Rookie group RIIZE is heralding a fresh start for SM Entertainment, the label’s new chapter entirely devoid of the signature touch of former overall producer Lee Soo Man. Eschewing complex mythologies, the group embraces crowd-pleasing tunes and relatable stories of teenagers.
RIIZE hosted their “Rising Day: RIIZE Press Premiere” showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul on the 4th.
Wonbin exclaimed, “We’ll grow and realize our dreams together as a team, true to our name,” radiating bold ambition. Sungchan conveyed, “All seven of us possess diverse charms,” as he fueled expectations. Anton chimed in, “I can’t believe we’re making our debut. It’s a mix of excitement and nervousness. We’ll continue to grow just like we’ve been working hard so far.”
Shotaro and Sungchan are making their second debut following NCT. Shotaro reflected, “My time with NCT was an honor. Now, I’ll reveal various new sides of me as a part of RIIZE.”
Their debut album, titled Get A Guitar, includes two tracks: the eponymous title track and “Memories.” “Get A Guitar” is a retro, funky dance track reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys. “The performance is captivating,” Seunghan introduced, “Strumming the guitar with our hands and tapping the rhythm with our feet is the highlight.” Shotaro emphasized, “I love the rock ‘n’ roll poses.”
RIIZE has already garnered immense attention. Pre-orders for their debut album reached a total of 1,032,144 copies as of September 3rd, making them a million sellers right out of the gate. Sungchan confessed, “We never thought we’d receive so much attention right from the start. It still feels unreal. A big thank-you goes to our fans.”
As for any pressure? Eunseok responded, “We’re just grateful for the attention. We take it as a sign of high expectations and will work even harder to meet them.”
The act also revealed future aspirations. Sohee said with a laugh, “I’d love to win a best new artist award that you can only get when you’re a newcomer. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime honor.” Sungchan added, “I hope many people resonate with our music.” Anton had bigger dreams: “I want to go on a world tour. There’s a MetLife Stadium in New Jersey where I used to live. I hope to perform there with the members one day.”
RIIZE has all their songs ready and will sequentially release new singles in November and December. According to SM Entertainment, “RIIZE will continue their project until they go beyond K-pop and become global top-tier.”
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