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Scooter Braun, CEO of HYBE AMERICA and founder of SB Projects, was invited as a special guest to &AUDITION – The Howling – FINAL ROUND, which took place Sept. 3 in Tokyo. The audition program produced by HYBE, the company behind BTS, was conducted in an unprecedented style with the aim of launching a global group comprised of members selected from a mix of contestants from I-LAND (the project that launched ENHYPEN) — K, EJ, NICHOLAS and TAKI — and 11 trainees.
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One new aspect of this audition was that its nature was cooperative and not competitive. Audition programs tend to promote ruthless rivalry, but &AUDITION – The Howling placed emphasis on mutual support and growth among the contestants. Sometimes the mission was designed to evaluate the overall perfection as a group rather than the excellence of the individual. As the rounds progressed, a strong bond was formed between all 15 participants, and when the nine debuting members were announced as the new group &TEAM in the final round, the men who weren’t selected congratulated the winners with beaming smiles in the end — though they did shed a few tears when they first learned the results.
Braun is a prominent executive and manager in the music industry. One of his companies, Ithaca Holdings LLC, merged with HYBE in May 2021 to become HYBE America, making it easier for HYBE’s artists — BTS included — and related businesses to penetrate the North American market. The close association between K-pop stars popular in Asian regions and Braun’s artists in North America can further expand the huge base that both companies have in the future.
Braun’s presence at &AUDITION – The Howling – FINAL ROUND shows his commitment to music and artists in Asia. At the same time, expectations for &TEAM’s global expansion are growing.
Braun had some heartfelt and profound words of advice for the nine debuting members of the new band &TEAM. Speaking from experience working with some of today’s biggest stars, he noted that “every great artist has a story of adversity. All the global stars that I’ve had the chance to work with have heard more ‘no’s than ‘yes’es” and “that’s what makes them great.” With that in mind, he encouraged the new members to overcome any adversity together, emphasizing that “you have a team, you have a family now to fight through that together, so never forget that [and] lean on each other.”
Braun promised he would return to Japan for the group’s first stadium show to cheer them on. He concluded his warm message to the group slated to debut as &TEAM by telling them, “Never, never give up. And when one of you falters, the other one pick him up, OK? You are family now. You got it. Congratulations! You can all smile, you’re here now.”
&TEAM consists of nine members: K, FUMA, NICHOLAS, EJ, YUMA, JO, HARUA, TAKI and MAKI. The brand-new band will drop their debut single Dec. 7. There’s a hopeful meaning behind the group’s name: “& is about bonding – people & individuals, humans & the world, fans & artists, fans & fellow fans, and ultimately bonding between nine members each with their vivid colors. In a constant pursuit for a better self, the members’ energy synthesizes to create one team that continues to excel and break through its limits.” Fans of the group will be collectively called LUNÉ, and the group is set to take on the global stage with LUNÉ’s dedicated support.
—This article by Suhi Yoon first appeared on Billboard Japan
IVE, a rising girl group known as being “complete” from the time of its debut and now hailed as the “wannabe icons of the Gen MZers,” are now leading the contemporary K-pop scene.
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The six members of IVE are: Yujin (19, former leader of IZ*ONE), Wonyoung (18, another popular former IZ*ONE member), Gaeul (20), Liz (17), Leeseo (15), and Rei (18, hailing from Japan). The name of the group is the contraction of “I have” and is based on the concept of showing what “I have” to the audience with confidence. Confidence is the key word of the group.
As the first group to launch after IZ*ONE’s disbandment, IVE attracted much attention from before its debut. When the girls released their debut single “ELEVEN” in Dec. 2021, it became a smash hit overnight. The six members give a captivating and graceful performance over exotic melodies for this number, and the accompanying music video showcases the girls’ beauty as well as the quality of their confident performance throughout, from the choreography to facial expressions led by the two experienced members. The group’s first album launched with 150,000 copies, the most among all acts that debuted in South Korea in 2021, and the single went on to win first place on music shows in the country 13 times. IVE is now one of the leading acts of the so-called fourth generation girl groups, following ITZY and aespa.
