Rookie boy band NEXZ hopes it can live up to the JYP name

Rookie boy band NEXZ faces the pressures of its label's big name as it makes its global debut with experimental single 'Ride the Vibe.'

Boy band NEXZ performs its first single “Ride the Vibe” on Monday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul for the band’s debut showcase. [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

Rookie boy band NEXZ has a lot on its plate. It's expected to live up to its title as the latest boy band under JYP Entertainment — a two-decade K-pop behemoth with a defined style and sound — while also forging a new path for the next generation, as its name suggests.

Fittingly, at a time when many artists are releasing easy-listening scores, NEXZ has opted for a strong, experimental sound with its global debut single, “Ride the Vibe.”

“We do feel pressured by the fact that we are the newest boy band to debut under JYP Entertainment, an agency where there are multiple senior artists, like Stray Kids, that are loved by fans around the world,” NEXZ’s Yu said during the band’s debut showcase, held Monday afternoon at the Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, ahead of the 6 p.m. release of its global debut single “Ride the Vibe.”

The seven members of NEXZ, including six Japanese artists — Tomoya, Yu, Seita, Hyui, Haru and Yuki — and one Korean, So Geon, appeared nervous during the press event: nervous about their debut, about the expectations they faced, and also about the language barrier. Members stuttered or paused in between their words as they answered press questions fully in Korean — without the help of an on-site translator, according to the agency.

“But we are planning to work hard and try our best as we try to change the feeling of pressure into a sense of responsibility,” Yu said.

NEXZ, JYP Entertainment's latest boy band, poses for the camera during its debut showcase held Monday at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul, ahead of the 6 p.m. release of its debut single ″Ride the Vibe″ [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

Seven-member boy band NEXZ was formed through “Nizi Project Season 2” (2023), an audition show codeveloped by JYP Entertainment and Japan’s Sony Music in order to create a Japanese boy band. The first season saw the birth of nine-member girl group NiziU, which debuted in 2020 in Japan. NiziU dropped its first Korean album three years later.

The name NEXZ, pronounced “Nex-Z,” stands for Next Z(G)eneration. It references the band's wishes to “open the future and lead the next generation,” according to Park Jin-young, singer and founder and CEO of JYP Entertainment, who coined the moniker.

“It’s a very cool name, and we thought we should be a group befitting of such names when we first heard about it,” Seita said. “It’s a very memorable name, and we love it very much.”

The band’s debut single, “Ride the Vibe,” features an impactful title track that mixes hip-hop rhythms with electronica music elements to create an "easy-experimental" genre of music, followed by its B-side track “Starlight,” an easy-listening score that shows a contrasting, refreshing side of the band. Members explained that “Starlight” refers to the fact that they've begun to dream new things as they make their debut.

“'Ride the Vibe' is a song that will make you vibe with its melodies from the moment you first listen to it,” Yuki said, recalling how the seven members reacted when they first heard the song.

“Our goal, as a group, is to try out new and different [music and performances] without restricting ourselves,” Haru said. “I think we can show the individual strengths of the members on stage through the performances and the vocals. I think that defines our vibe.”

Tomoya added that NEXZ’s immediate goals are to “present with good music and good performances,” and, more tangibly, to hold a solo concert.

“I hope we can build our own discography, one by one, so we can hold a solo concert in our name in the future; I think that will allow us to communicate with our fans even deeper,” So Geon said.

“If you call us, we will present our performances, wherever in the world that may be.”

NEXZ, JYP Entertainment's latest boy band, poses for the camera during its debut showcase held Monday at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul, ahead of the 6 p.m. release of its debut single ″Ride the Vibe″ [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]