There is something uniquely electrifying about watching an artist command a stage, and for those of us who witnessed 1VERSE live in London, that energy has stayed on constant replay. From the powerful momentum of WABIF to lighting up international tour stops, the multinational powerhouse has continuously redefined what it means to connect with global audiences through sheer, raw performance.
Now, 1VERSE is ready to turn the page on a fresh chapter. The group is officially back with their 2nd single, LOOP—a track that promises to dive into an immersive, high-tempo electro-pop soundscape built around retro arcade textures and the relentless cycle of chasing a goal. True to their identity, the members have once again taken a hands-on approach to crafting their music, pouring their personal experiences and artistry straight into the core of the release.
Following their unforgettable time connecting with fans on the road, we caught up with 1VERSE to talk behind-the-scenes details of recording LOOP, how their dynamic has evolved, and what a return to the UK means to them.
Plug in, press play, and jump straight into our exclusive interview with 1VERSE below!
Davide: What makes LOOP feel like a fresh chapter compared to your previous releases, and what was the creative process like in the studio this time around?
KENNY: This time we tried to agree on one concept that we wanted to do. Surprisingly, we were pretty quick to land on something poppy, and we went with arcades. It was pretty easy. We just said, let’s do this, and I said I want to make it weird; let’s make it really weird. So we went for a weird concept of arcade games and how we’re addicted to them.
NATHAN: Every song is a fresh chapter for us.
Davide: The title LOOP leaves a lot to the imagination: what sonic vibe or storyline are you exploring, and what was the most memorable moment while working on it together?
KENNY: The origin of the story was a deep thought I had about claw machines, and how not being able to get the toy made me feel less of a man. So I had to learn how to get the toy in order to be a man. And then I got so good at the game that I felt a little more masculine the day I walked out with two plushies instead of zero.
NATHAN: Every time we go into an arcade and play the claw machine, it’s really just that. You play, you grab onto something, and you think, oh my god, I’m going to get it. Then it drops, and you think, I’m going to try again. And you end up staying there for an hour or two. That’s real, because that happened to me, and I ended up spending about eighty dollars. That experience was heavily a factor in this song, and we all tapped into it because we experienced it together. It also has a deeper meaning outside of claw machines. It applies to life as well: many things we want, we grab hold of, and then they drop, or they escape our hands. And we don’t let go that easily; we keep going for that thing again and again. It’s we ourselves who put another coin in the claw machine; no one’s forcing you to do it, but you’re doing it. So we played with that metaphor of a claw machine in that way.
AITO: In the Japanese verse of ‘LOOP’, there’s a word ‘nande’ that means ‘why’. To me, it represents the feeling when you’re playing a claw machine and you get it so close that you think you’ve finally got it, and then you lose it. That feeling of ‘why’ is what keeps you going and going, stuck in the loop.”
Davide: What core message should everyone take away when they press play on LOOP, and do you have a special word for your supporters?
NATHAN: Everyone has something they desire and keep going after again and again. Everyone has that moment in their life where they get close to something, and then it falls out of their hands, out of their grasp, and as soon as it gets close again, it runs away the most. But you keep going for it. Our goal as a group is to make songs that are so authentic to ourselves that people can really relate to them and feel seen. Hopefully with this story they feel that too, that they have their own version of that addicting moment. It’s a universal human experience.
AITO: In life, you go through the same things, failing and going through the same phases over and over. And even if you fail many times, you don’t give up; you keep going. That’s the message I want to send to the people who listen to ‘LOOP’. There’s perseverance in it.
Make sure to follow and support 1VERSE’s journey; find them on socials and on your favourite streaming platforms here.
DAVIDE K-POP 