IVE has proven that its hype isn’t temporary. The group has released three singles — “ELEVEN,” “LOVE DIVE” (Apr. 2022), and “After LIKE” (Aug. 2022) — that have all become the group’s signature songs after recording long-running hits in South Korea and abroad. All three tracks are currently charting on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 dated Oct. 5, with “After LIKE” at No. 23 (peak position: No. 13), “ELEVEN” at No. 71 (No. 16), and “LOVE DIVE” at No. 79 (No. 8). 15 of the 100 songs on the list are K-pop, including three each by BTS and TWICE, and two by BLACKPINK, so IVE’s achievement is remarkable considering that the group hasn’t officially debuted in the country yet.
Over on Billboard U.S.A.’s Global 200 list, “ELEVEN” charted for ten weeks after peaking at No. 68, “LOVE DIVE” for 26 weeks (No. 15), and “After LIKE” for 5 weeks (No. 20), all consecutively. In particular, the ongoing record for “LOVE DIVE” is the longest streak for any K-pop song released this year.
Why is IVE achieving such amazing results globally? The first reason is the outstanding quality of their music. The three songs released so far can be described as being captivating, mysterious, and sentimental, respectively, each displaying a different side of the group without limiting it to a single color. Additionally, while the instrumentation and vocals for each song have been meticulously arranged, each features a simple structure — first verse, second verse, chorus, last chorus — familiar to K-pop and J-pop listeners, making them easy to listen to for the group’s core fanbase.
Each of IVE’s songs have distinctive points. In the debut song “ELEVEN,” there’s a bridge leading up to the chorus after the quietly beating first and second verses, in which Rei and Leeseo take turns singing “I didn’t know that my heart was so colorful” in the Korean version and “It’s a colorful suggestion from this point on” in the Japanese. This part where the girls slow down to belt out this line is one of a kind and fans love to sing along when the song is performed live.
“LOVE DIVE” was composed by creators from outside the girls’ native countries, and is a stylish number with a simple, bold rhythm and a deeply reverberated chorus refrain that radiates a sense of mystery. In the latter half of the song, a breath-like voice repeats “hold your breath and LOVE DIVE,” building up to the drop that sonically expresses the concept of “diving into love” through the dreamy sound.
In contrast, “After LIKE” is a danceable pop-house track, sampling Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 hit “I Will Survive” in the interlude. The song gives an EDM twist to the disco sound from the ‘70s and ‘80s, creating a nostalgic, sentimental feel that has led to the track’s popularity among older audiences. The lyrics feature clever wordplay that seem to express the way Gen Zers enjoy romantic relationships. While the members often perform with cool expressions on their faces, they are all smiles in the music video accompanying this song, again showcasing the breadth of their performance as a group.
While IVE’s music shows such wide range, the group’s dance is consistent in that it mostly features elegant choreography that makes the most of the curves of the body. The dancers’ upper body snakes from the waist up and their hand gestures also often ripple from the arms to fingertips. Even “After LIKE,” IVE’s cutest song so far, brims with the group’s signature grace. What’s more, the height of all six members average 169 cm (5’6) — Wonyoung is the tallest at 173 cm (5’8) — so this aspect is another feature that makes their dancing stand out.
All the songs feature lyrics about girls with high self-esteem heading straight into love. “ELEVEN” depicts how a girl’s heart becomes saturated with fantastical colors when she falls in love. In “LOVE DIVE,” she encourages her love interest to make the first move, to “jump in without fear if you dare to love,” and in “After LOVE,” she honestly expresses her feelings: “I don’t just like you, what’s ‘After LIKE’?” The protagonists in every song have inner strength, but the way they struggle with love is endearing. IVE’s way of expressing a girl’s crush is to display a confidence from within, rather than making an appeal through strong words and sounds.
Thus, the sonic variety of the group’s songs, the consistent stance of the protagonists depicted in the lyrics, the girls’ outstanding dance performances and their absolute good looks generate synergy that is powering the group’s skyrocketing popularity.
This year alone, 16 K-pop girl groups have debuted by the end of September. Among the particularly strong lineup of newcomers, IVE is considered a strong contender for Newcomer of the Year awards in its home country. The girls are set to debut in Japan on the 19th with the Japanese version of “ELEVEN,” taking the next step towards global recognition.
–This article by Maho Kakei first appeared on Billboard Japan
Kenshi Yonezu’s “KICK BACK” rules this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Oct. 19, coming out on top by a mere 30 points against the song at No. 2, JO1’s “SuperCali.”
