'Dreams come true': Wave to Earth talks sold-out US tour, songwriting and band's identity

Olivia Munson, USA TODAY
Updated ·5 min read

Following the release of their first studio album in April, Korean indie band wave to earth has been riding the swell of success toward a bright future.

On Friday, the band will embark on its first North American tour which includes many stops across the U.S. in such cities as Los Angeles and New York City.

The three members called this a dream come true and are eager to travel the States and perform for their fans. USA TODAY chatted with wave to earth ahead of their kickoff about music, international popularity and more.

Who is wave to earth?

Wave to earth is a three-member Korean indie band under WAVY. Comprised of guitarist/songwriter Daniel Kim, drummer Dongkyu Shin and bassist John Cha, the group debuted with the single "wave" in 2019, followed by EPs "wave 0.01" and "summer flows 0.02" in 2020. While there are three official members, the band also includes session members Jo Jung-geun, Jeon-min and Hong Seung-gi.

Even though, wave to earth is based in Seoul, South Korea, most of their songs are in English.

Since their start, members have written, recorded, mixed and mastered their tracks. They are directly involved with art direction from album art and video to fashion.

From left, Dongkyu Shin, Daniel Kim and John Cha of wave to earth.
From left, Dongkyu Shin, Daniel Kim and John Cha of wave to earth.

When it comes to who they are, wave to earth is best represented through its name. "One day, I saw the biggest wave in my life, and I thought let's make a big wave with my friends," said Daniel.

That wave is now rising high as the band is achieving and reaching their goals, including touring in the U.S.

U.S. tour was a part of members' 'dreams'

In May, wave to earth announced their first tour in the U.S. and Canada. Initially, the tour had 12 dates. All shows sold out on the first day of ticket sales. This prompted the group to upgrade several venues and add new dates due to high demand – most of which have sold out again.

"Nobody expected we could sell shows," said John. "The first time we saw the shows are sold out, it felt surreal."

The tour also marks the first time the members are visiting the U.S. as a group, and they are excited to go to various parts of the country. "It was our dreams, and dreams come true," said John.

On the U.S. leg, wave to earth will make stops in 16 cities, including Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, and Berkeley, California.

At these performances, the band hopes to embody the themes of their music, in particular, love.

"We plan to showcase elements during our live performances that cannot be experienced from recorded music," said Dongkyu.

Creating '0.1 flaws and all'

Wave to earth released their first studio album on April 20. The 14-track album centers on love. In order to truly encompass this feeling, it took the members two years to prepare, they said.

"It took a lot of time to release our full-length album, but the sense of accomplishment and joy are equally immense," said Dongkyu.

As Daniel was writing "0.1 flaws and all," he wanted to focus on what best represented wave to earth, outside of others' perspectives. "I thought about what could be my real music," he said. "That led us to this album."

The band's identity is rooted in their sonic abilities, utilizing jazz and lo-fi tones which ultimately create a sound that is unique to them.

Going global with their music

Daniel said he chose to write most songs in English because he didn't want to limit the band's reach. When they first started, it wasn't common for Korean bands to write songs in English, said John. "But (Daniel) was saying, 'OK, we have to go globalize.'"

This perspective has benefitted wave to earth. The band now has over 5.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and most their listeners on the streaming service are international.

"We are continuously preparing to deliver more great music in the future," said Dongkyu. "So we ask for your continued interest and love."

Growing and learning through the years

Through each experience, the members have grown closer, especially while writing their first album.

John said his artistic outlook and emotions have adapted over the years. "Everything, just how I look through my life, those kinds of things just changed," he said.

Throughout wave to earth resonates a humble mentality. No matter what the future holds for them, the members want to continue to make music together.

"Doing music is my whole goal," said John. "If we could maintain the process of making music and just being with these guys, that's all for me."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wave to Earth: Members talk music, first US tour and hopes for future