RE:WIND Take Us Back to the Noughties with Debut Single “FOREVER”
Photos: Allele Entertainment
If you were a fan of *NSYNC, The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and every other artist that dominated pop music charts across the 2000s, and you now find yourself listening to music from the exciting world of K-Pop, then global K-Pop boy group RE:WIND needs to be the next artist on your radar.
Composed of three Asian-American boys, Lei (Chinese-American), Elaya (Japanese-Hispanic-American), and Eddie (Korean-American), the members of RE:WIND are embarking on their second chance at becoming idols. Having previously undergone idol training in South Korea, they are achieving a dream that they once thought was impossible due to aging out and having experienced ”difficulties as foreigners.” Now based in their home country of the USA and signed to Allele Entertainment, RE:WIND are living their dreams by making history as the first K-Pop boy group to consist entirely of Asian-Americans.
With two songs released so far, this rising trio serve Y2K realness with their music, with their songs seamlessly blending nostalgic Western sounds with the vibrant energy and freshness of K-Pop. After dropping their pre-release single “RE:SET” last month, RE:WIND continues to bring a ‘00s sound to the present day with their debut single “FOREVER.”
The name RE:WIND is said to signal nostalgia and the chance to try again with “FOREVER” further implementing RE:WIND’s nostalgic meaning. The song perfectly captures the essence of ‘00s-era boy groups such as *NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys (two artists whom Eddie reveals the band takes inspiration from) heard through its addictive electronic production that consists of DJ mixing, a Latin guitar melody, vocal effects, and synth sounds, layered behind the members’ fierce rap verses and strong singing vocals. It’s a compelling debut track that shows RE:WIND’s true artistic colors and sets them apart from their peers as they dive into retro-focused music that I hope continues into their future releases. Despite currently only having two songs, the fun and energetic quality of “RE:SET” and “FOREVER” makes me want to listen to them on repeat whilst waiting in high anticipation for more.
Like the song, the music video for “FOREVER” feels like a homage to the ‘00s pop era, showcased through the members’ outfits (particularly the white outfit with the headband and headset worn by Eddie), as well as the dancing in the rain scene which everyone knows is a classic boy band move. The video highlights the ”pop star fantasy“ with the members living out their dreams of becoming idols, shown in different scenarios of that pop star dream; a fun and engaging music video that somewhat reflects RE:WIND's true story.
“FOREVER” is a strong debut that shows a promising future for RE:WIND and I can't wait to see what else these boys will bring to the music scene. So, go and show RE:WIND some love and give “FOREVER” a listen to today. You won’t be disappointed!
Edited Rae Lovette