{"id":548173,"date":"2026-06-22T11:39:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T11:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/548173\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T11:39:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T11:39:16","slug":"evan-talks-solo-debut-ride-or-die-new-music-future-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/548173\/","title":{"rendered":"Evan Talks Solo Debut, ‘Ride or Die,’ New Music, Future Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tAbout three months after\u00a0officially announcing<\/a> that he was leaving Enhypen<\/a>, the singer formerly known as Heeseung is officially embarking today on his solo career under the new stage name Evan<\/a>. His debut project as a soloist,\u00a0Ride or Die, features two tracks that he participated in from ideation through topline creation, and offers a first glimpse into who Evan is as an individual and the stories he hopes to tell through his music.<\/p>\n

\n\tWith\u00a0Ride or Die, Evan strips away all expectations and aims to start over and present an unfiltered side of himself. The project is defined by a commitment to pursuing the kind of music that feels most authentic to him, and it also carries the weight of serving as a reintroduction to the artist fans have grown to love over the past seven years.<\/p>\n

\n\tEvan amassed 1 million followers within three hours of launching his Instagram account<\/a> in April (he\u2019s now around 5 million followers), and he\u2019s spent recent days posting covers of tracks by SZA and\u00a0Justin Bieber<\/a>, subtly introducing listeners to the sounds and influences that inform\u00a0Ride or Die.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn his first-ever interview, Evan spoke with\u00a0Rolling Stone\u00a0over Zoom about the path he\u2019s chosen as a solo artist, sharing his thoughts on creative growth and the moments of self-doubt that have shaped this new chapter.<\/p>\n

\n\tYou\u2019re starting your new chapter under the name Evan. Can you share the story behind that name? I recall fans used to think your name was Ethan for some time until you revealed that it was actually Evan, so I\u2019m curious to know the real story.<\/strong>
[Laughs.]\u00a0Ever since I was young, a lot of people called me Evan. Whenever I would go overseas, or when taking English classes, my name has always been Evan. From what I remember, I think my mom gave me that name. I decided to use the name Evan because I wanted to present this music while carrying that sense of authenticity and purity, and my plan is to continue promoting under that name going forward.<\/p>\n

\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat would you say have been some of your main inspirations behind\u00a0this project? I\u2019m sure there\u2019s been a lot on your mind recently.<\/strong>
While preparing \u201cRide or Die\u201d \u2014 it could be considered a genre that is unfamiliar to me, but I started to develop an interest in rock. \u201cRide or Die\u201d is a song that came from that. In that process, I started listening to more rock bands and got a lot of inspiration from them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIs there anything you found yourself paying extra attention to for this project given your involvement?<\/strong>
I think I tried to focus on making sure it doesn\u2019t come off as overly deliberate or forced. I wanted to show what I naturally became interested in, in a raw way, and chose tracks that have that sentiment richly infused in them.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBELIFT LAB*<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat\u2019s something you learned about yourself as an artist while making this album?<\/strong>
[Smiles.] There were a lot of moments where I learned so much. I was really proud and thankful to myself when I discovered that I can put together music without taking too much time. Previously, to write one song, I would take three months, even a year if on the longer side. I would overthink, and it would take a while. But now, when working on a song, if it\u2019s quick it could be three hours, up to six hours \u2014 that\u2019s something I learned about myself.<\/p>\n

\n\tDo you think that happened naturally through practice?<\/strong>
I have a lot of good colleagues around me. I think through making music with those people, because they are around to help me, it was possible.\u00a0[Smiles.]<\/p>\n

\n\tTo that point, you worked with some new collaborators, for example,\u00a0Apro<\/a> and\u00a0Ian Jeffrey Thomas<\/a>. How was that experience?\u00a0<\/strong>
I can\u2019t say how many sessions we had, but we had so many sessions within a short time frame. With a variety of producers, topliners \u2014 I really enjoy getting fresh inspiration from new people. I remember feeling excited and energized each time I would hear a new demo or a song in a style I haven\u2019t explored before.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n\tWas there any advice or encouraging words that struck you from conversations during the preparation process for this release?\u00a0<\/strong>
To have more confidence? \u201cThat\u2019s who you are.\u201d That moved me\u2026\u00a0 I\u2019m not the type of person who easily feels self-satisfied.\u00a0[Smiles.] I often find myself questioning my skills. Whenever that would happen, hearing those words would inspire me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBELIFT LAB*<\/p>\n

