CIX Discusses Love and Maturity With Single Album 0 or 1
K-pop boy group CIX released their first single album, 0 or 1, earlier this year featuring two tracks. Both title track, "Lovers or Enemies" and "그림자 (My name is Shadow)" revolve around the themes of love and they capture such feelings through lyrical storytelling about one's devotion to loving the other.
From CIX's debut until now, many fans have witnessed their growth as artists tackling different musical styles and the maturity within each comeback. We had the pleasure of chatting with CIX about 0 or 1 and their growth as artists.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
Sweety High: Can you share with us the concept and inspiration behind your latest single album 0 or 1?
YONGHEE: CIX's first single album 0 or 1 is a departure from the universe for a while since the last mini album and is presented with a new style of music and visuals. As AI is becoming a global topic, we announced our comeback in many languages, which was a fun experience.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
Also read about: K-Pop Group CIX Reveal the Story Behind Their New OK Not Mini-Album
SH: "Lovers or Enemies" is described as a straightforward confessional song. Can you tell us more about the emotions and story conveyed through this track?
SEUNGHUN: Through "Lovers or Enemies," we expressed a confession song that is more direct and clear than any of our songs. We wanted to express the most complex feelings of love most simply and clearly, such as the lyrics telling you to choose between embracing me or becoming my enemy.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
SH: The second track, "그림자(My name is Shadow)," contains a message of devoted love and being someone's shadow. What inspired you to explore this theme in your music?
HYUNSUK: Like the title song, we thought it would be good to express the feelings of devoted love in a different way to express the complex feelings of love. Poetic lyrics such as "You may not know, but my name is shadow" and "I live for you and my name is shadow" express the dreamy feeling of the music well, so we think the song came out well.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
SH: How do these new songs showcase the growth and evolution of CIX as artists since your previous releases?
BX: Through this promotion, we think CIX has proven that we can handle a variety of genres well. Our efforts to express various genres show our growth and evolution.
BAEJINYOUNG: In previous albums, many songs showcased a more distinct color of CIX, but this album had songs with a new vibe, so we felt that we had grown into a group that could handle different concepts well.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
Also read about: CIX Reaches Paradise on New Project, 'OK' Episode 2: I'm OK
SH: Can you walk us through the creative process of producing and recording these tracks?
BX: When we first heard the song, we thought it was our first time doing such a style of song as a title track, so we worked even harder while preparing it. We were nervous and excited at the same time. As always, we prepared the album with great care not to miss every detail and completed the album.
YONGHEE: We usually work in a certain order, which starts with selecting a song, recording it, learning the choreography, and filming the music video and jacket photos. We do our best through each process to produce great results and meet the expectations of our fans. Although it is a process that is always repeated, we often feel excited during the preparation process, perhaps because we're working with a new song every time.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
SH: What are some of the most memorable moments or experiences you had while working on this comeback?
SEUNGHUN: I remember recording the song with excitement because it was my first time hearing a song with various vocal ranges. I remember having fun recording it because I like my mid-low range.
HYUNSUK: I remember making new memories with our fans by promoting on music shows. When preparing for each comeback, we prepare with the expectation of meeting fans, and it is most memorable because we make memories with fans, such as mini fan meetings, during music show promotions.
(Photo credit: C9 Entertainment)
SH: Is there anything else you would like to add or highlight about your new music or your journey as musicians that we haven't touched upon yet?
BAEJINYOUNG: This album is filled with songs that have a different feel from our previous albums, so please give us a lot of interest and love!
HYUNSUK: We will continue to make music in our own style in the future, so please look forward to us!
To discover everything we learned about the group as our latest Man Crush Mondays, click HERE.