BTS and TXT’s agency, BIGHIT MUSIC, is set to unveil a brand-new boy band on August 18.
The label has announced that Martin, James, Juhoon, Seonghyeon and Keonho will be the creative forces behind the new K-pop outfit.
BIGHIT MUSIC said in a statement: “The new band is a ‘young creators’ crew’ with members who will create their own music, choreography and videos.
“All the members are teenagers and they will express their creative talent based on their own stories. All members will take part in the creative process, regardless of their set positions.”
The band members have previously contributed choreography to BIGHIT’s other acts, including Tomorrow X Together (TXT).
Details regarding the as-yet-untitled group’s debut album are set to follow.
BIGHIT’s parent company is HYBE and it was previously revealed that hitmaker Ryan Tedder was teaming up with the K-pop giant to form a new boy band.
HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun and the OneRepublic star – who has worked with the likes of HYBE’s girl group KATSEYE and boy band TXT, as well as superstars Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Adele – launched a global talent search for the next BTS.
Bang Si-hyuk told Billboard: “Artists under HYBE have consistently reached impressive global milestones, dominating charts year after year.
“Especially with KATSEYE, we’ve demonstrated that our K-pop methodology is successful in the US mainstream market. Launching a new boy group in collaboration with Ryan Tedder will be another step in continuing our legacy within the music industry.”
Tedder added: “I’m thrilled to partner with HYBE on this new exciting project, Bang and his team have proven to be the best fan-engaging creatives out there and we want to build a group that is the most fan-focused on earth with the best music imaginable.”
Applicants had to be aged between 13 and 23, with training held in Los Angeles.
The application read: “HYBE is collaborating with multi-platform producer Ryan Tedder for a groundbreaking partnership behind the latest evolution in pop music artistry. This unprecedented alliance merges HYBE’s proven expertise in artist training and development of K-pop infrastructure and global fandom cultivation with Tedder’s legendary track record of creating chart-topping hits and developing successful artists.
“The project will be led by an elite team of industry veterans, including HYBE Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, the visionary producer behind 21st century pop icons BTS and KATSEYE, HYBE AMERICA CEO Scooter Braun, and Ryan Tedder, who will oversee all aspects of casting and creative direction. Training for this new group of artists, to be conducted in Los Angeles, will fuse HYBE’s comprehensive development program with creative direction from Tedder, whose credits include collaborations with Beyoncé, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and more.”