&TEAM MAKI Says, “I Want to Perform at Lollapalooza… I Think We Would Fit Well” [HT Scene]

[Hanteo News = Reporter KANG SUYOUNG] &TEAM’s MAKI chose the U.S. music festival Lollapalooza as the global stage he wants to perform on.

&TEAM held a showcase for the release of its 2nd Korean mini album ‘Mark on Me’ at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 8th. On this day, MAKI shared his ambition, saying, “I want to perform at Lollapalooza as &TEAM.”

Asked about &TEAM’s next goal after achieving major milestones such as becoming a million-seller in initial chodong sales for two consecutive releases and successfully completing its solo dome concert, MAKI showed confidence, saying, “Among &TEAM’s songs, there are many that would suit festivals well,” adding, “I am looking forward to it because I think we would fit well.” K said, “The energy of the local fans we met in LA last time was really impressive,” adding, “It made us want even more to go to countries and regions we have not been to yet and perform there.” HARUA pledged, “We have a KSPO DOME concert coming up in October, and through it, we will express our gratitude to Korean LUNÉ, who have waited for us for a long time.”

They also shared the concerns they had during the recording process. FUMA said, “The intro and chorus of the title track had a grand, musical-like feeling,” adding, “I thought a lot with the producer about what kind of voice would suit it well, and I paid attention even to small details such as breathing sounds more than before.” MAKI also looked back, saying, “Among the B-side tracks, there were many songs with high notes, so it was difficult to sing high notes while expressing the wolves’ love,” adding, “By practicing and studying a lot, I was able to create a good result.” HARUA said, “I prepared by focusing on my voice and expressions so that I could properly convey the emotions of a boy who changes as he is drawn in.”

As his recommended B-side track, MAKI chose ‘Good Boy.’ He introduced the song by saying, “If the title track ‘Mark on Me’ is a song that focuses on vocals and visuals rather than performance or sharp choreography, ‘Good Boy’ is a song whose charm lies completely in its performance,” adding, “It has an old hip-hop vibe, rap parts, and an addictive part in the pre-chorus, so when I first heard it, I thought, ‘&TEAM is doing this kind of song now too.’” NICHOLAS recommended ‘Love Jang,’ saying, “It feels like the younger sibling of ‘MISMATCH,’ which fans loved during our last promotion.” He raised anticipation by adding, “This time as well, there is cute choreography, so I want to show it a lot.”

They also shared the production process behind ‘Good Boy,’ which drew attention as CORTIS members were credited on the track. FUMA recalled, “When I first heard it, it had the hip-hop feel that &TEAM had wanted to do, so the members and I got excited together.” EJ also said, “I thought it was a very boyish song and one with energy that suits &TEAM well,” adding, “I think a good song came out thanks to the efforts of many people, including the CORTIS members, and if we have opportunities like this again, I would like to actively collaborate.”

&TEAM, which debuted in Japan in 2022, is HYBE’s first global group and has expanded its activities beyond Korea and Asia to the United States, based on overwhelming performances and solid teamwork. Its Korean debut album ‘Back to Life,’ released last year, recorded 1,222,022 copies in initial chodong sales and won three music show trophies. With its 3rd Japanese mini album ‘We on Fire,’ released in April this year, the group recorded 1,238,907 copies in initial chodong sales and achieved its third consecutive million-seller.

The album ‘Mark on Me’ unfolds a new story by adding the emotion of love to &TEAM’s identity of “wolf DNA.” It portrays the process of a wolf, who had shut himself away after being rejected by the world, slowly changing after meeting “you,” who accepts every part of him just as he is.

&TEAM’s 2nd Korean mini album ‘Mark on Me’ will be released at 6 PM on this day. After successfully completing its first solo dome concert at Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on the 5th and 6th and carrying that heat into its Korean comeback, attention is focused on whether &TEAM will be able to continue its million-seller streak in initial chodong sales with this album.

grace@hanteo.com