South Korean rock act Xdinary Heroes have carved out a space for themselves with their powerful blend of explosive sonics and intriguing storytelling.
Having debuted in 2021, the six-piece have kept up a steady momentum of releases starting with their critically acclaimed heavy-hitting debut anthem “Happy Death Day.” With their newest EP LXVE to DEATH, the band showcase the growth as they continue to cement their status as Gen Z’s next global sensation.
Consisting of Gun-il (drums), Jungsu (keyboards), Gaon (guitarist and rapper), O.de (keyboards, synths and rapper), Jun Han (guitarist), and Jooyeon (vocals and bass), Xdinary Heroes chat to Earmilk about their new EP, experimenting with new sounds, bucketlists and more.
Diving into the inspiration behind the EP, Gaon says, “The main theme of this album is love — but not the ordinary kind. We wanted to capture the emotions that exist deep within us, the ones that are hard to put into words. Through this album, we hope to tell listeners who feel those same emotions that they’re not alone, and that we all have our own little strange sides.”
On the topic of the EP, the sextet further also reveal their personal favourite tracks from the seven-track collection. Members Gun-il, Jungsu and Jooyeon name “Lost and Found,” as their favourite, describing it as the type of track “that makes everyone happy when they hear it,” citing its bright yet emotive vibe as well as the personal lyrics as their reasons. Meanwhile both Gaon and Jun Han are drawn to focus track “ICU,” both of them expressing an excitement to perform the high-energy offering live on stage. O.de has a different favourite adding, “My favourite is “Spoiler!!!” The main theme is synthesizer, so it’s very exciting to play. Since I practiced it a lot, I’ve grown really attached to it.”
With each track showcasing the band’s quick yet steady growth, Jooyeon reflects on their evolution and goals for their sound, saying, “We’ve been trying and studying many different genres, and through that process, I want to strengthen Xdinary Heroes’ own distinct color. My ultimate goal is to make any genre sound like Xdinary Heroes — to create music that always carries our unique flavor, no matter the style.”
Speaking further on experimenting in the future, O.de adds, “Personally, I’d like to bring elements of EDM into Rock and see how those two genres can be combined in our own way.”
Their creativity and penchant for trying new things is one pillar of their ever-evolving craft, and their fans form the other strong pillar. Commenting on the most memorable part of their journey so far, Jungsu says, “ I feel the most rewarded when I see people enjoying our music after it’s released.”
However, making music that resonates with listeners is not without challenges as Jungsu adds, “The hardest part is during the writing process — figuring out what kind of song will truly touch people’s hearts.” But of course, the members have each other, with Gun-il reflecting on his favourite part of performing live,“It’s when I make eye contact with the members on stage and we can’t help smiling at each other.
The band who are coming off a slew of iconic performances including shows at The Palladium in LA and the Brooklyn Paramount in NY dive further to live performances, with Jun Han sharing their bucket list venue to perform at saying, “We’ve always said that we want to perform at Wembley Stadium. It’s not just because of its size, but because it holds such a deep meaning for us as a band.”
Charming yet down-to-earth with sprawling ambitions, Xdinary Heroes who describe themselves as different iterations of the words “fun,” “passionate,” and “diverse” continue to make music that evokes happiness within anyone listening. Ordinary youngsters with dreams of making it big yet extraordinary in their ability to chase those dreams down, Xdinary Heroes establish themselves as forces to be reckoned with.
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