One of Korea’s newest girl groups on the scene, AtHeart, just visited Los Angeles and performed overseas for the very first time, overflowing with love, presence, and bright energy. Their unique sound continues to stand out, further proven by the 15 million views on their debut EP, Plot Twist, and the growing appreciation they’re receiving from fans worldwide.
The group, consisting of seven members, Michi, Arin, Katelyn, Bome, Seohyeon, Aurora, and Nahyun, comes from a range of different places: the Philippines, Hawaii/USA, Japan, and Korea. The diversity continues in the group through sound, too.
They all sat down with The Knockturnal to discuss their recent activities in Los Angeles, as well as their musical uniqueness: a pop sound that feels otherworldly with a twist of edge at the same time. From their songs like “Dot Dot Dot” to their most popular B-side “Push Back,” which leans airy with a tropical afro beat, they’re exploring so many different genres.
That exploration is ‘pushed’ even further with their ‘twist’ on their track “Plot Twist” with remix versions featuring Tsu Nami and Cat Dealers, as well as their English version aimed at international audiences, further proven by their performance at TITAN HQ in Los Angeles, where they spoke to The Knockturnal about the love they felt from fans.
The message of AtHeart is proven in the conversation had, talking about their sincerity and the deep connection they hold with their music and fans all over the world. They are trying to share stories and personal experiences through their songs, with members like Bome pointing out certain lyrics and plot twists that resonate deeply with them.
Read the full conversation below — or watch it!
The Knockturnal: I wanna start off by talking about your stay here in LA! You guys just had a performance this Saturday, right where we are now.
I would love to hear about the AtHeart Experience. The phrase used was “no edits, no filters, just AtHeart finally in real life.” Can you tell me how that experience looked from your perspective?
KATELYN: It was very fun! Backstage, I was actually very nervous because I didn’t know how many people were going to be here. But when we stepped on stage, the first second the song came on, we heard so many cheers and screams.
That made me smile instantly. I was smiling the whole time we were performing. It was amazing to see how many fans we already have here, and this is just our first time in LA.
MICHI: Yeah, exactly, just like KATELYN said; one of the first things we did coming to the U.S. was our AtHeart Experience, and it really gave us the chance to finally meet our international fans and anyone who’s interested in who AtHeart is! It gave us the chance to finally share our music with everyone who came. Thank you again to everyone who came!
The Knockturnal: Thank you. All the love is so well deserved. I’m glad you guys got to experience that. I’d love to get into AtHeart’s music as a whole. You debuted in August, but you’re already killing it with your own sound and music, hitting 15 million views with “Plot Twist.”
To me, the song gives an electric vibe, yet it’s still dreamy and soft; that’s kind of your vibe. What was working on “Plot Twist” like for AtHeart, and why did you choose it as the most recent release?
BOME: Honestly, “Plot Twist” is a song that doesn’t really exist within K-pop. The track is a hybrid between Pop and EDM. We thought we’d be able to show more of our performance, and we put a lot of effort into the performance and live vocals because it’s our debut.
The Knockturnal: About three months after the release, you guys just came out with your remixes featuring artists like Cat Dealers and Tsunami. I’d love to know why the remixes?
It gave me a plot twist of “Plot Twist,” with different perspectives. Tell me about the new versions.
ARIN: We wanted people to enjoy “Plot Twist” in various ways, so we prepared 3 versions. Each of those songs is unique in itself, so please listen to all of them!
The Knockturnal: You just brought up the English version, which I was also going to bring up. I love how you guys are incorporating different versions to reach international audiences. Speaking of international audiences, you are a very diverse group; you have Japanese members, Filipino members, and Korean members.
So much diversity, yet one cohesive sound. How has this influenced AtHeart?
BOME: For us, each of the members has a different charm. Our voice and face and personality, and traditions are all different. Because we’re all different, I think we learn from each other. Even though we’re different, being different isn’t wrong, but we understand each other’s differences, and as we try to understand each other, we learn and continue to grow!
The Knockturnal: I want to go back to the Plot Twist EP because I’d love to hear about your favorite songs. There’s “Push Back,” which has a tropical vibe, and “Dot Dot Dot,” which has more of a hip-hop-inspired beat.
Tell me your favorites and why! Any special meanings?
SEOHYEON: My favorite song is “Knew Me” because the combination of our members’ voices and the melody is angelic. sounds really good.
KATELYN: For me, I’ve always been interested in Afro-style dance and music, so when I first heard “Push Back,” it became my favorite.
BOME: My favorite lyric is from “Plot Twist.”
“수많은 사람 중 두 눈은 하필 네 앞에 멈춰 서고, plot twist”
This part has the meaning of confusing, first love emotions that emulate the songs meaning.
The Knockturnal: And from your perspective, how would you describe AtHeart’s music? To make it fun, you can use one word, an emoji, or a color.
SEOHYEON: I think the Purple Heart! 💜 Not only in the track “Plot Twist” but all of the tracks on the album have different vibes. When listening to the songs altogether, I thought it felt mysterious and magical. Also, my favorite color is purple, so because I love our AtHeart Album so much, I’d say the purple heart!
The Knockturnal: Oh, I love it, my favorite color is purple too!
I have one more fun question before we end. You have a song called “Knew Me,” and I’d love to hear some things new fans should know about you. It can be anything, a favorite food, a favorite song right now, or something fun you did in LA.
BOME: ARIN, SEOHYEON, and I really love spicy food!
NAHYUN: What about me? Me too!
SEOHYUN: Yesterday we went to a cafe! We went and had dessert too, it was brownie gelato. It was SO good!
The Knockturnal: AtHeart really feels like a testament to the heart and emotion you put into your music. Before we end, is there anything you’d like to tell fans or new listeners about what they can look forward to?
KATELYN: Right now, since we’re in LA, we’re doing so much stuff. We’re so happy and excited to do more in the future. We have so much more coming, so please look forward to it. Keep supporting us and loving us!
AtHeart: Thank you so much!
As their first overseas performance wraps and the lights dim, AtHeart leaves Los Angeles not only having shown their music to a new audience but having felt the heart of their growing global fanbase.
With Plot Twist behind them, and remixes and English versions expanding their reach, the group is clearly ready for whatever comes next!
FOR MORE AtHeart:
