Reunited Taiwanese band Energy won't rely on nostalgia for comeback, promises 'different' style

The five-member group, one of Mandopop's standout boy bands of the early 2000s, tell CNA Lifestyle about what their reunion means to them, how their style has changed, and a song in their newest album that made one of them cry.

It’s an adage any journalist who’s interviewed celebrities, especially the ones we grow up idolising, knows to be true: They are only human. 

But nothing quite prepared me to meet newly reunited Taiwanese band Energy – Mandopop darlings in the early 2000s and every other teenage girl’s first brush with intense infatuation – on Saturday (Oct 5) only to find out they’re refreshingly ordinary. 

To be clear, the five men in front of me – Edy, Shuwei, Milk, Kunda and Toro – Energy’s original members, have an overwhelming amount of rizz compared with the average 40-something. Their star power hasn’t dimmed, despite being out of the limelight since 2009 when the band officially went on hiatus.

They've since signed with B'in Music, Taiwanese rock band Mayday's agency, and will perform in Singapore on Nov 23. 

But you must understand something: Energy held god-like status among starstruck teenagers once upon a time.

The band is a core memory from many a Singaporean millennial’s secondary school days. Boys wanted to be them; girls wanted to be with them. Back then, without social media, our exposure to new music was limited to any copy of 8days, i-Weekly, Lime and Teenage magazines we could afford. And when we did, we found Energy regularly graced their pages and centrefold pull-out posters. I wasn’t even into Mandopop, yet I knew each member’s name.

No doubt, the band catapulted to instant fame because they also entered the market around the same time that other Taiwanese Mandopop boy bands, including F4 and 5566, were making a name for themselves.

Plus, Energy’s style comprising slick choreography and up-tempo hits, a distinct mish-mash of hip hop and rap, was uncommon in Taiwanese Mandopop then. To fans, they were not just heartthrobs; they were different and cool – everything teenagers wish to be.

Still, I am well aware nostalgia’s rose-tinted lenses can warp memory. Before beginning our interview in Mandarin, I apologised for not being too fluent in my mother tongue.

Without missing a beat, Kunda replied tongue-in-cheek, in Mandarin: “Same here. Our Mandarin isn’t too good either.”

Then, as though he was my supervisor rather than a superstar, Toro reached over to my phone to ensure I didn’t forget to start recording. The ice was broken; the idols were human.

Opposite me sat five matured men, with a whole life beyond their early-20s’ exploits, who now hoped to give their dreams another shot in their early 40s. There are few things more normal – or admirable – than that.

BRINGING A NEW, DIFFERENT STYLE

After the five OG members caught up with each other in 2022 for Energy’s 20th anniversary, Shuwei shared their recent photos on Facebook. (A new member Xiao Gang joined Energy in mid-2007 after Toro and Milk left in 2003 and 2005 respectively.)

“Celebrating 20 years, Energy is forever,” he wrote, and fans all but freaked out at a possible reunion.  

Then in April 2023, the band made a special guest appearance at Mayday’s concert in Kaohsiung. That was the “biggest turning point” leading to their comeback.

“After that, friends and industry peers gave a lot of feedback that they wished Energy would reunite. Many of them told us we still had potential,” Edy shared on Saturday, ahead of their public fansign at Our Tampines Hub later that evening.

Despite overwhelming encouragement, the band still had their reservations. The five of them had not performed on the same stage together since they went their separate ways, noted Edy.

“Plus, it’s been decades. We didn’t know whether the younger generations would recognise Energy, or whether there was any need or purpose for Energy in the music industry today,” he said candidly.

When they finally decided to officially reunite, they knew they couldn’t simply return to stage concerts with their old songs. They wanted to give fans something new and “different from our previous style”, said Edy.

He believes the song Friday Night off their return EP, Here I Am, delivers on this promise.

