It’s a new chapter, but the bond is still the same! As they say, Some Things Never Change. Now promoting as ZOONIZINI, ASTRO members MJ and JINJIN are ready to show a different side of themselves! This time, it feels more personal, more playful, and more creatively free.
In this exclusive interview with KAvenyou, the duo opens up about the making of their 1st MINI ALBUM “DICE“, their journey as a unit, and share heartfelt messages for AROHAs in Singapore who have supported them from the very beginning. Read on to find out more!
| Q: Hi ZOONIZINI! Please introduce yourselves to our readers and tell us about your new mini album. |
| MJ: Hello, I’m ZOONI. Our new album ‘DICE’ carries the message of not being bound by other people’s standards or rules, and enjoying each moment anywhere in your own way. Since it’s the first album released under our name ZOONIZINI, we wanted to express our own cheerful and fun colors. JINJIN: Hello, I am ZINI, leader of ZOONIZINI as well. For ‘DICE’, we tried to make the tracklist flow continuously. From track 1 to track 6, we tried to bring out the story within each song and the detailed concepts as much as possible. |
| Q: How did you decide on “Some Things Never Change” as the title track? How was the preparation process like for this release? |
| JINJIN: We listened to over 300 demos and decided to each pick the songs we each wanted. Among the three songs that MJ and I both liked, this one stood out. It had a strong hip-hop vibe, so we arranged it to highlight the vocal parts and that’s how “Some Things Never Change” ended up becoming the title track. |
| Q: “Some Things Never Change” speaks to timeless emotions and memories. With that in mind, if you had the chance to revisit and change one of your past concepts, which would you choose and why? |
| JINJIN: I want to go back to the early days of our debut. When I was a trainee, I practiced a lot of intense choreography rather than cute concepts, so I’m curious how I would have felt doing a powerful concept back then (during our debut). If I could go back, I’d like to give it a try. |
| Q: You’ve worked together for many years as part of ASTRO, and now you’re promoting as a duo. Since you’ve known each other for so long, what is the biggest change you’ve noticed in one another over the years? What is something new you have learned about each other while working as ZOONIZINI? |
| MJ: Having spent so much time together, it’s not so much that something has changed, but I realized again while preparing this album that JINJIN is like a director who knows my strengths and weaknesses better than anyone. If JINJIN hadn’t participated in producing, I don’t think I would have been satisfied with this album. |
| Q: MJ, you have taken on a wide variety of projects, including trot group promotions and musicals. Is there anything else you would like to try in your career or a new challenge you want to take on? |
| MJ: I want to try acting. I’ve done some acting in musicals, but I’d like to challenge myself with acting in dramas or movies as well. |
| Q: JINJIN, is there a lyric you’ve written that you are especially proud of? What makes it stand out to you? |
| JINJIN: The lyrics of “Starlight Voyage” stick with me the most. I wrote the lyrics pretty quickly, and it started out because I wanted to tell a story about space travel. I remember it especially because it’s about letting go of everything and experiencing the freedom of setting off while looking at the night sky. In particular, the line “Starlight voyage together” is even more meaningful because it reflects the relationship between us and AROHA as we embark on this starlit journey together. |
| Q: What is your most frequently used emoji in the ASTRO group chat? |
| MJ: Not exactly an emoji, but I think I say ‘What are you up to’ the most often. JINJIN: For emojis I use the smiling face one most often, but the vibe of our group chat is mainly sending photos to each other and laughing about them. |
| Q: Can you each recommend one song from your discography, either as ZOONIZINI or ASTRO, for fans who may be going through a difficult time? Please share why that particular song is special to you. |
| MJ: I want to recommend “Restart”. When I was young and made mistakes or failed, my mom always told me, “You can start over”. I think those words helped shape who MJ, ZOONI is today, and I hope AROHA can feel comforted while listening to it as well. JINJIN: I’d recommend ASTRO’s “Bloom”. It’s the first song I worked on that was included in an ASTRO album, and just like a rose gradually gaining more color, I feel like we are becoming more mature right now. I hope you give it a listen. |
| Q: Finally, what message would you like to share with AROHAs in Singapore who have supported you from ASTRO until now as ZOONIZINI? |
| MJ: I want to thank all the AROHA in Singapore for always sending us so much support and love, from ASTRO to ZOONIZINI. We put our hearts into every part of this album, from the concept to the songs and performances. I hope this promotion gives us a chance to meet you more often. Just knowing you’re cheering us on gives us so much strength, so I’d be grateful if you continue to watch over us with that same heart for a long time. |