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The opener for the new anime series Chainsaw Man bowed at the top of the tally after dominating downloads (61,510 units) and streaming (12,556,627 streams), while also hitting No. 2 for Twitter mentions, No. 4 for radio airplay, and No. 49 for video views. JO1’s “SuperCali” launched with 602,958 CDs to hit No. 1 for sales, look-ups, Twitter, and radio, while coming in at No. 5 for downloads, No. 19 for streaming, and No. 50 for video views. “KICK BACK” was fueled by downloads and streaming while “SuperCali” was powered by sales, and the race was so close that either song could have ended up at the top of the list this week.
While Ado had single-handedly dominated the top 10 for several weeks over the summer, this week’s Japan Hot 100 sees Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” debuting at No. 3 and Fujii Kaze’s new track “grace” at No. 4, pushing Ado’s former No. 1 track “New Genesis” down to No. 5. What’s more, HIGE DAN’s “Subtitle” scored a total of 10,612 points this week, which is higher than last week’s No. 1 song, SKE48’s “Zettai Inspiration” (9,480 points). “Subtitle” is the theme of the new Fuji TV drama series called silent, while Fujii’s “grace” is being featured in NTT Docomo’s ongoing project starring the 25-year-old singer-songwriter, so these two tracks being assisted by influential tie-ins are expected to stay in the upper regions of the chart for a while.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, Twitter mentions, YouTube and GYAO! video views, Gracenote look-ups and karaoke data.
Check out the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 10 to 16, here.
With three wins, including the coveted songwriter of the year prize, songwriters Neave Applebaum and Lewis Thompson were the standouts Monday night (Oct. 18) at the 2022 ASCAP London Music Awards.
Applebaum and Thompson were recognized for their co-writes on a slew of DJ and producer Joel Corry’s hits, including 2020’s “Head And Heart” (via Asylum/Perfect Havoc) featuring MNEK, which ruled the Official U.K. Singles Chart for six week; and 2021’s “Bed,” with Raye and David Guetta, which peaked at No. 3.
The pair also scooped winning hot dance/electronic song awards for “Head And Heart,” alongside co-writers MNEK, Robert Harvey, Leo Kalyan and Lewis Thompson; and for “Bed.”
Also on the night, Indian film composer Mithoon bagged a brace of awards, taking home song of the year and top streaming song for “Whoopty,” a No. 3 U.K. hit for drill rapper CJ (“Whoopty” prominently sampled Mithoon’s “Sanam Re”).
Joby Talbot’s Sing 2 score was named top box office film of the year, one of 11 categories honoring ASCAP’s leading composers in the worlds of film and TV.
Other film awards went to the likes of Radiohead founding member and composer Jonny Greenwood for his work on Spencer, and Christopher Benstead for Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man.
Scottish artist Lewis Capaldi kept his hot streak going, earning a winning hot dance/electronic award with Corey Sanders for their work on “Lasting Lover,” recorded by Sigala and James Arthur.
Other winning hot dance/electronic song awards went to Teemu Brunila for “Don’t Be Shy,” recorded by Tiësto and Karol G; David Morales and Handel Tucker for “In Da Getto,” by J Balvin and Skrillex; Dan Caplen and Gez O’Connell for “Paradise,” by Medusa featuring Dermot Kennedy; Ross Campbell for “Friday,” by Riton and Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa and Hypeman; and Frederik “SIBA” Castenschiold Eichen and Sakima for “You,” by Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae.
Meanwhile, James “Yami” Bell took out a top hot dance/electronic song award for “The Business,” recorded by Tiësto.
The ASCAP gala dinner and awards presentation honored British writer and publisher members from Performing Right Society whose repertoire is licensed by ASCAP and is among its most performed works in the United States during 2021.
A full list of 2022 ASCAP London Music Awards winners can be found here.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras are on the verge of completing an “Unholy” (EMI) month in the U.K.
The hit collaboration leads the midweek U.K. chart and is heading for a fourth consecutive week at No. 1.
“Unholy” heads an unchanged top 4, as a psycho stalks the top 5. Anne-Marie and Aitch’s “Psycho” (via Atlantic) is eying an 8-5 climb, for what would be a new high in its fifth week on the chart.
Based on midweek data, Stormzy’s on target for the highest new entry with “Hide & Seek” (Def Jam). It’s chasing a No. 9 debut. If it holds its ground, “Hide & Seek” will give the Brit Award winner a 13th U.K. top 10.
