[Exclusive Interview] KEYVITUP Sets Sights on “The Rookie of the Year” and Discusses Their Debut EP

Comprised of five members: Taehwan, Hyunmin, Sena, Jaein, and Rukia, KEYVITUP officially debuted on April 8 with their self-titled debut EP, “KEYVITUP.” As a relatively young group stepping into the industry, they’ve set out to boost their confidence and prepare to open the next doors that follow happiness. All while having their eyes set on “The Rookie of the Year.” 

Over Zoom, the members spoke about their debut EP and their future ambitions for the “connected doors” ahead.

Hello KEYVITUP! To begin, could each of you introduce yourselves as members of KEYVITUP?

Taehwan: Hi, I’m Taehwan. I’m the main vocalist and the eldest member in this group. Nice to meet you.

Hyunmin: Hi, I’m Hyunmin. I’m the leader of this group. Nice to meet you.

Rukia: Hi, I’m Rukia. I am the main rapper. Also, the youngest member of the group, nice to meet you.

Sena: Hi, I’m Sena. I’m the sub-vocalist of this group. Thank you.

Jaein: Hi, my name is Jaein. I’m the main dancer and sub rapper in this group. Nice to meet you.

Congratulations on your debut. How does it feel to officially present yourselves to the world as KEYVITUP?

Taehwan: Finally, we achieved our dream and our goal of introducing ourselves to the world. It’s just been about two weeks now. It still feels very surreal, like a dream. We’ve been performing on music shows and meeting our fans in person, which makes us even happier. Schedule-wise, we are busier than our trainee days with a little less sleep, but our happiness overcomes that. So, having this opportunity to talk to you through this interview is great, and overall, it feels like a sense of accomplishment and happiness.

How would you describe the group name KEYVITUP in your own words? How did each of you personally connect to this name?

Hyunmin: The team name, KEYVITUP, is a combination of “key,” “vital,” and “up.” “Key” represents a key to a new world and generation. “Vital” is our energy, our vitality. “Up” is our aspiration and our mission to move forward. So these three keywords give us our identity, and we feel a big responsibility to live up to the name. We want to continue to grow stronger.

If KEYVITUP could be expressed as a “key” that opens any door in the world, what kind of door would it be, and what would you find on the other side?

Hyunmin: Right now, we have just made our debut, so we opened the debut door. The world we come to face is filled with happiness because it’s the world we’ve been waiting for on launching boards. It is our dream coming true, and the doors that connect will open in the future, which represent our goals and the challenges we’ll have to face and overcome. For example, one of them is maybe “The Rookie of the Year.” The milestone like that would be next door.

Your debut EP includes two title tracks, “KEYVITUP” and “LEGENDARY.” What was the main inspiration behind your title tracks? 

Taehwan: We definitely have to include “KEYVITUP” as one of the title tracks, because inevitably, all of us are included in that track. We all participated in writing the lyrics, so that was the first track that we chose. 

As for “LEGENDARY,” the overall song is very unique, and it moves listeners, which gives them chills – that’s what we felt when we first listened to the track. It has the quality to become a double title track. In comparison to “KEYVITUP,” it has a different color and mood. “LEGENDARY” showcases us not just as artists, but as individuals – as young adults working our way up to our dreams. It’s a good title, along with “KEYVITUP.”

Between the two, which felt the most challenging and enjoyable for you to record or perform? Why?

Jaein: I personally had a very fun time recording “LEGENDARY” because it really brings out our playful personality. And there is new stuff we tried while recording the song, which came out very nicely. It wasn’t forced. It came out very naturally. It was just very enjoyable to record.

“BEST ONE” is the track that opens the EP with that strong, confident energy. How did you approach setting the tone for the rest of the EP with this track?

Hyunmin: “BEST ONE” has a really strong hook. The lyrics repeat multiple times throughout the song. It’s all about doing your best and boosting your confidence. Since introducing “KEYVITUP,” our priority has been to express our confidence and our strong ambition. So the track “BEST ONE” really does that and expresses that energy. It is a really good way to introduce the album.

Not only the song, but performance-wise, it really captures people’s attention. There’s a little bit of acrobatic elements involved throughout. So, I think this is the reason why it was chosen as the pre-release track.

Among all the tracks on the EP, which song do you think best showcases your group’s strengths right now? Why?

Rukia: I think it is “LEGENDARY” because it really expresses our personality. We’re all very playful. We joke around a lot, and that naturally shows on stage and through the track. It really brings out our playful charm and character. 

Now that you’ve completed your debut, what is one thing you hope people will remember about KEYVITUP after listening to your first-ever EP?

Sena: Now that we have made our debut, we hope that people will have high hopes and look forward to our future activities, new songs, and performances. 

Are there any messages you would like to share with fans who are just getting to know KEYVITUP?

Taehwan: To our fans who are just getting to know us, we’re not just saying that we’d like to boost the confidence and showcase our strong ambition just through this message and ourselves, but really, we will need to prove that on stage. Moving forward, we hope you will look forward to our performances, and that those who come in person to watch us perform live will have an unforgettable experience. We’ll really deliver the best performance that we can. I love you.