BoyNextDoor on ‘No Genre,’ Lollapalooza Preparations

BoyNextDoor’s energy is genuinely infectious.

The six-member K-pop group, hailing from the Zico-founded, Hybe sub-label KOZ Entertainment, are only two years into their career, but seeing the group live, one would imagine they’ve been doing it all their lives. At last year’s KCON L.A., the boy group emerged as a standout amongst the weekend’s stacked lineup.

Back with their fourth EP, No Genre, BoyNextDoor has found its groove — both sonically and as a group. The album’s lead single, “I Feel Good,” is a charismatic and groovy almost-three-minute journey. It’s an example of the boy group at their best, similar to their dynamic debut, “One and Only.”

As the group prepares for their biggest stage yet — a Lollapalooza performance slot — they say they’re going full steam ahead. Below, the BoyNextDoor speaks with The Hollywood Reporter about No Genre, preparing for Lollapalooza and how their teamwork has grown.

Can you tell me a bit about making No Genre?

TAESAN For this album, we really focused on making the kind of music we truly want to make without being tied down by genre or by any specific message. We went into the process with the hope of expressing ourselves freely. It’s an album that captures BoyNextDoor’s carefree spirit. Instead of creating specific characters or adding detailed concepts like we did in previous albums, we kept asking ourselves, “What makes music simply enjoyable to listen to?” With that question in mind, we dove into the process, trying to learn and grow as we worked on it.

What does the title mean to you? Why does the the idea of rejecting labels fit you as a group?

WOONHAK The idea behind No Genre came from our desire to be even more free. We wanted to show the world who BoyNextDoor really is. It’s a reflection of that ambition, and I think that’s what led us to release an album like this. I hope people listening to it can discover a new side of BoyNextDoor and that they can feel that same sense of freedom and enjoy this moment in youth together with us.

Does anyone have a favorite song on the album?

JAEHYUN I really love “Step By Step.”

RIWOO Me too, I’m a big fan of that one.

LEEHAN I like our lead single “I Feel Good” the most.

SUNGHO For me, it’s “Next Mistake.”

“I Feel Good” is such a fun and confident song. You can tell you’re a bit more seasoned as performers and are more in-tune with what works for you as a group. Do you feel the song is a mirror in that way?

JAEHYUN It feels like we’re showing just one side of who we are. We’ve definitely grown, but rather than saying, “This is mature BoyNextDoor,” it feels more like we’re revealing another one of the many charms we’ve always had. Of course, we’ll keep working hard to show new sides of ourselves through future albums too, but with “I Feel Good,” I think what really stands out is how much fun we have. There’s a line in the lyrics — “We going around and we living it up just like that” — and I think that really sums up the vibe of this track. It’s a song where you can really feel our free-spirited energy.

You’re preparing to play Lollapalooza this summer. It’s a big stage, particularly given how early in your career you are. How did you feel when you found out you’d be performing? Are you excited?

TAESAN Honestly, when we first heard we’d be performing at Lollapalooza, none of the six of us could believe it. It just felt too surreal, [it’s] like a dream come true. That’s why we’re really giving it our all. One thing we’re putting a lot of importance on is being able to connect with the audience. We’ve all been studying English to show off our skills on stage, and we’re also practicing hard to make this performance something really special.

Is there anything you’re most excited about? Is there anything you’re a little nervous about but working to push through?

RIWOO Lollapalooza is one of the stages we’ve been most excited about. Of course, there will be OneDoor (official fandom name) who already support us, but we know there will also be people who don’t know us at all. That makes it even more meaningful. Just getting the chance to show our music and our stage to a new audience, that’s such an honor, and honestly, it makes it even more fun.

Are there any artists you’re excited to see?

WOONHAK Doechii.

JAEHYUN Tyler, The Creator.

You haven’t had too many chances to meet your international fans in the U.S. yet. How does it feel to get another chance to see them at Lollapalooza?

SUNGHO We recently wrapped up our very first tour, Knock on Vol. 1 [in Asia], and something we really felt along the way was that there are so many OneDoor supporting us, even in places we never expected. With upcoming stages like Lollapalooza and beyond, we’re really hoping to meet OneDoor in areas we haven’t been able to visit often. Since they haven’t had many chances to see us in person, we’re guessing they have high expectations. We’re working really hard to live up to [those expectations] with our performance.

You mentioned communication being a big part of a performance. You obviously meant with the audience, but internally, as a group, how has your teamwork grown as you take on bigger challenges?

LEEHAN Even when it’s not directly related to BoyNextDoor, we talk all the time and stay really close as friends. We got even tighter during our [recent] tour. When we’re planning a stage, coming up with an album title or deciding on the musical direction, we always bring in our own ideas and talk things through. We pick out the best suggestions and keep refining them, so that in the end, we’re left with only the strongest result.

How do you hope the world sees BoyNextDoor?

TAESAN When people in the future look back on this era, I hope BoyNextDoor is the first group that comes to mind. Not just for our fans, but for everyone, we want to be a group that feels relatable and easy to connect with through our music.

WOONHAK We hope to be that friend who’s always been around; your friendly boys next door. The kind of music that lifts you up when you’re down and makes your happy moments feel even brighter. We want to be remembered as [having] that kind of presence.