INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY ALICIA ZAMORA ☆
Evermore Entertainment
CATCH THE YOUNG ARE FINDING THEIR OWN MEANING OF YOUTH—With their latest single “PARANOIA,” CATCH THE YOUNG continue to explore the emotions and experiences that shape their identity as a band. Known for their self-described “youth pop-rock” sound, the five members have spent the past few years turning different parts of growing up into music. But as they've continued to make music and experience new things together, their understanding of youth has grown beyond simply being young. It's become more about taking chances, challenging themselves and finding ways to shine wherever they are. That perspective carries into “PARANOIA,” which takes a feeling often associated with fear and uncertainty and gives it a more hopeful perspective.
As a band, CATCH THE YOUNG have also found ways to bring more of themselves into their music. With all five members contributing to the composition of “PARANOIA,” the single reflects the importance of working together while allowing each member's individual strengths to come through. That sense of collaboration has become an important part of their creative process, especially as they've grown more comfortable working alongside one another. Now, with their first UK and European tour on the horizon, they're looking forward to sharing their music with fans in new places and bringing something special to each stop. With a love for rock music that spans generations, the band members are excited to continue finding their place in a genre and culture they feel grateful to be part of.
As they look ahead to what's next, CATCH THE YOUNG are holding onto the same excitement that brought them together in the first place. Whether they're making music, preparing for the stage or finding new interests outside of the band, it's clear that growing together has become just as meaningful as the music itself. And as they get ready to meet more fans along the way, they hope to give audiences a chance to experience what CATCH THE YOUNG are all about.
Read Luna’s conversation with CATCH THE YOUNG below.
Evermore Entertainment
LUNA: CATCH THE YOUNG has built its identity around what you call "youth pop-rock," using music to capture the different emotions and experiences that come with growing up. Now that you've spent a few years together as a band, how would each of you describe the kind of youth you're experiencing today compared to when you first debuted?
SANI: I initially thought that youth only meant being young but now I think youth represents being able to shine through wherever you are.
JUNYONG: To add on, I feel like having a stable life is good but being able to challenge yourself and take new steps is important too. Later on when you look back I think those new steps and challenges you took on are what make youth meaningful.
LUNA: Congratulations on the release of “PARANOIA!” The track explores overcoming fear and doubt while finding the courage to move forward, which also reflects the new musical direction you're taking as a band. What drew you to this particular message, and did it connect to anything you were experiencing together while making the song?
NAMHYUN: I'd say writing the lyrics for the song wasn't necessarily based on our experiences but more on our imagination and what we thought it would look like. As for the backstory behind "PARANOIA" the producer gave us the song with that title already attached to the demo. We thought the title really suited the vibe of the song itself. So we were trying to think about how we could bring this negative aspect into the song but reinterpret it in a more positive light. That's how the song came together.
LUNA: All five members have composition credits on PARANOIA, which is something worth highlighting. Did you each work on different sections of the song, or was it more of a collaborative process where everyone built on one another's ideas?
SANI: As a band each of us have our own expertise when it comes to our instruments. In that sense, we each focused on perfecting our own parts while also considering how they fit into the song as a whole. We worked collaboratively to make sure everything came together harmoniously.
LUNA: JUNGMO handled the single's cover artwork. When you were developing the visual concept, was there a specific image, color or feeling you wanted to associate with “PARANOIA?” How closely did you want the artwork to reflect the sound of the song?
JUNGMO: When I first got the offer to work on the artwork, I initially thought about the colors and concepts. Since the word "paranoia" has a pretty negative connotation I was leaning more toward dark blue and black. I featured those colors heavily in my first draft. But since the idea of the song is to break through feelings of paranoia, anxiety and our own flaws, I eventually switched to a brighter mood with lighter colors. I wanted the artwork to better reflect the song's theme and incorporate both chaos and order.
LUNA: You're about to take on your first UK and European tour! Is there a particular song you're most excited to perform for European fans, especially one you think might hit differently in a live setting?
SANI: I think being able to perform "PARANOIA" would be the most exciting. Honestly just being able to perform abroad in different countries is what we're looking forward to the most. Another exciting part is that we've prepared cover songs for each country we're visiting. So that's definitely something new for us.
Evermore Entertainment
LUNA: Since the UK has such a long history with rock bands, I'm curious if there are any British bands you've been listening to or grew up enjoying. Has that music influenced what you hope to explore with CATCH THE YOUNG?
SANI: Honestly, there are so many, starting with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, and The Smiths. There are so many great bands and I don't think it really started with one band. It started with the roots of rock and has quite literally evolved over time. I think CATCH THE YOUNG is influenced by all of that and we're part of a moment in the evolution of rock and band culture. We're really grateful to be part of that. It's also super exciting to be a band that pursues this kind of music.
LUNA: Looking back at everything you've created together so far, is there something about your creative process as a group that you've learned or come to appreciate more over time?
KIHOON: I think it's really about our teamwork and being able to read the room immediately since we've spent so much time together as a group.
LUNA: Outside of music, what's something the five of you have been really into lately that fans might not expect?
JUNGMO: Outside of music, I used to spend a lot of time playing online games but surprisingly I've moved away from that and gotten into reading instead. It happened pretty randomly through SANI because he introduced me to it. I'm usually more of a hands-on person who enjoys arts and crafts so reading is something new that I've been enjoying lately.
LUNA: Before we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to say to the fans who have been supporting CATCH THE YOUNG and those who will be seeing you for the first time on the upcoming tour?
SANI: I really hope everyone looks forward to our concert and tour. We hope to exceed your expectations with our music and who we are as a band. We're very excited to finally meet everyone—especially those of you abroad. We've prepared a lot for this tour. Some people might wonder if we'll perform differently in Korea compared to other countries but we'll be the same wherever we go. It's going to be great, so we hope you all look forward to coming!
