There’s a very strange intersection between our teenage years and the moments when we’re first faced with the vexing realities of adulthood. We slip into denial, give in to our guilty pleasures, and drone on about never growing up. A sentiment which, chart-topping K-pop group Tomorrow x Together (TXT), seems to understand better than anyone at this point, with all of their members in their early twenties. And with their latest EP The Name Chapter: Temptation, that debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart, there’s a clear sense that they’ve managed to fully channel it all into what they do best: music.
With five tracks on the group’s EP, each one floats its own form of youthful expression to its listeners’ ears. From the all-English opening track ‘Devil by the Window’ that sings of the sensual high one slips into when they allow themselves to be taken by darkest desires, to the refreshing perspective of ‘Farewell, Neverland’, this particular EP album paints a fuller narrative of where Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Hueningkai possibly see themselves at. Unlike The Dream Chapter and The Chaos Chapter that took the quintet through their initial years since debuting in 2019, there’s a certain sense of resolve that comes with The Name Chapter. It brims with confidence; not only do they seem more sure of their identity, but they’re finally better able to present a fully-formed version of themselves.
So it’s with that bravado that they’re able to take their next step forward, as the coming-of-age crew embark on their second world tour, ‘Act: Sweet Mirage’, with only more potential pit stops to come. Having just completed their first tour ‘Act: Sweet Love’ last October, it seems TXT are barreling through with an infectious energy of their own, setting themselves up to take on a myriad of stages all around the world—to spread their music and meet the fans they hold so dearly: their MOAs. And with the quintet confirmed as headliners for Lollapalooza 2023, there’s no question that there’s only more to anticipate from the joyful, magnetic group that knows exactly who its audiences are.
Whilst they’ve since concluded their opening night in Seoul, TXT’s next stop for the ‘Act: Sweet Mirage’ tour is Singapore—where they will be ascending the stage for the first time. Ahead of their concert here, they share with us more about what this EP means to them and how they’re feeling about this world tour.
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Congratulations on kicking off your second world tour Act: Sweet Mirage, just weeks after releasing your latest EP The Name Chapter: Temptation. How are you feeling about this tour?
Taehyun: We know our fans have been waiting a long time. So have we. We’re so incredibly happy to be back on tour, visiting our lovely MOA all over the world. Seeing you from the stage and listening to you sing along to our music gives us life. You are our passion.
Yeonjun: We’re visiting 13 cities across the globe through this ‘Act: Sweet Mirage’ tour. The tour so far has been great. Every night gifts us new memories that we won’t ever forget. The same goes for every performance but we worked really hard on this tour and I hope everybody enjoys the show!
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'The Name Chapter: Temptation' only has five songs—but each one has an experimental and distinctive sound of its own. Were there any particular approaches that you adopted when creating this album?
Hueningkai: Working on these songs was a really enjoyable experience for all of us. We had to step into new shoes and new moods; we really experimented with how our voices should sound for these tracks, and as we kept trying we were influenced a lot by one another. My members were my inspiration, and vice versa.
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Could you share more about what this EP means to all of you?
Soobin: Our fifth EP, The Name Chapter: Temptation, tells one big story through its five tracks. This story is about feeling tempted to stay young and free of worry, but in the end, with ‘Farewell, Neverland,’ we come to terms with the fact that we have to grow up and follow our dreams.
Beomgyu: For us, this EP marks a point in our journey where we feel that we’re finally establishing our name and identity. The Name Chapter: Temptation is about growing up and finding yourself, so in that sense, it’s a very Tomorrow x Together-ish EP.
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Is there a particular segment of the tour setlist that you’re most excited to show to MOAs?
Hueningkai: We definitely have something very special. We’ll keep this one a secret for any MOA who haven’t heard about it yet. Otherwise, we’re really excited to finally perform our 5th EP live. A lot of our fans have been really excited about ‘Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)’. ‘Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray)’ is also a great one since it was one big collaborative project for the members creatively.
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What have you learnt about yourselves after completing your first world tour and is there something you want to challenge yourself with this time around?
Beomgyu: Our first world tour, ‘Act : Love Sick’ was a really great refresher for us on how amazing the live performance experience is. It’s easily one of the best aspects of being in music. I guess I learned just how much I love what we do and how wonderful it is to see our fans cheer for us and sing along. Fan interaction is something I always look forward to, so I just want to make sure that all of us, all our MOA and us five, have the most fun that we possibly can.
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What do you feel most inspired by—as an individual and as an artist?
Yeonjun: Our music tells stories, but more than that, we tackle subjects that are genuine and very relevant to youth or anyone who has previously been at this stage in life. We want to make music that people can empathize with, and so far, I think we’re well on track.
Taehyun: Definitely our fans, and the people around us. Our music is all about youth and the experience of growing up. So we’re inspired by everything that happens in our own lives but we also talk with our friends and peers, our contemporaries, our MOA included of course.
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Lastly, what is the takeaway message that you hope to convey to MOAs with this EP and with this tour?
Soobin: Of course, we want to deliver our gratitude as always for their great love and support. I hope you enjoy our EP and the tour, and I also want to say keep going and continue chasing your dreams. We are on your journey as you are on ours.