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Further down the list, Oliver Tree and Robin Schulz’s “Miss You” (Atlantic) could crack the top 20 for the first time, bouncing 16 places to No. 12 on the Official Chart Update. It’s battling another version of “Miss You,” cut by 19-year-old German producer Southstar, who has accused his compatriot Schulz of releasing a “copycat version” (Schulz and Tree have yet to respond to the accusation). Southstar’s “Miss You” (B1/Ministry Of Sound) is new at No. 26 on the chart blast.
West London rapper Central Cee is flying high with his new cut, “One Up” (Central Cee) which starts at No. 17 on the chart blast. Since bursting onto the scene with 2020’s “Loading,” Central Cee has secured 13 U.K. top 40s, including four top 10s.
Blink-182’s freshly-reunited classic line-up of Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge could bag an 11th U.K. top 40 appearance with “Edging” (Columbia), new at No. 23 on the chart update. “Edging” is the first cut from the pop-punk favorites’ forthcoming album, and the first with DeLonge since the singer/guitarist left the band for a second time, in 2014.
Finally, the “lost” Queen track “Face It Alone” (EMI) is impacting the midweek tally. The previously unheard track features vocals from the band’s iconic late singer Freddie Mercury and was recorded during the 1988 sessions for the band’s penultimate album with Mercury, 1989’s The Miracle.
The song is the lead single from the upcoming Nov. 18 re-release of the band’s 13th album, which will be available as the 8-disc Queen The Miracle Collector’s Edition boxed set.
With “Face It Alone,” Queen should add to their tally of 55 career titles on the U.K. singles chart. It’s new at No. 46 on the chart blast.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday (Oct. 21).
The U.K. albums chart battle is heating up as Red Hot Chili Peppers apply the pressure on the 1975.
Based on midweek data published by the Official Charts Company, the 1975 is out front with Being Funny In A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit), the British alternative rock act’s fifth studio album. If it holds its position, Being Funny will bring Matt Healy and Co. their fifth U.K. leader, following their self-titled 2013 debut; I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it (from 2016); A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships (2018) and Notes On A Conditional Form (2020).
The Chili Peppers could have a say in that.
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The veteran California rockers start at No. 2 on the Official Chart Update with Return Of The Dream Canteen (Warner Records). It’s their 13th album and the follow-up to Unlimited Love, which led the U.K. chart in April of this year.
With their Return, RHCP should nab a 10th U.K. top 10 appearance, a track record that includes five No. 1s.
Rounding out an all-new top five on the chart blast is U.S. band Alter Bridge’s Pawns & Kings (Napalm), at No. 3; Atlanta rapper Lil Baby’s It’s Only Me (Motown/Quality Control), at No. 4; and Dexys Midnight Runners’ Too-Rye-Ay (Mercury), a reissue of the Birmingham, England band’s sophomore album from 1982, which featured the classic single “Come on Eileen”. The LP, which peaked at No. 2 following its original release, is set to return to the top 10 for the first time in 40 years, the OCC reports.
Also charging to the top ten is English indie rock act Big Moon, with Here Is Everything (Fiction), which is on track for a career-best No. 6, while Lightning Seeds should bolt into the top tier with See You In The Stars (BMG), the Britpop era band’s first LP in 13 years. It’s set to debut at No. 7, and could become the band’s highest-charting studio album in a 32-year career.
Close behind is the Vamps’ career retrospective Ten Years Of The Vamps (UMR/Virgin), which is poised to start at No. 5, for what would be the British pop band’s fifth top 10 record.
Finally, veteran artist and production mastermind Brian Eno is on track for a career solo high with his 22nd studio album FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE (Universal Music Recordings), starting at No. 10 on the midweek chart.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, Oct. 21.
J-pop boy band THE SUPER FRUIT livestreamed a showcase studio set on Oct. 7 as the featured act of the month on Next Fire, the hybrid program produced by Billboard Japan and TikTok.
Next Fire is a show on TikTok Live that highlights the hottest J-pop artists of the moment, based on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 chart. The collaborative project streams live performances and pre-recorded interviews by the featured act of the month to give fans an in-depth look at their artistry.
The seven members appeared in the studio with the opening music in the background, cheerfully greeting viewers, “Good evening! We are THE SUPER FRUIT!” The group immediately kicked off the set with “Seven Fruits” from the mini album THE SUPER FRUIT, released as a limited edition before the band’s debut. The bouncy, airy rhythm filled the studio with a cheerful atmosphere from the start, and the falsetto vocals in the chorus served as a catchy accent that left a lingering impression. From there, the group followed up with a cover of the pioneering ‘70s Japanese idol group Finger 5’s “Gakuen Tengoku” (School Heaven). The beaming members urged fans watching the show to clap and sing along to the classic number, and the sharpness of their dance during the interlude also caught the eye.
