With an electrifying performance at Baybeats 2019, Wedance are clearly no strangers to having fun.
The duo, consisting of Wevo as the vocalist and Wegui on the guitars, rose to fame thanks to their upbeat track ‘Ready’. Their music is experimental and sounds like a weird mix of indie and rock, which sounds like it doesn’t gel yet the duo makes it work beautifully. Together with their high energy performances, they’ve managed to amass a cult following in the Korean and Japanese underground scenes.
Part of Wedance’s appeal comes from their could-care-less attitude, evident from their Instagram. There’s no carefully curated hashtag aesthetic posts here, just unfiltered content that makes them come across as genuine. This is a duo who cares solely about doing what’s right by them, and having a ton of fun while they’re at it. In fact, their name comes about from their desire to connect with the audience via dancing!
Curious to find out more about them? Read on for our exclusive interview with Wedance.
Introduce yourselves to our readers!
Wevo: Although you and I don’t seem to know much about each other, I would like to think that I know you a little. We are WeDance, and we cross the boundaries of music while dancing.
You’ve amassed quite a cult following in Japan and Korea, what do you think contributes to your success in these markets?
Wevo: Our music is not complicated and our characters are charming. We’ve performed in so many different places and people who saw us connected with us easily. It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy those moments [of pure enjoyment] together and it’s a rare opportunity for anyone.
Do you feel like it was hard to pursue your genre of music in Korea?
Wevo: We enjoy creating certain restrictions for ourselves and then challenging those very restrictions. If you choose a different path [such as ours], you end up in a different place from others. To belong nowhere is freeing, but also precarious.
Wegui: I think it’s pretty tough although we don’t care much.
What makes Wedance unique?
Wevo: Dancing is most fun when you’re dancing and not watching. There is a lot of music that makes us dance, but our songs and performances in particular are different. As far as I know, it can’t be replicated in other music. Wegui knows how to make me dance most of the time, but sometimes he doesn’t. We’re going to keep developing and creating unique dance moves.
Wegui: Although our genre is dance, we also use a guitar with a dist and fuzz pedal. This may seem kind of old-school but we want to pay respect to rock music too. When we’re performing, we’re not hiding behind a synthesiser while the audience is dancing, instead we want to be part of the audience.
What inspired you to go into music growing up?
Wevo: If I start to fall into something seriously, it’s usually because of a character. Art, dance, philosophy and music were all the same. I was sure that characters like these would never be obsessed with anything trivial. For music, I find and enjoy various types of music, mostly interesting characters, regardless of the style. Before this, I enjoyed jazz, classical music and movie soundtracks.
What’s the biggest difference between the two of you?
Wevo: When things become intense due to differences of opinion, one of us shuts up and the other talks like crazy.
It’s your first time performing in Singapore, are you excited to come here?
Wevo: I have been excited since I was invited by you [Esplanade] while we were in Australia last autumn. (NG note: Wedance performed at Big Sound Australia in Brisbane last year.)
Wegui: Thanks for inviting us. I’m very excited.
Singapore’s known in the region for being a food haven, what are you most excited to try?
Wevo: Recently, besides working on our new album, I spend almost all my remaining time on cooking or shopping for food. I believe food can have a huge impact on an individual’s day. My friend who went to Singapore advised me to try chili crab, but before that, I want to visit a supermarket first. In fact, after the performance I will go there in my slippers!
Wegui: Laksa! I’m also wondering about the coffee.
What can fans expect in the future from your band? Where can they follow you for updates?
Wevo: We’re working on a new album and it’ll be great. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news.
Here’s the top three tracks you should check out from Wedance:
1. Ready
The track that personifies Wedance, there’s guitar riffs and just as their band name suggests, plenty of unchoreographed dancing. It seems almost as if the duo are having fun first with the music being nothing but an afterthought.
2. It is red
From their record Produced Unfixed Vol 1, this track features guitar backings that never stop and is vaguely reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk.
3. Get Lucky, Something About Us (Original Song by Daft Punk)
Wedance serenades us with their rendition of two classic Daft Punk tunes, stripping the usual grooviness and electronic sounds down to their essence. While not entirely Wedance’s style, this cover does a good job showing off Wevo’s vocals.
