CxM<\/a> (in which both members are part of Seventeen\u2019s hip-hop unit), comes DxS, a pairing of the main vocalists that highlights a different genre and sound, showcasing just how versatile Seventeen is.<\/p>\n\n\tThe duo\u2019s mini-album, out now, features six tracks, including two solo songs individually contributed by each member. The lead single, \u201cBlue,\u201d which both members cite as their favorite from this project, comes with a music video that features actors Yoo-mi Lee and Steve Sanghyun Noh (of Squid Game<\/em> and Pachinko<\/em> respectively) and a storyline that demonstrates the complexities of falling out of love. The two members\u2019 voices complement each other throughout the album, which ranges from pop-rock to ballad to R&B.<\/p>\n\n\tIn an exclusive conversation with Rolling Stone <\/em>a week before the release of Serenade, <\/em>DK and Seungkwan open up about just how personal this project is for both them and how they stayed on the same wavelength as they crafted a tracklist that can meet fans wherever they are to laugh, cry, and feel alongside them.<\/p>\n\n\tThere are now a handful of sub-units within Seventeen. What to you makes DxS unique and different?<\/strong>DK<\/strong>: Since we are both the main vocalists, we wanted to place even more<\/em> focus on the musical elements of the album. We paid a lot of attention to the vocal aspects where we could really show new sides of ourselves, so I think that will feel especially fresh for Carats [Seventeen\u2019s fans].<\/p>\n\n\tWhat was it like recording and preparing as just a duo? How was it different from when you work on Seventeen\u2019s music?<\/strong>Seungkwan:<\/strong> It can be challenging for us to focus only on ourselves during our wider group activities, so this unit album really allowed us to concentrate on each other and communicate more deeply. We worked towards the goal of capturing the mood and sentiment that only the two of us share by putting a lot of care into expressing the emotions honestly.<\/p>\n\n\n \t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
\n\tYou are often the members who are cracking jokes and lifting the mood. Were there any fun anecdotes you recall from the production process?<\/strong>DK<\/strong>: When we were listening to a lot of different demos in the earlier stages, we decided to share which songs we each like, and then come together to make choices. I was genuinely surprised by the abundance of great songs \u2014 there were way more than we had expected. While going through the music, there were songs that made me think, \u201cSeungkwan would like this one\u201d \u2014 and those turned out to be exactly<\/em> the songs he loved. It made me realize how long we\u2019ve worked together as a team and how we\u2019ve come to understand each other\u2019s musical tastes so well.<\/p>\n\n\tI\u2019m curious to know if there\u2019s anything new<\/em> you\u2019ve learned about each other while spending one-on-one time to prepare this mini-album.<\/strong>DK<\/strong>: From the very beginning \u2014 from choosing the tracks to crafting our solo songs \u2014 we had so many conversations, and I realized just how many similarities and differences we share musically. Both our common ground and our differences in opinion became the foundation that helped shape the album with greater depth and layers. I think that process allowed us to lean on each other even more and become closer.<\/p>\n\n\tSeungkwan<\/strong>: We talked about everything<\/em>, from the production process to the lyrics and the emotions we wanted to express through this album. Through all of that, I was deeply moved by how sincerely DK listens and how considerate he is. [Smiles.] <\/em>It wasn\u2019t something entirely new, but it definitely made me feel grateful for him once again. Because we both wanted the album to turn out well, we leaned on each other a lot during the process.<\/p>\n\n\n \t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
\n\tThat being said, how would you describe the chemistry between you two? <\/strong>DK: <\/strong>We\u2019re actually the duo that tears up pretty easily. <\/em>When one of us starts crying, the other usually follows, and it makes me feel like we\u2019re emotionally in sync.<\/p>\n\n\tSeungkwan<\/strong>: That makes our vibes match well. Because we\u2019re both so sentimental, we\u2019ll somehow end up in tears while talking. [Laughs.]<\/em> Our sense of humor is similar as well, so there\u2019s also a lot of moments when we burst out laughing together.<\/p>\n\n\tYou both contributed to some of the songs in this project. Are there any specific lyrics that really resonate with you? <\/strong>DK<\/strong>: Seungkwan and I came up with the line, \u201cThe petals that bloom on my way to see you are telling me it\u2019s love,\u201d in \u201cPrelude of Love,\u201d and when we were writing that part, I remember having a smile on my face while imagining the fluttering feeling of love. I really liked how naturally it blended with the atmosphere of the song and how it expressed that sense of excitement.<\/p>\n\n\tSeungkwan<\/strong>: In the intro part of \u201cDream Serenade,\u201d there\u2019s a line I wrote: \u201cCountless goodbyes we exchanged in the same dream\/When I open my eyes, all the beautiful days quietly come back to me.\u201d The song itself feels very dreamlike and ethereal, so I wanted the word \u201cdream\u201d to carry two meanings \u2014 a dream that you can have while sleeping and also a dream as in a hope or goal. I hope Carats will also try interpreting the line in those two different ways and feel how the layered meanings can come through when listening.<\/p>\n\n\tAre there any duos or ballad singers that you drew inspiration from while preparing this mini-album?<\/strong>DK: <\/strong>Rather than trying to model ourselves after any specific duos, we focused on asking ourselves how we could show our unique colors more clearly, and how we can make fans and the general public feel the distinction between this DxS and Seventeen\u2026 That was something we were very mindful of throughout the entire creative process.<\/p>\n\n