Plus Magazine

Even before the impact of their first mini-album [expérgo], released last March, has had time to cool down, NMIXX is back with a special summer festival themed album that promises to transform a midsummer night into a dream. From ‘Roller Coaster,’ which offered a refreshing experience like riding an amusement park ride before the album release, to ‘Party O'Clock’ which cools off the summer heat. Join us in M COUNTDOWN Magazine as the NMIXX members directly share the special story behind [A Midsummer NMIXX's Dream].

This is your second meeting with M Countdown Magazine. Could you greet our readers?

Yes, hello! We are NMIXX, back with our third single [A Midsummer NMIXX's Dream]!

It's been about four months since your last release, and you've returned quickly, without letting the impact of your previous album fade. What is your goal for this release?

‘Party O’Clock’ is a refreshing summer song that feels different from our existing songs! We hope that this song will be frequently included in many people's summer playlists!
 

This time, we have made a comeback with NMIXX's first Summer Song! With this concept, every time we perform, we aim to create the atmosphere of a summer party with our fans, NSWER, as if we're truly there! We want to create a stage where both the performers and the viewers can enjoy.

What is the concept of your new album [A Midsummer NMIXX's Dream], which continues the story from ‘Docking Station’ introduced in your first mini-album [expérgo]?

The album title [A Midsummer NMIXX’s Dream] means ‘A Midsummer Dream with NMIXX’, and it implies a wish to spend time, if only for today, as if in a ‘dream on a midsummer day’ with NMIXX! The story is based on the motif of Shakespeare's , with the main narrative revolving around the chaos of a party. It encapsulates the idea of spending time filled with happiness, as if dreaming, after connecting with loved ones.
 

The freshness in your pre-released song 'Roller Coaster' seems to well express NMIXX's own summer. The lyric s' ‘Numerous extraordinary things, and one star among them, Come here' was particularly impressive. What does this part symbolically refer to?

The story of this album revolves around the meeting of NMIXX and NSWER, bringing together unique individuals. The lyrics vividly depict our connection with NSWER! It's about discovering the other person's unique, star-like qualities and inviting them to join us on this roller coaster of an experience!
 

These lyrics imply that everyone in the world has their own special and diverse charm, and among those many special individuals, you should not forget that you are also special, and it invites you to follow us.

It seems that there are various stories hidden in the music video of ‘Roller Coaster’. Could you give us any hints to better understand the story in the video?

You might find it insightful to pay attention to certain objects in the music video! There are various intriguing elements such as the book we are reading, mermaid ears, notes, and more!
 

At first glance, we may just seem like ordinary students in the music video, but in reality, we are girls with a big secret. We come across something unusual about Sullyoon as we play together! It might be fun to speculate about these things while watching the music video!

The swimming pool scene in your music video felt like you actually went out to play with friends. There should be some fun behind-the-scenes stories, right? Are there any memorable anecdotes?

Wow, it was really fun!! It was our first underwater shooting, so we were looking forward to that scene the most. We really enjoyed filming it as if we were out having fun. I also remember using the water-treading technique that we learned from Lily during our showcase tour.
 

We really had fun as if we were with friends at a swimming pool. We even played ‘Red light, Green light’ underwater. It was our first time doing it underwater, and it was harder than we thought! I remember it was really difficult to keep balance when we had to stay still because of the water.

The image of Bae holding a camera underwater in the music video was also used as the cover for the ‘Roller Coaster’ single. It seemed to match well with the atmosphere of the music; was that intentional?

That scene is from our music video, and I think it fits really well with the atmosphere of the song! Doesn't it look really refreshing?! Although it has changed now, I was happy to be able to be in the cover photo for the song.

Just listening to the song gave a refreshing feeling as if riding an amusement ride. Do you have any experience actually riding a roller coaster?

Of course!! When we go to an amusement park, riding the roller coaster seems to be a must! However, roller coasters always end too quickly, which is a bit disappointing.
 

Yes, I really love riding roller coasters! Whenever I go to an amusement park, I always make sure to ride a roller coaster. More than the thrill of going up and down, I like the part where it goes fast the most!
 

What kind of music is ‘Party O’Clock,’ which is the follow-up song to ‘Roller Coaster’ and the title track of the single album?

‘Party O’Clock’ is a song that captures the process of a mysterious party happening in a forest on a midsummer night! It is a pop song based on cool and addictive 2-step garage, with lyrical lyrics and NMIXX's broad vocal spectrum standing out!

‘Party O’Clock’ is also the first work with Park Jin-young, the label's president and a renowned producer in Korea. How do you feel about this?

Since falsetto is important in this song, Producer Park Jin-young taught us a lot about it! We believe his substantial help allowed us to produce a better song!!
 

As Producer Park Jin-young has created many hit songs for our senior colleagues in the company, we were really excited and grateful. Despite his busy schedule, he gave a lot of attention to our song, and for that, we are immensely thankful.

Like the lyrics ‘One by one, gather around, this is a party invitation,’ the impression of your title song this time seemed to be right in the middle of a summer night party. What was the atmosphere like during the actual recording of the song?

We recorded it with as much excitement as we would at a summer night party. We found ourselves laughing throughout the recording! There was a noticeable difference in the sound quality when we sang with laughter versus when we just sang. We believe that listeners can also feel the excitement if the artists are genuinely excited while singing, so we infused our recording with a lot of laughter to convey the festive atmosphere of a party!
 

We paid special attention to the falsetto parts when recording the song. Given the song's high-energy nature, we found ourselves recording it in a particularly lively mood! It was a blast recording together with the other members, especially because there were so many parts where we sang in chorus.

Do you have any experience of having a party like your song lyrics? What does the party of your dreams look like?

I would have a party on a deserted beach with a bonfire and delicious food, all within the fun music! When I listen to ‘Party O'Clock,’ I think of such a party scene.
 

I remembered the many parties I enjoyed with my family and friends when I was young in Australia. We all sang together and had fun while eating delicious food, and it seems like I perform while recalling such memories.

 

Compared to your previous songs ‘DICE’ and ‘Young, Dumb, Stupid,’ which used intense sounds and the mix pop genre, this single album feels more comfortable, as if floating on water, with two songs. How do you feel about showing a new side of NMIXX?

We feel both excited and nervous to try a new style of music. It's a mood we haven't shown before, so there's also some worry. But we worked hard to prepare, so we hope you'll love it a lot!
 

I think it's really good that we, as NMIXX, get to try many different genres and concepts. We're very happy to be able to show our fans something new without giving them a chance to get bored.
 
 

There seems to be various captivating choreography in your ‘Party O'Clock’ performance. What do the you think is the point dance move of this title track?

For me, there is a part where it goes 'It's a party, every time when you're next to me So now it's a party tonight'! I think this part is the highlight of ‘Party O'Clock’! Whenever I perform this part, it's the most exciting and it truly feels like I'm at a party!

As NMIXX is aiming to provide a refreshing antidote to the summer heat, do the members have any unique strategies for staying cool?
 

I believe a refreshing watermelon juice can completely make you forget the heat! Try watermelon juice when it's really hot. It's truly refreshing and brings happiness.

Lastly, do you have any messages you would like to share with the fans who will be with you this time as well?
 

Although we always say this, we want to say thank you. We remain forever grateful and pledge to redouble our efforts to return the love NSWERs shower upon us. So, please continue to stand by us for many more years to come!! We love you, NSWER!!
 

To NSWERs! Thank you so much for continuously supporting us during this really hot summer! We hope you love this comeback! We will work hard in the future to show you more good performances!