The upbeat track is not their typical catchy dance hit of yesteryear, thanks to social media – which, I must stress, was still nascent in the band’s heyday. If that doesn’t make my fellow millennials feel old, the 16-squat viral social media challenge might. It has fans attempting the 16 jump squats based off the song's choreography.

“The reception to (Friday Night) exceeded our imagination. We didn’t know how people would receive the challenge initially – but we’re very happy to see that our fans, and even their children, are dancing to the song that it’s like family bonding time,” said Milk.

If anything, this bridging of generations appears to be Energy’s forte. Their concerts in the past have drawn fans from a “very huge” age range, including those above 70 and as young as six.

More crucially, the band didn’t want their return to Mandopop to be solely driven by nostalgia. “If we were just to sing old songs, it’d be easier for us. Instead, we chose the difficult path,” Milk said.

“We got into good physical shape and rehearsed our choreography to the best of our ability. Of course, our physical prowess might not be like it was in our youth, but we wanted fans to see that we have been working hard (for our comeback). That was important to us.”

At their age, "mentality and willpower" matter too, added Milk. But whether these intangible qualities are obvious in their new songs boils down to “show, not tell”, he believes.

“People have to feel it themselves when they watch us. While we can set certain high standards for ourselves in terms of what we deliver, we have to leave it up to our audiences to experience and feel (our change).”

SINGAPORE FANS “VERY LOYAL”

While I admire Energy’s work ethic, I suspect OG fans would be easy to please, having seen a handful loitering in the lobby of the hotel where I met the band.

“Singapore fans are very devoted. They’re very loyal; they’ll never leave you,” Edy said enthusiastically.

“Actually, a lot of our fans from 20 years ago are still around, even in Taiwan. But I don’t know why Singapore fans, even though Taiwan is a distance away and they need to take a flight there, will still show up for our concerts, appearing in front of us to say hi!”

When Energy made their initial public appearances in Taiwan as a newly reunited band, Singapore fans flew over to show support at various events. “And I was like, how come they are here?” Edy laughed, recalling his surprise.

“At this age, they’re probably also holding a full-time job and have a family or children of their own. How do they find the time to come and visit us?” he added playfully. “I really respect their dedication and I’m very grateful, very moved.”

Moreover, “a sea of black” recently greeted them at Changi Airport’s arrival halls, Milk recalled.

“On everyone’s T-shirt, there was the word ‘kill’ on the back. Because last time, we were known as ‘the deadliest dance group’. So I feel Singapore fans have definitely left deep impressions on us.”

AN EMOTIONAL RETURN

With returning to the stage akin to a homecoming for them, I wondered if there was one song they realised they enjoyed a lot more when they performed it for an audience.

“Every song, to be honest,” quipped Toro and the rest echoed his sentiment. “That’s the beauty of performing live.”

But Edy believes there is a particular song that represents who Energy is now: Reunite, the third track from their latest EP. The sentimental ballad, which captures the band’s feelings over the years they were apart, stands out in Energy’s typically upbeat discography.

“Personally, when we were recording the song in the studio, I didn’t feel much when singing it. I didn’t know what state of mind or feeling to put myself in for the song,” he admitted.

“But when we finally performed it for an audience in concert, it really moved me to see our fans singing along with us. That was when I was struck with the deeper meaning behind the song.”

Edy even teared up “out of the blue” while they were filming the music video for Reunite, recalled Kunda. “I think he didn’t even know why he felt that surge of emotion. Perhaps it was because the reality of our reunion (after more than 20 years) hadn’t quite sunk in – but in that moment, the significance dawned on him.”

Edy was extra emotional because the band had returned to a location the same five members had filmed 20 years ago.

“And as I was looking at the rest of them… many thoughts and emotions just came to the surface. (The moment) really moved me, I started crying uncontrollably," he added.

After our interview, I listened to Reunite and even before the track ended, I bestowed upon it the highest praise known to the average Mandarin-speaking Singaporean: It's the perfect KTV song.