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Eight younger males stand collectively in Chicago’s Grant Park beneath a sky lit with fireworks in the direction of the tip of their headlining set at Lollapalooza, united onstage within the very picture of victory. It’s applicable that Stray Children, the propulsive Okay-pop act presently sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, included their monitor titled “Victory Track” on their 21-song set record this weekend — the awestruck, joyfully incredulous expressions from Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N confirmed that feeling precisely.
However three hours earlier than Stray Children took the stage for maybe their most high-profile US efficiency thus far, the vitality is completely different. The very first thing Seungmin shares once I enter one of many trailers arrange for the group’s giant backstage camp is that they’re all feeling fairly drained — the jet lag after simply arriving the day prior is hitting onerous. Earlier than the interview formally begins, the members of the band are floating round with various ranges of nervous or excited vitality. Bang Chan is visibly in chief mode, whereas Hyunjin is attempting to peek over the fence to catch a little bit of whoever is performing (and, later, climbing a tree, regardless of already being stage-ready in shiny leather-based pants).
Stray Children, picture by Josh Druding
Even seated, the members are buzzing; the anticipation is seen. They’re a bit reassured to listen to what number of followers are onsite, sporting t-shirts with their names and faces, flags, pickets, followers, pins, and picture playing cards. It’s comprehensible that the blokes are drained, in a larger sense than simply the preparation of this week, for the reason that stage of output Stray Children have achieved previously few years is stunning. That aforementioned No. 1 album, titled Ate, is their fifth consecutively charting venture to debut within the prime spot.
Bang Chan, perpetually deferential, factors this newest milestone again to the followers with a reminder that their listeners, referred to as Keep, are the rationale they’ve made it this far. “We simply did what we at all times do,” he says of Ate. “Have enjoyable making music. That’s all that issues to us.”
The music video for the main target monitor from the venture, “Chk Chk Increase,” options cameos from self-proclaimed Stays Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Felix describes their determination to co-sign the monitor by suiting up in full Deadpool & Wolverine mode as “so candy.”
Stray Children, picture by Josh Druding
And whereas it looks like Stray Children are breaking into the American mainstream in an enormous new manner, the members are, conversationally, nonetheless targeted on the followers in a manner that feels fully genuine. I.N sweetly takes time to emphasise how grateful they’re for anybody that’s onsite to see them carry out, and Changbin says their listeners had been on the forefront of their decision-making when it got here to structuring the set record.