responses is the colourful assurance that SKZ are aiming to ship one thing to the touch each their beloved STAY fandom and world audiences at massive.
Alongside three fellow famous person acts below their JYP Leisure label, Stray Youngsters teamed up with Coca-Cola in late February for its new Coca-Cola Ok-Wave Zero Sugar drop that not solely introduces a brand new “Fruity Fantasy” taste however seems to be to honor the worldwide Ok-pop fandom. The blokes be part of ITZY, NMIXX, plus JYP Leisure founder J.Y. Park for the Coca-Cola Creations joint single “Like Magic.” which was produced by Park, has Bang Chan credited as a vocal arranger, and Changbin as co-writer.
Along with the brand new taste and music video, the collab is delivering limited-edition attire and equipment together with a particular lightstick, digital picture playing cards, a cell “fan music video AI expertise” through the Coca-Cola Creations microsite, all capped off with the Ok-Wave Live performance for Inkigayo, scheduled for June 2 that guarantees to host JYP expertise and different prime Ok-pop names together with Stray Youngsters, ITZY, NMIXX and extra.
“The expertise begins with an incredible Coca-Cola Zero Sugar style accompanied by a touch of fruity Ok-pop magic,” provides Oana Vlad, the senior director of World Technique on the Coca-Cola Firm. “We’re excited to have a good time probably the most passionate fan communities on the planet and create new experiences that we hope will carry Coca-Cola magic to followers throughout the globe.”
Looking forward to the Ok-Wave Live performance and the 12 months that the group already confirmed will embody — and also you may must a breath to take all of it in — a fan-meeting live performance, third world tour, an album, a “particular” album, pop-up shops and masses extra digital content material, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Han, Hyunjin, Felix, Seungmin and I.N. gave Billboard some further perception into their first main 2024 undertaking and what else is coming.
Congratulations on launching this new marketing campaign for the Coca-Cola Ok-Wave Zero Sugar. I believe the primary order of enterprise is to know in case you’ve tried it and what you consider this new taste?
All: Yeah, tastes good!!!
Hyunjin: It’s actually very good. The style was refreshing, a bit like bubblegum, and a considerably cloudy or misty feeling.
Seungmin: Probably the greatest Cokes on the planet.
You and a number of other of your JYP Leisure artists participated on this marketing campaign that honors Ok-pop fandom. What’s your general take on it?
Bang Chan: You know the way you simply talked about how this marketing campaign “honors Ok-pop fandom,” proper? But it surely’s actually an honor for us to have the ability to be within the marketing campaign that honors Ok-pop fandom, what I imply? I really feel prefer it’s simply actually an excellent alternative for not solely us, however the different artists in JYP to actually unfold out the phrase about Ok-pop and, that itself is simply one thing that we’re very honored to do. And hopefully, individuals on the market can actually sit up for the Ok-pop wave.
Changbin: I normally drink one or two Cokes a day—two Zero Cokes a day, that’s! I’m so glad to have the ability to host this marketing campaign with the precise drink and our JYP household; I believe it’s very significant. I imagine that Zero Coke can unite us all—Ok-pop followers, JYP household, and Stray Youngsters. I’m wanting ahead to persevering with that love.
You all participated within the tune and video for “Like Magic” alongside J.Y. Park, ITZY, and NMIXX. Changbin wrote alongside JYP, and Bang Chan is a vocal arranger. What was the method of working collectively?
Bang Chan: Vocal arranging is one thing that I’ve at all times executed, particularly with our personal music and all the pieces. However JYP himself was like, “Oh, Chan, you possibly can simply direct by your self; the members higher than I do, so simply get all of the vocals executed.” After which with just like the tuning, modifying, the arranging — I figured that out myself as effectively, and it was a fairly cool expertise as a result of normally, we work on music on our personal, however to do it for another person like JYP, it was a fantastic honor, and it was general very, very enjoyable.
Changbin: After I first heard the tune, it was fairly new and had type of a enjoyable feeling to me. So, I used to be actually considering and considering rather a lot about find out how to replicate and meld my rap model on it. I’m actually glad that the outcomes appeared actually advantageous and Mr. JYP additionally mentioned he’s pleased with that. Additionally, attending to work with him after a very long time, I used to be actually thrilled as a result of it’s been some time since I labored with him because the producer.
Transferring from the manufacturing, how was it to collaborate on a tune with so lots of your fellow JYP artists?
Bang Chan: Our firm may be very a lot a “family-ship,” what I imply? All of us regarded out for one another, and having an opportunity to work on one thing collectively was actually, actually enjoyable. I imply, we didn’t truly get to see one another on the music video set and all the pieces — as a result of everybody’s schedules are very, very busy and completely different — nevertheless it type of felt like as if we have been doing like JYP Nation [the name for company-wide JYP Entertainment songs or concerts].
A number of the members hung out as children in numerous international locations. Are there any particular Coke flavors you keep in mind loving as children?
Felix: After I was youthful, I keep in mind consuming quite a lot of Vanilla…
All: Wow!!!
Felix: I keep in mind I used to be at a celebration one time, there was an entire crate of Vanilla Coke and I used to be consuming, like, six at a time. I believe that’s my greatest reminiscence and that was with Vanilla Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola additionally introduced a Ok-Wave Live performance for Inkigayo scheduled for June 2, the place you’ll carry out. Is there an opportunity followers can sit up for new Stray Youngsters music by then?
Bang Chan: It’s solely March and we now have a lot to do for this 12 months. Look, Jeff, I’m not going to spoil an excessive amount of, however we now have rather a lot ready. I’m fairly certain you’re going to be stunned, however I can say we now have many issues ready — very completely different from what we’ve executed to date. So, hopefully, individuals on the market can actually, I assume, take all of it in with our stuff that we’re going to come back out with and all the pieces goes effectively. Hopefully, STAYs actually take pleasure in what we’re going to carry out and 2024 will be one other nice 12 months for Stray Youngsters.
To develop barely, the “2024 STEP OUT” video teased rather a lot. Is there the rest you possibly can share?
Bang Chan: We’ll let your creativeness get you there. [Laughs]
Truthful sufficient. What else do we have to know as you start 2024 with this primary large collaboration?
Bang Chan: We’re at all times processing all the pieces, however we’re simply actually assured and really feel actually nice that we now have STAYs on the market as a result of it’s all due to them that we’re getting all these nice outcomes. It’s a present from STAY, and we simply wish to create extra items for STAYs on the market — 2024 is “the 12 months of giving.” Hopefully, us Stray Youngsters can provide extra to not solely STAYs, however to everybody on the market. So, thanks Billboard for all the pieces, and because of Coca-Cola for giving us this nice expertise and alternative to work on a really nice marketing campaign.
Felix: And we sit up for the long run! In the present day was very enjoyable having to reply quite a lot of good questions and discuss concerning the Coca-Cola marketing campaign; it was nice to get in-depth with it. We simply hope that our messages can very clearly unfold to the world and present quite a lot of positivity. We hope that [everyone] can take pleasure in this 12 months’s Coca-Cola Ok-Wave version — simply can’t wait.