After each member introduced himself, THE SUPER FRUIT went on to perform “Kimi wa Riako Seizouki.” The song features adorable lyrics and melody, with a dance during the chorus that people would want to imitate. The excitement in the comment section steadily increased, filling up with messages calling them “Cute!” and cheering them on. The following number, “Bokura no Yoake” (Our Dawn), was performed as a piano-based ballad, with fans commenting that they were touched by the youthful and emotional vocals.
The members then went on to address viewers with some humble words expressing their current position as rookie group: “Today was the first time we got to perform five songs on a live program,” noted one member, while another shared, “We usually perform three songs at release events, so this has been a wonderful experience.” The group then wrapped up its showcase performance with “Chiguhagu,” the title song of their debut single that stayed at No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 tally for six consecutive weeks. It’s no surprise the tune has a high affinity with the short video-sharing platform, as the positive lyrics celebrating diversity perfectly matches the cute, fun choreography.
When the song ended, the lights faded out as the boys held their final poses and THE SUPER FRUIT’s show came to an end, leaving a lingering impression. The showcase set displayed the freshness and momentum of a group that got started only a year ago. A pre-recorded interview by the members of THE SUPER FRUIT will stream on Billboard Japan’s TikTok channel starting Oct. 14, and excerpts from the livestream will be available on the boy band’s TikTok account.
SEOUL, South Korea — BTS will not be able to perform with its full seven-member lineup until 2025, as the group is headed to the South Korean military. However, the first member to be enlisted, Jin, will release his solo material in the coming weeks.
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BTS label BigHit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE, announced Monday that each of the BTS members – Jin, RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook – is going to face mandatory national service, though timing will vary by member.
“Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans,” BigHit Music said in the statement. It added that the group will reconvene around 2025 after their respective drafts are over.
All able-bodied male South Korean citizens must serve in the armed forces for at least 18 months, though the length of service may vary. Draft begins in the year they turn 18 but the men may postpone it until age 28. In December 2020, the South Korean National Assembly passed the so-called “BTS law” to allow K-pop entertainers to postpone the service until the age of 30, with a recommendation from the culture minister.
Jin is turning 30 in December and is the oldest member. Jungkook, the youngest, is 25 years old.
The mandatory military service for the band as well as Korean male pop stars in general has divided the country in recent years, as K-pop’s popularity has grown worldwide. While many including some lawmakers say the musicians’ contribution to the country’s global recognition should qualify them for an exemption, others that include the defense ministry have opposed the move.
In a country that has superpower neighbors such as China and Russia as well as a saber-rattling North Korea, many people believe that the military service requirement serves as a social equalizer and any attempt to take an easy way out has suspended or ruined the careers of several entertainers and other public figures.
For some observers of BTS, writing has been on the wall since June when the band announced that they were taking a break from group activities to focus on individual projects. In July, J-Hope was the first to release solo material with the album Jack in the Box, which featured singles “MORE.” and “Arson.”
On stage at a special free concert on Saturday, where the band performed 19 tracks in support of the World Expo 2030 bid for Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, Jin teased his solo project for the first time. “I got the opportunity to work with someone I like, so a single will come out soon,” said Jin.
Separately, J-Hope addressed the future of the band, telling fans that BTS was “in a stage where we need your trust.”
Read the full statement below.
BIGHIT MUSIC is proud to announce today that the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service. After the phenomenal concert to support Busan’s bid for the World Expo 2030, and as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are honored to serve.
Since the creation of BTS over ten years ago, the band has risen to international success, broken records, and catapulted K-Pop into the global stratosphere. BIGHIT MUSIC has focused to the milestone moment when it would be possible to respect the needs of the country and for these healthy young men to serve with their countrymen, and that’s now. Group member Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October.
He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans. Both the company and the members of BTS are looking forward to reconvening as a group again around 2025 following their service commitment.
With the release of their first anthology album earlier this year it opened the path to allow the members to take some time to explore individual projects. As part of the HYBE family, we support and encourage our artists and are beyond proud that they will each now have time to explore their unique interests and do their duty by being of service to the country they call home.
“Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” is more than a track from their latest album, it is a promise, there’s much more yet to come in the years ahead from BTS.
