Since their debut in the midst of 2020’s global pandemic, P1Harmony, an energetic K-Pop boyband made up of Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Jongseob, Soul, and Intak captured hearts across the globe. Managed by FNC Entertainment, the band has released multiple EPs with pop, rock, and hip-hop influences, landing on Billboard charts each time.
Despite their incredible success, they oozed enthusiasm and kindness during our conversation where we chatted about their P1oneer tour, all while staying humble. As I introduced myself, they all chimed in with a smiley “Nice to meet you!”, one of many examples of their warm and welcoming nature.
I myself found out about the band during the pandemic, which sparked my curiosity as to “How did the limitations of debuting in isolation affect the music versus being able to tour and have events now?” The boys told Rice & Spice that while it was unfortunate to debut in the pandemic, finally being able to perform in front of people and interact with fans exponentially increased their improvement. It also allowed them to understand more about the setlist selection and the album formatting process; now they love adding 1-2 songs to each EP that would be fun to perform in person. As someone who has seen P1H live before, I can attest that it’s a party to dance to those songs together as an audience.
We “Do It Like This”
In chatting about their upcoming “P1oneer” tour, I learned just how much work and thought goes into the perfection we see on stage and gained an incredible amount of respect for the preparation put into each element.
What are some different elements that you guys are bringing on this tour that you didn't have last year for the US tour?
Jiung: Since there are songs that our fans are already used to, we’ve switched things up this tour and added remixes of original songs. Some even have different choreography from the music videos! Same song but in different fonts, you know? That’s one of the biggest things we want to appeal to our fans on this new tour.
When sharing their excitement to perform everything from the opening segment and their hot single “Do It Like This” to “End It” and “Blackout”, the boys ensured us it would be even more fun than their first tour. Keeho shared that “Scared”, “Follow me”, and “Do It Like This” would be especially interactive.
Were there any hard parts or struggles while prepping for the tour?
Theo: There could have been more time to prepare; the duration was shorter than the last time. However, no matter how much time we have, we always want to practice more and more to make it perfect. It was definitely harder to remember the choreography and lyrics in such a short amount of time. I was also very involved in the processes of the tour, from the setlist and sounds to lighting and special effects.
Keeho: This is only our second tour and we’ve only released two albums since our last tour, so we really thought about how we could switch things up from the last tour setlist-wise. We thought “how can we show a new experience without having the exact same performance?”
Won’t “Back Down” now
Beyond the technical aspects of their music, Rice & Spice was able to get insight into some of what the boys’ are excited about for their travels as a group.
What cities are you excited to perform in on this tour?
The boys shared their excitement about being able to visit cities that they haven’t been to before, such as Reading, Austin, and Oakland. As they’re all adventurous people, they’re looking forward to seeing the atmosphere and energy that comes from these different places as well as what their fans are like in those different cities as well.
For places they have been before, like Chicago and San Jose (the closing show on the last tour), they’re looking forward to seeing the warmth and energy come through in the audience again.
Is there something that you didn't do on the last tour that you want to try this time?
Needless to say, they definitely want to try the Nashville hot chicken.
Do each of you have like a top destination or country you'd like to perform in one day and why?
Theo: The energy in Sydney was great, and I would love to go to Australia one more time.
Soul: I’ve always been a big fan of France because of the architecture and the way the cities look. I’ve always really wanted to go to France.
Intak: I’m very interested in Brazil. I’ve never really experienced or learned a lot about the culture in Brazil. I’d love to go visit Brazil since the fans out in Brazil sing our songs and can be really energetic.
Keeho: I’m from Canada, so we’ve got to go to Canada! Toronto, Vancouver, anywhere is fine.
Their “Secret Sauce”
What would you like to say to everyone who is fans and supporters of the wonderful music you guys make?
Jiung: I want our fans to come to the show ready to relieve all their stress, have fun, and go crazy. I just want people to leave the concert feeling happy with good memories.
Lastly, when sharing the meaning behind the name “P1oneer” for their tour, the group highlighted how important their P1eces are to them.
Keeho: From our last tour, “Follow Me” resonated a lot with me. That inspired the title for the tour since wherever we go, we want to experience new places and things and hope that our fans follow along. No matter what we do, no matter where we go, and no matter what experiences we face, we hope that our fans are there with us.
With the upward trajectory this group is on, I have no doubt that all of us P1eces will be following them to stages at some of their dream locations very soon.
You can find P1Harmony on their P1oneer tour on a stage near you here.
