[INTERVIEW] Dreamcatcher talks 10th mini-album ‘VirtuouS’ and 7-year career: “Thanks to our InSomnias for loving our music”
AKP STAFF
Throughout the seven years of their career, Dreamcatcher has consistently delivered electrifying performances on stage. Its rock, banging distinctive sound made them stand out in the scene—and their global presence continues to heighten.
Coupled with their high-quality discography is the girls’ impressive live vocal prowess that elevates everything to another level—and this sleek collection of their songs showcases the group’s vocal range, from both the soothing sounds in ballads and the powerful vocals in their rock anthems.
With the release of their 10th mini-album, ‘VirtuouS,’ the members continue to prove again and again that they always have something in store for them to show. Over the years of wowing both the fans and the public alike, Dreamcatcher has just yet again left a mark on their listeners with their new album. The focus track “JUSTICE” highlights their unrivaled vocals, hitting such high notes that will drive the listeners crazy. ‘VirtuouS’ also comprises four captivating B-sides “Intro : 7’ Dreamcatcher,” “STΦMP!”, “2 Rings,” “Fireflies.”
Following their new music, the band is set to embark on their 2024 world tour ‘Luck Inside 7 Doors’ in Latin America in September and in the U.S. in November across 13 stops (organized by MyMusicTaste; tickets available here).
Dreamcatcher being underrated at some point screams “justice” itself. Well, ‘VirtuouS' might be the album that could finally attract you and make you check out their music. A month after the album's release, allkpop had the opportunity to have a quick chat with JI U, SU A, SIYEON, HANDONG, YOOHYEON, DAMI, GAHYUN to talk about ‘VirtuouS,’ the upcoming tour, and more. Check out our exclusive interview with Dreamcatcher below!
Video interview:
allkpop: Congratulations on your recent comeback with ‘VirtuouS’! What’s the main concept or message of this album, and how does it differ — musically, conceptually, visually, and such — from your previous albums?
JI U: The main concept of the 'VirtuouS' album is 'Hero'. While the previous 'VillainS' album depicted the evil side of sacrificing others to obtain the crown, this time we wanted to portray someone resisting the temptation of the crown and preventing sacrifices. As the VersuS series is a parallel universe concept, we aimed to show contrasting themes in each album. Unlike the song "OOTD," which dealt with the transparent greed and narcissism of villains, our title track "JUSTICE" in this album delivers a message of standing against evil. The strong alternative rock sound emphasizes the hero's steadfast convictions.
allkpop: Is this a part of something, maybe a trilogy or series? There’s a similarity between ‘VirtuouS’ and your previous album: they both start and end with V and S, and they’re stylized in capital letters. Is there any meaning behind that?
SU A: The Parallel Universe series is a two-part story, with, unfortunately, 'VirtuouS' being the final chapter. The meaning behind the V and S is to symbolize the opposition between the villain in 'VillainS' and the hero in 'VirtuouS,' representing the “VS” concept in this two-part series.
allkpop: I was wondering how the recording process went for this album, especially for “JUSTICE” where there are a lot of high notes. I know you are great vocalists and have been hitting high notes for years now, but was there any difficulty recording the songs for this album?
SIYEON: As each member's abilities have continuously improved, we didn't face that much of difficulties. One of the tracks, “STΦMP!”, had a chorus in a style we've never tried before, so it was fun to record.
allkpop: Which track caught your attention the moment you first listened to it, and now that it’s been almost a month since its release, is it still your favorite track or has it changed?
HANDONG: I still love “Fireflies." It's a calm song which is perfect when I'm alone. The lyrics really suit my taste as well.
allkpop: I’ve been to a lot of K-Pop concerts, and I can say that Dreamcatcher is one of the groups in the top in terms of the best live vocals. What do you do to maintain that energy and skills when on tour, giving your best at all the shows?
YOOHYEON: Thank you so much for saying that. It’s not easy to maintain our condition during a tour, so we try to boost our stamina by drinking electrolyte beverages or amino acids before getting up on stage.
allkpop: You’ve held a lot of shows for the past year, but what makes this upcoming tour, ‘Luck Inside 7 Doors,’ even better and more exciting? And what does the title mean?
DAMI: We tried something new this time. We connected the songs and added dance breaks to bring a fresh element to the show. The title ‘Luck Inside 7 Doors’ comes from the tour concept, which means “receiving luck from the 7 members” based on the tarot cards.
allkpop: Dreamcatcher celebrated its 7th anniversary earlier this year. How does it feel that now you’re nearing your 10th anniversary, which is a huge milestone? How would you describe your journey and growth being part of Dreamcatcher?
GAHYUN: I feel both excited and nervous at the same time! We've had many happy times as well as tough times, but we've come this far since the seven of us have supported each other so well.
allkpop: To wrap up this interview, could you please share with us the songs that you’ve been listening to lately and a message to allkpop readers and your fans, InSomnias?
JI U: I’ve been listening to Dreamcatcher’s “JUSTICE” and “2 Rings” a lot recently! I love those songs so much that I can’t stop playing them~! Thanks to our InSomnias, for loving Dreamcatcher’s music! We’ll continue to cheer you guys up!
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