\n\tAre there any fun stories from the production process you can share?<\/strong>
[Laughs.]\u00a0I don\u2019t know if this is fun per se, but when working on \u201cRide or Die,\u201d the producer kept calling us \u201ccrazy guys,\u201d saying we seemed insane. I would request for the sound to be really intense in a certain part of the song.\u00a0So he kept saying we were crazy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat\u2019s the biggest lesson you learned while creating this project?<\/strong>
Something I learned recently is\u2026 I guess you\u2019d call it organic? Natural? There\u2019s something really appealing about a band session just existing in its own form. I\u2019ve mostly been exposed to music that\u2019s been refined and completed, so I hadn\u2019t really felt the appeal of a live band sound before. Through this project, though, I gained a new appreciation for the artistry and coolness of a band.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAside from your Instagram, which launched a while back, I saw that all of your other social channels recently launched, garnering a lot of attention and interest from fans. How does it feel? We\u2019re now in the phase of teasers and photos coming out.<\/strong>
I looked at the reactions a little. I saw fans giving me more love than I deserve. I\u2019m so, so thankful, it\u2019s hard to say anything else. I want to continue giving it my all and stay dedicated.<\/p>\n

\n\tSpeaking of fans, what do you hope they feel during their first listen?<\/strong>
When hearing these two songs\u2026 I chose songs that explore emotions and themes people can resonate to in their everyday lives, so I hope it feels familiar to listeners. And whenever they hear the songs, I hope it makes them want to listen even more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tLooking forward to your career, these two songs mark your official solo debut. They carry weight in that sense. How do you want these songs to be remembered?<\/strong>
With \u201cRide or Die,\u201d what I want to say is that it was the first song that came out from a session of a song camp that was specifically for making a digital single. It\u2019s particularly meaningful because it reflects both my journey of preparation and this debut. And \u201cOverflow\u201d is a song that I wrote when I was going through really hard times and was emotionally exhausted. When you hear the hook of the song, the message is to have hope. I think these two songs will become a really special memory when I look back on them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBELIFT LAB*<\/p>\n

\n\tIs there a line you\u2019re drawn to from these tracks?<\/strong>
[Laughs.] It might be a bit predictable, but \u201cYou are my ride or die.\u201d There\u2019s a sense of strength that that sentence gives. Just hearing that sentence, you can sense what someone is trying to convey.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat kind of artist are you striving to become?\u00a0<\/strong>
It might overlap with what I said earlier, but in the end, I\u2019ve given a lot of thought into becoming an artist who can provide messages of hope and love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tI\u2019m curious to know then, where\u00a0you\u00a0get hope and these emotions from?\u00a0<\/strong>
Hmm\u2026 I think an obvious one is my fans\u2026 I get so much love and hope from them. But since I\u2019m still in preparation phase, I haven\u2019t had a lot of opportunities to face them quite yet. So I\u2019m really eager to see them.<\/p>\n

\n\tContinuing off of that, what would you say you\u2019re most excited about in this new chapter?<\/strong>
Looking ahead\u2026 I\u2019m grateful that I\u2019m able to focus so much on music right now. If I continue on this path, I believe that all of these moments of hard work will eventually add up, and that one day I\u2019ll become a more mature artist. That\u2019s the hope and dream that keeps me working hard.<\/p>\n

\n\tYou also have performances at the Busan One Asia Festival and also KCON LA coming up. How are you preparing for those?<\/strong>
With the Busan One Asia Festival, and KCON, I\u2019m so thankful they are having me\u2026\u00a0 I\u2019m in a situation where I have to make a strong impression with two songs, so I\u2019ve been thinking about how important the performance aspect is. What I\u2019ve been thinking about is how to bring these songs to life in a way that can inspire both my fans and the wider audience.<\/p>\n

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\n\tWhat has been making you happy these days?<\/strong>
I feel like I\u2019ve only talked about music\u2026\u00a0[Smiles.] Malatang<\/a> has been so delicious these days.\u00a0The malatang that I have after a day of work\u2026 It\u2019s so good. My schedule is packed these days, and when I\u2019m locked in, there are times when I skip meals. So when I come home I\u2019m really hungry. The malatang I have at that moment is like a reward to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHow would you describe this era of Evan in three words, and where do you hope Evan is one year from now?<\/strong>
[Laughs.]\u00a0Evan as of right now\u2026 Hope. Inspiration. Love. I think these three words. And in a year\u2026 Hmm\u2026 I hope to create music that carries a heartfelt and sincere message. I want to make great music, but also, I hope people connect with the messages behind it. If that message can resonate with fans, help them overcome difficult times, or become a source of healing for them\u2026 That\u2019s the kind of artist I want to be. And hopefully, I\u2019ll be able to create happy memories with my fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n