{"id":585118,"date":"2026-08-06T16:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/585118\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T16:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T16:28:10","slug":"red-velvet-talks-new-album-velvet-summer-what-group-wants-to-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/585118\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Velvet Talks New Album ‘Velvet Summer,’ What Group Wants to Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tRed Velvet<\/a> is back as a full group for the first time in more than two years, and on Velvet Summer, the quintet returns to the season it helped define, this time from the other side of its identity.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tExplore\t\t<\/p>\n

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See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThis time, we wanted to show a softer, more laid-back side of summer instead of the bright, high-energy concepts we\u2019ve done before,\u201d Joy tells Billboard Korea. \u201cNow that we\u2019re in our 12th year, we felt ready to capture a more mature kind of summer that reflects who Red Velvet is today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAcross five tracks, the mini album moves through bossa nova, reggae, dance-pop, classical and acoustic textures, less as genre exercises than as changes in temperature. Lead single \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d sets bossa nova guitar and a relaxed reggae pulse over a polished house rhythm. Where \u201cRed Flavor,\u201d \u201cPower Up\u201d and \u201cUmpah Umpah\u201d met summer with bright colors and instant release, \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d lets it linger.<\/p>\n

\n\tTwelve years is a rare span for a K-pop girl group, and what Red Velvet has kept across that time is not just popularity, but a distinct identity. The group built its range between two poles, the vivid energy of \u201cRed\u201d and the smoother pull of \u201cVelvet,\u201d until the two stopped alternating and began to coexist. When girl-group pop was still defined by brightness, Red Velvet kept testing its edges: \u201cPeek-A-Boo\u201d turned a playful surface sinister, \u201cRookie\u201d and \u201cZimzalabim\u201d pushed kitsch toward deliberate strangeness, and \u201cDumb Dumb\u201d found unease between human and machine. Those songs widened what female idols were allowed to express, and the group returned to that territory even when it risked failure.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe music held it together. SM Entertainment\u2019s A&R system, which pairs Korean and international writers on a single track, has suited Red Velvet\u2019s layered sound, as on the title track from 2024\u2019s Cosmic, cowritten by Kenzie with an international team. The members have grown into it, too. Joy, who sharpened her voice as a lyricist through solo work, wrote both \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d and B-side \u201cHawaii\u201d on her own. The group has charted on the Billboard 200<\/a> and topped World Albums four times along the way.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe biggest thing I noticed during recording was how much more distinct each member\u2019s voice has become,\u201d Irene says. \u201cAll of those individual colors came together beautifully and gave our sound a richer, more mature feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Red<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tRed Velvet<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSM Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tBelow, Red Velvet speaks with Billboard Korea about the time apart, the reunion and what comes after Velvet Summer.<\/p>\n

\n\tNearly two years have passed since all five members last came together for a Red Velvet release. During that time, each of you expanded into different areas, from solo music and acting to broadcasting. As the group\u2019s leader, what felt noticeably different or more developed about the way the five of you worked together this time?<\/p>\n

\n\tIrene: The biggest thing I noticed during recording was how much more distinct each member\u2019s voice has become. All of those individual colors came together beautifully and gave our sound a richer, more mature feel. We also know each other so well that our ideas tend to come together naturally whenever we need to make a decision.<\/p>\n

\n\tRed Velvet has always moved between the \u201cRed\u201d and \u201cVelvet\u201d sides of its identity, while creating music that rarely fits neatly into either category. Do those two ideas still feel like a meaningful way to define the group today, or do you feel that Red Velvet has developed a musical language that now exists beyond that division?<\/p>\n

\n\tSeulgi: I still see \u201cRed\u201d and \u201cVelvet\u201d as the core of who we are and an important foundation of our music. Earlier in our career, the two sides felt more distinct. Now, the way we move freely between them has become part of Red Velvet\u2019s own musical identity.<\/p>\n

\n\tEven in your brightest and most immediate songs, Red Velvet is known for unexpected harmonies and intricate vocal layering. On this album, how did you want to reshape the way the five voices interact, and what new vocal colors did you hope listeners would notice?<\/p>\n

\n\tWendy: I think our solo work helped each of us develop a stronger vocal identity. Since it had been a while since we last recorded together as Red Velvet, I focused on listening closely to the other members and finding the right balance for each song.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor the layered vocals and harmonies, I tried to match the main singer\u2019s tone and phrasing while adding subtle differences between each layer to make the sound fuller. Since this is a summer album, we wanted the vocals to feel light, clear and effortless while still capturing Red Velvet\u2019s signature refreshing energy.<\/p>\n

\n\tYou contributed lyrics to two songs on the album. When bringing your own language and emotions into Red Velvet\u2019s established musical world, what balance did you try to find? Is there a particular lyric that feels especially personal or representative of your perspective?<\/p>\n

