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Photo by Ted Min

Since their debut in 2019, South Korean indie rock band wave to earth has been taking the world by storm. Blending indie, surf-rock, and jazz, their releases have been soundtracks to the formative years of many, attracting lovers and yearners worldwide with their relatable lyrics and heavenly melodies. Sonically and visually, wave to earth’s newest single “heaven and hell” is a departure from their previous work, ushering in a darker sound that fans might not have expected. Touching upon religious themes with lyrics about judgement and questioning, the single features heavy acoustic guitar riffs paired with diverse vocal effects and a final chorus that emulates a choir. “heaven and hell” is a new direction for wave to earth—and we’re here for it.

The trio’s accolades are nothing short of impressive: their lead single "bad" reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Viral 50 Global Chart and their EP play with earth! 0.03 debuted at No. 5 on Spotify’s Top Albums Debut Global Chart. Headlining sold-out tours across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, the band is also no stranger to a festival crowd, having played festivals such as Austin City Limits, Governor’s Ball, Head in the Clouds, and Lollapalooza.

Ahead of their forthcoming album and newly-announced 30-date “the pieces tour,” we sat down with lead vocalist and guitarist Daniel Kim, drummer Dong Q, and bassist John Cha to chat about their newest single and what this next chapter holds for the guys. 

OnesToWatch: Your new single, “heaven and hell” lives in the wave to earth universe and the world that you've created sonically, but it also does kind of feel like a departure from your previous work. Could you tell us what inspired this new song and this new direction that you're taking?

Daniel Kim: When I first received the demo from John, it was actually a pretty happy and cute song. But when I listened to it, I thought it would be good to take it into a darker and more introspective approach, and by working on it that way, I think it ultimately turned into a really nice track.

What does your songwriting process typically look like? Is it true that this song was originally going to be for your solo project, Potatoi, John?

John Cha: I think it [leaned more toward a] wave to earth song at first, it was during tour when I was writing this. We had a little gap in Austin because there was a tornado in Orlando at that time, so we had three days in [the] hotel. The inspiration was among our daily conversations, and I remember I played the piano in the green room in front of the guys, like “Okay, this song is “heaven and hell,” and I really want to kind of do it with wave to earth, so it happened that way. I just put little chunks [together] after tour and [brought] it to the band, and we just started producing from then on.

Does writing in Korean versus writing lyrics in English affect the songwriting process at all? Do you typically start with one language and translate it to the other? 

Daniel: I think it's different every time for every song. I usually try to write lyrics in English first, but when I'm sometimes stuck, then I try to translate from Korean into English. Sometimes I get stuck, and I can't think of the right expression or words for this, so in those cases I go from Korean into English. 

If someone was to listen to “heaven and hell,” what would be the perfect listening experience for the single? 

Daniel: Anytime, everywhere [band laughs].

Dong Q: Everywhere and anywhere.

You released the teaser through a series of mysterious clues on your Discord channel and posted vlogs from behind the scenes leading up to the announcement. Why did you choose to tease the single in this way, and how important is it for you to communicate with your fans?

John: It feels intimate, you know [laughs].

Dong Q: I think we try to communicate in many different ways through multiple different channels. I think it's more interesting than sending our message through a single channel or method, and it adds a different kind of joy in waiting for the fans. 

I totally agree, this release does seem more intimate than your previous releases, especially with the behind the scenes vlogs that have been posted. You released your last album, play with earth! 0.03 in the fall of 2024. What has changed for you guys as a band since your last release?

Daniel: I don't think we necessarily changed as a band, but while we were touring over the past two years, I think we grew some sort of hunger for new types of music. I think we've been showcasing a certain style of music for the past few years, and we had a strong desire to break out of that shell. I think that was the biggest motivation this time. 

Dong Q: The third tour was our longest tour to date, so I think that made us really want to try out a different style to try to show different sides of us on this single album.

Photo by Ted Min

I think the fans are really looking forward to that too. Speaking of the fans, what does it mean to you guys to have such a global reach and also really warm reception internationally for your music?

Daniel: As always I'm most thankful for the fans that love us, and as I think of the music industry, it's kind of becoming more diverse. There's a lot of different artists from a lot of different countries that are getting a lot of global attention. So, in general, I think the music industry is becoming a much more global and diverse scene.

What can we expect from wave to earth now that the single is out?

Daniel: We're gonna put out an album soon, and it'll be very different from the wave to earth that people have been hearing and seeing. It will be an album with more organic sounds. I think people can expect something different and interesting.

Who are your OnesToWatch?

John: “the one” by Harrison Borts.

Daniel: Harrison Borts and Nicholas Crues.

John: Also there's this guy who posts a lot on Instagram, his name is Ethan French.

Daniel: Ah, Ethan French! Yeah, he's crazy, though.

Dong Q: “crown” by Andrew Aged. He played guitar on SNL with Mk.gee. 

Daniel: And lastly Chelsea Jordan, “if I'm lucky,” it's pretty good.

Thanks for hanging! Is there anything else that you would like to share with your fans or plug about the new single?

John: It's finally [out]! We're also looking forward to it, and I hope [to meet you guys] soon. Love you, thank you for all the support and love, and bye bye!

Dong Q: We'll be showcasing the new songs at Java Jazz and Seoul Jazz Festival, so fans will get to see it in person very soon. 

Daniel: We'll be using a lot of new instruments, so I think people have a lot to expect from our new live performances.

listen to "heaven and hell" below: