RIIZE Returns Stronger Than Ever With ‘Ⅱ’ After a Year of Growth
K-pop group RIIZE talks growth on second mini-album ‘Ⅱ’
After a significant year of growth last year, K-pop group RIIZE brought what they learned and poured it into their second mini-album "Ⅱ," which released this week.
Debuting in 2023, RIIZE took the K-pop industry by storm at debut.
After a significant year of growth last year with the release of their first full-length album, "ODYSSEY" in May, followed by a world tour, the members dedicated their time to growing their international fanbase, and they brought what they learned through that experience into this year.
"Touring is definitely a really big part of our jobs, but also it really lets a lot of growth in ourselves as a team…and with this album too being our first album since touring and having all those experiences, I would like to think of it as like the culmination of all those experiences we're putting it out in this album," says ANTON.
That album is "Ⅱ," the group’s second mini-album released this week, and an album described as their most direct and fully-realized expression to date.
"I really agree with the description that it's a very direct and straightforward album. When you look at the lyrics of ‘Do your dance,’ they feel much more immediate and easy to understand compared to some of our previous songs. Because of that, I think both longtime fans and people who are just discovering RIIZE will be able to connect with the lyrics easily," SOHEE explains.
The six-track album blends Hip-Hop, House, and a nostalgic sounding New Jack Swing style the group has carried with them since debut, all led by the title track, "Do your dance."
While all six-tracks are title track worthy, in the music industry, memorability is the most important factor in the decision.
"Before knowing which song will be the title track, I listened to the whole album from start to finish. ’Do your dance’ immediately stood out to me as the title track. The beat is really powerful, the sound is super addictive, and the repeated ‘head, shoulders, hips, toes’ part is especially catchy. It’s the kind of hook that gets stuck in your head after just one listen," SUNGCHAN adds.
The repetitiveness of the chorus enabled the group to have fun with the track and choreography, but every track on the album allows the members to show different sides of their vocal abilities.
While "Ⅱ" may be considered a mini-album, the six tracks add to the group’s unique style they’ve developed in their three years since debut, and with it being a year since the group’s last full release, the members say they were looking forward to showing fans something new.
From the opening song "SOAR," which WONBIN explains has lyrics that capture the mindset of continuing to move forward even when there’s uncertainty, to the closing track "In My Loop," which member EUNSEOK describes as being a perfect track for the finale of the Zootopia movie, "Ⅱ" contains something for all RIIZE fans and beyond.
The album dropped this week on June 15 on all streaming platforms, and the members immediately kicked off the album promotions, but they are always looking to the future as well.
"It’s been a while since we’ve released new music, so I’m really excited to finally perform these songs for everyone. We also have a lot ahead of us through the rest of the year, so my biggest goal is for all of us to stay healthy and keep meeting and communicating with our fans as much as possible. That’s my biggest goal," SHOTARO tells FOX 13 Seattle.
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