\n\tI wrote the lyrics for \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d and \u201cHawaii.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSince \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d is the title track, I wanted it to stay true to Red Velvet\u2019s sound while also expressing my own hopes as a member. After coming back together for the first time in two years and two months, I wanted to give something back to our fans and share my hope that we can keep making special memories together every summer.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHawaii\u201d is deeply personal, but I also felt it was a story many people could relate to. When I was younger, I faced every challenge fearlessly, determined to become someone I could be proud of. At some point, though, I began to wonder whether I had become the person I once dreamed of being. Through the song, I wanted to say that life can still feel meaningful as long as we hold on to our childhood dreams. I also used Hawaii\u2019s natural scenery to express the desire to break free from negative thoughts and live more freely.<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom \u201cSurfin\u2019 Boy\u201d: \u201cWith you beside me\/ We were filled with love\/ That summer, you and I\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThese lines remind me of the love Red Velvet and ReVeluv have shared through all the summers we\u2019ve spent together.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhen the wild waves hit\/ I\u2019ll find you in the end\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThey express my belief that even when we\u2019re apart, we\u2019ll always find our way back to each other.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWith you here again\/ We\u2019ll make it shine\/ All these summer thrills\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThis part looks ahead to all the special memories we\u2019ll continue making together.<\/p>\n

\n\tFrom \u201cHawaii\u201d: \u201cMy little childhood dream\/ Was to become a wonderful adult\/ Before I knew it, I\u2019d only grown taller\/ And somehow become a slightly unusual adult\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThis is probably the most personal and autobiographical part of the song.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWill you remember\/ The bright dreams you once had?\/ No more blues\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThese lines capture the message I wanted to share most: to hold on to the dreams we had as children.<\/p>\n

\n\tYour solo music revealed a voice that feels distinct from what you show within Red Velvet. What genres, emotions or stories would you like to explore more deeply as a solo artist? And how might what you discover through that work eventually feed back into Red Velvet\u2019s music?<\/p>\n

\n\tYeri: There are still so many different sounds I want to explore as a solo artist. I spent a long time figuring out what I really like and what feels most true to me, and now I feel like I\u2019ve found the sound I want to share. I hope everyone will look forward to hearing more through my upcoming solo album as well. I\u2019ve always felt that my solo music and Red Velvet\u2019s music are naturally connected. In fact, one of the songs planned for my solo album has a sound that reminds me of Red Velvet.<\/p>\n

\n\tYour well-received solo full-length album gave you the opportunity to present your own voice and artistic preferences on a much broader scale. After completing an entire body of work under your own name, did you return to Red Velvet with a different understanding of your role and voice within the group?<\/p>\n

\n\tIrene: In Red Velvet\u2019s music, I\u2019ve always thought carefully about how my voice can connect naturally with the members singing before and after me. Working on my solo album helped me understand my voice and its strengths on a deeper level, and made me think more about how I could bring those qualities into Red Velvet\u2019s music. I feel like the experience helped me grow as an artist, and I owe so much of that growth to our ReVeluvs. Your constant support gives me the strength to keep learning and moving forward. Thank you so much!<\/p>\n

\n\tThrough your solo music, performance, fashion and visual content, you have developed a distinct artistic language across different mediums. For this album, how did you want the visual world to deepen or reshape the way listeners experience the music?<\/p>\n

\n\tSeulgi: We wanted the music and visuals to feel like one complete experience and help people fully immerse themselves in the album. When I first heard the demo, it felt fresh and breezy, with a laid-back mood. Once we recorded it as Red Velvet, it took on a more mysterious and intriguing quality. I think the mermaid concept really brought the song\u2019s dreamy, mysterious vibe to life.<\/p>\n

\n\tYou use your voice in very different ways as a soloist, Red Velvet\u2019s main vocalist and a radio host. Has spending so much time listening to other people\u2019s stories and emotions changed the way you interpret lyrics or approach emotional delivery in the studio?<\/p>\n

\n\tWendy: I can\u2019t experience every kind of life or emotion firsthand, but hosting a radio show gives me the chance to hear so many different stories. Some feel familiar, while others offer a completely new perspective, and listening to them has helped me understand a much wider range of emotions.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen I work on a new song, I start by reading the lyrics and understanding the story and emotions behind them. Then I listen to the melody and think about how to bring my own interpretation to it. Personal experience is valuable, but connecting with other people\u2019s stories has also helped me become a more expressive singer.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile many of Red Velvet\u2019s earlier summer releases were defined by vivid colors and immediate energy, this album presents a more mature and dreamlike vision of the season. What kind of summer emotion do you think only the Red Velvet of today could express?<\/p>\n

\n\tJoy: This time, we wanted to show a softer, more laid-back side of summer instead of the bright, high-energy concepts we\u2019ve done before. Now that we\u2019re in our 12th year, we felt ready to capture a more mature kind of summer that reflects who Red Velvet is today.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor a group with such an extensive career, a new album is not simply about recreating what has worked before. It can also clarify why the group should keep moving forward, and in which direction. What place do you hope this album will ultimately hold within Red Velvet\u2019s discography?<\/p>\n

\n\tYeri: Simply being together as five members and making music we genuinely enjoy is incredibly meaningful and precious to us. I hope people will view this album with warmth and affection.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis story was originally published by Billboard Korea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Red Velvet is back as a full group for the first time in more than two years, and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":585119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[93,4608,61,60,278,633],"class_list":["post-585118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-genre-kpop","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-music","tag-music-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/585118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=585118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/585118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/585119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=585118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=585118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=585118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}