ONEWE is definitely one of my favorite bands. Seeing how far they’ve come since their days as indie band M.A.S 0094 to today is such a happy feeling. They’ve been such hardworking guys and that hard work is paying off in 2021.
As has often been the case for me, I first met then-MAS 0094 on Arirang’s Pops in Seoul back in 2016. They were featured during the show’s signature rookie self-introduction segment when entire episodes of Pops in Seoul were devoted to meeting new artists.
I was really impressed with them being an indie band and getting their names out there by busking around the country. And not only that, they had donated all their profits from busking to a charity that supported comfort women victims. They had very much been a hands-on group, doing a lot of the work themselves.
The first song from them I listened to was “Feeling Good.” And just as the title says, the song was such a positive, laid back vibe.
It was around this time that they had just released “Starlight,” which was definitely a much different vibe. But a wonderful showcase of their versatility.
I began following them just as they would get signed to RBW. They would spend 2017 participating on Produce 101 Season 2 and The Unit before RBW would prepare them to re-debut as ONEWE.
They would officially make their re-debut on May 13, 2019 and since then have continued to release excellent music. They effortlessly find ways to top themselves with every release and have garnered well-deserved attention.
It’s hard to choose a favorite song from them. But some of my faves include “Regulus”:
“A Book in Memory”:
“Parting”:
and “If”:
They’ve had some great uptempo tracks like “End of Spring” where they can just rock out. But my favorites are definitely the powerful, emotive ballads. Especially with leader Yonghoon’s incredible, effortless vocals, the songs just hit the right feelings.
Some must-watch videos are these 1theK features that allow you to choose between music only or vocals only:
Last week, ONEWE released their latest mini-album Planet Nine : Alter Ego with title track “Rain to Be.”
ONEWE never disappoints of course. And “Rain to Be” is another excellent track from the talented band. Though more uptempo, it is still an emotional track. And the band again shows just what they’re capable of.
The rest of the album is just wonderful. “LOGO” and “Veronica” are two more great uptempo pop-rock tracks. “A.I” has the band getting a bit funky and fun. While “Cosmos” is a haunting ballad to close the album.
But the one track that might have just become my absolute favorite ONEWE track ever is “AuRoRa.” It is an absolutely amazing song. I can’t even describe how epic and emotional the track is. I mean, just listen to it:
Such a powerful track. No words do it justice, to be honest. A title track-worthy song. Yonghoon’s soaring vocals. Dongmyeong’s soft voice. CyA’s bass and rap. Kanghyun’s amazing guitar solo. Harin’s dynamic drums. No question, this will be one of my favorites of the year. I can’t wait for more live performances of it.
Here is one on Naver’s Studio Moon Night:
And with the release of this mini-album, ONEWE reminds me why they’re one of my favorite artists too.