British singers Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, formerly with the Beautiful South, earn their second U.K. chart crown as a duo as N.K-Pop debuts at No. 1.
N.K-Pop led at the midweek point and does enough to cross the finish line first.
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As members of the Beautiful South, the English artists earned three leaders, with Carry On Up The Charts – The Best Of (from 1994), Blue Is The Colour (1996) and Quench (1998).
Heaton and Abbott also reached No. 1 as a pairing with their last album, 2021’s Manchester Calling.
Coming in at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart is alt-pop outfit Easy Life, with Maybe In Another Life…, an effort that equals the Leicester band’s best chart placing, set with 2021’s Life’s a Beach.
Maybe In Another Life… is the week’s best-seller on vinyl.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance rebounds, partly due to the viral success of album track “Cuff It,” which lifts 10-5 on the singles survey, for a new high. Renaissance improves 20-7 on the Official Albums Chart, published Oct. 14.
U.S. pop singer Charlie Puth bags a third U.K. top 10 album with Charlie, new at No. 9.
Further down the tally, veteran rockers the Cult enjoy their first top 20 appearance since 2016, as Under The Midnight Sun shines at No. 15. Midnight Sun is the Ian Asbury led-band’s 11th full length album.
Ahead of the Mercury Prize ceremony, for which it’s shortlisted, a vinyl reissue of Sam Fender’s 2021 LP Seventeen Going Under, blasts 37 places to No. 16. Seventeen Going Under is Fender’s second chart leader, following his 2019 debut Hypersonic Missiles. The Mercury Prize will be announced Oct. 18 at Eventim Apollo, in Hammersmith, London. Fender has good form at industry awards. He won the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2019 BRIT Awards.
Another classic record on the up thanks to a re-issue is Pink Floyd’s Animals (2018 Remix), which vaults 90-21 following the release of a deluxe gatefold edition.
Canadian indie pop outfit Alvvays earn a second top 40 album with Blue Rev, new at No. 27, a career best.
Finally, as Swifties gear-up for the release of Midnights, her 10th studio album this Friday (Oct. 21), several Taylor Swift albums enjoy spikes on the latest frame. 1989 improves 41-31, and Lover lifts 45-35.
When Rüfüs Du Sol put their collective feet up for a well-earned celebratory drink, the electronic trio can imbibe their own supply.
The Grammy Award-winning trio unveil Mate Maker Co., which launches with two ready-to-drink flavors, Mango Peach Smash and Citrus Mule Hard Kombucha.
The boutique business is founded by Justin Medcraft, ex-global senior brand manager at Diageo and brand director at Pabst Brewing co, and co-founded by the electronic musicians and their artist manager Danny Robson, along with drinks trade expert Tom Appleton (formerly Diageo and Four Pillars Gin).
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According to the team behind the fruity new releases, Mate Maker is small-batch brewed, vegan, uses no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors or hidden ingredients, and is presented with sustainable packaging.
“With a shift towards moderation and mindfulness,” reads a statement, “this group of friends asked themselves: if you choose to drink, why not ‘drink better’? So they set out to create a transparent drink made from better ingredients, that’s better for the world.”
For those who keep count, the two flavors contain 4% alcohol by volume, less than 110 calories and under 5 grams of sugar per can.
“When we discovered hard kombucha a couple years back in the U.S., we immediately thought people in Australia would get it,” comments Jon George, of Rüfüs Du Sol.
“This is something we’ve put a lot of care and effort into and we’re stoked to be able to unveil it now right before we come home to play shows in Australia for the first time in three years. We think people will love it as much as we do.”
Rüfüs Du Sol has been on a tear of late. Just last week, the trio of George, James Hunt and Tyrone Lindqvist scored a leading seven nominations for next month’s 2022 ARIAs in Sydeney, including nods for best group and best album for 2021’s Surrender (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music), the band’s third leader on the ARIA Chart.
The Sydneysiders cut Surrender during lockdown stints between Joshua Tree and Los Angeles. When restrictions lifted, the threesome performed works from across their four albums at a stretch of sold-out headline shows at Banc of California Stadium in L.A.
Then, at the 2022 Grammy Awards, Surrender track “Alive” won for best dance/electronic recording.
More flavors in the Mate Maker co. range are coming soon, and should make a splash at independent retailers and festivals across Australia later in the year.
Visit matemakerco.com for more.