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For Stray Kids, conformity is boring. So it's not surprising that their latest single "Maniac" opens with the joyously defiant lyric, "Relax everyone, stop pretending to be normal."
Since making their debut in 2018 with the bold, abrasive "District 9" — a song about breaking free from people's expectations of you — the octet have honed a sound that's unflinchingly true to who they are. They're boisterous and exceedingly confident, capable of embracing the noise around them and channeling it into their own music.
On "Maniac," they sing of being a "maniac group," even going so far as declaring, "We're maniacs." The song itself celebrates the quirks that make us different. Instead of hiding that part of ourselves, Stray Kids implore us to be our "real" selves. Through vibrant graphics, dizzying cuts, and busy sets, they also continue to create their own unique visual aesthetic.
It's all part of the overall theme of the album, titled ODDINARY, says Bang Chan. During a global press conference on March 17, just hours before the EP's release, the leader told journalists, "With the title ODDINARY, we want to bring the message that everyone has their own odd in them, and that's totally ordinary."
"All people have a distinctive uniqueness that only they have on the inside," Han said of the single. "We wrote ['Maniac'] thinking that within this normality, show yourself off as much as you want — show yourself to the world better."
In some ways, "Maniac" is an evolution for a group that has proudly worn the "noise music" label. It's groovier than previous singles, with a propulsive bassline hook and catchy melodies. It's not that Stray Kids are changing their sound, but rather producer trio 3RACHA (comprised of members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) are maturing as composers and lyricists.
"If we focused on Stray Kids' explosive energy in our music so far, this time we have this controlled beauty and relaxation on top of that energy," Changbin explained during the press conference. It's a relaxation that comes from being four years into their idol career.
That doesn't mean that they're not challenging themselves, too. All of the members are credited writers and composers on this album, with 3RACHA shepherding the group songs while letting the other members flex their skills on the unit tracks "Waiting For Us" and "Muddy Water."
"We feel proud about how all of us contributed to the composing and writing of this album," Hyunjin said, adding that he gets a lot of inspiration from watching 3RACHA work together.
And their hard work and honesty — with themselves, and with their fans — is paying off. ODDINARY tracked over 1.3 million stock pre-orders, and it's on its way to becoming the group's highest-selling album to date. (And the highest-selling album of their storied company, JYP Entertainment.) To that, youngest member I.N. earnestly joked, "We were shocked when we heard the number, and we couldn't picture how big of a number that is." But really, the numbers help them see things more clearly. "We have a passion for wanting to continue growing," he added, smiling. "We'll become a mature group that enjoys even pressure."
What? You think Stray Kids are going to release music on autopilot after becoming million-sellers? How boring.
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