“Rain Day” is the latest and third release from NCT U for NCT LAB, a series that allows unique unit collaborations between the members of NCT (Neo Culture Technology) to branch out and experiment with different concepts and new sounds. This particular track, which is completely sung in English, features TAEIL, KUN, and YANGYANG.
Fun fact: KUN helped participate in producing, writing, composing, and arranging the song while Korean-Canadian singer-songwriter JUNNY provided backing vocals. The results? A finger-clicking, mid-tempo R&B bop.
In an interview with EUPHORIA., the trio opened up about the making of and inspiration behind “Rain Day,” its music video, and what it was like working together.
Tell us about your new song “Rain Day.” What’s it all about?
KUN: “Rain Day” is a track that portrays a story of reminiscing on old memories after hearing a familiar song play on the radio while driving alone on a late night. I wrote this track with the hope that people will think of it on a rainy day and be able to feel various emotions while listening to it.
What made you want to embrace a more mid-tempo, R&B sound this time around?
KUN: I usually enjoy listening to mid-tempo, R&B tracks and R&B music makes me feel at ease. I was in a very relaxed state when I was inspired and created “Rain Day.” I got to compose it together with my friends SQUAR (PixelWave) and JUNNY as they’re both very talented individuals in R&B. I learned a lot from them throughout the process and am very grateful for it!
Who are some of your favorite R&B stars?
TAEIL: I like Stevie Wonder the most. He’s probably the first pop artist I came to know during my school days, and I studied a lot with his music. He’s an R&B artist that I really respect.
How was shooting the music video? That looked like a lot of fun!
TAEIL: As you can tell from the music video, we had a lot of fun filming. The most memorable scene would probably be when we were in the rain, and I remember the temperature shift was quite big. It was cool during the day and colder in the evening, but regardless, we had a great time filming!
Can you tell us about your experience working together as a trio? What has been your favorite part?
YANGYANG: Since we don’t really get to work together that often with this member combination, I was able to really feel how talented these members are. I always get amazed by their talents whenever we get to work closely together.
What are your hoping listeners take away from the song when they hear it?
YANGYANG: I hope people can feel calm, peace, and relaxed while they’re listening to this song. I’d like for them to feel as if they’re getting to rest comfortably when listening to “Rain Day.”
This is now the third song released under the SM STATION “NCT LAB” series, which NCT members do you wish to collaborate with in the future?
YANGYANG: I wish to participate in more projects like this in the future whether it’s by myself or with our talented members. More so than selecting a member, I’d really like to work with them all!
How did creating “Rain Day” differ from working on the Universe album – considering you all had a chance to work with different members in a variety of combinations through the NCT U tracks?Â
KUN: “Rain Day” is a track that’s very meaningful to me. I was involved from composing to post-producing so there was a higher level of participation compared to other activities, and I ended up feeling this sense of accomplishment after the track was released. Usually we work together with seven members or more, but since this one was only three, there were a lot more parts that we had to take on individually and we all gradually felt more responsibility as well.
What genres do you wish to try in the future that you haven’t delved into before?
TAEIL: Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of songs where the slow tempo of the piano melody leads the overall mood of the track. I really like those kinds of tracks and would love to try singing one myself.