IN CONVERSATION WITH AMPERS&ONE

interview by NIA TOPALOVA

Since their debut in November 2023, FNC Entertainment’s seven-member boy group AMPERS&ONE has been steadily carving out its place in the global K-pop landscape. Bringing together KAMDEN, BRIAN, JIHO, SIYUN, KYRELL, MACKIAH, and SEUNGMO, the multinational group embodies the meaning behind its name: distinct individuals coming together as one to pursue a shared dream. Their growing momentum has earned them recognition at major Korean music awards, culminating in the Rising Star Award at the 2026 Korea First Brand Awards. With an increasingly international presence and an identity rooted in individuality, unity, and ambition, AMPERS&ONE are emerging as one of the new-generation acts to watch. We caught up with the group while they were on tour in Amsterdam to talk about their journey so far, life on the road, and what lies ahead.

photography by DANIEL SARS

How was your experience performing in Amsterdam, and what was your impression of the crowd and the energy they brought to the show?

Kamden: I’ve always wanted to visit Amsterdam at least once in my life, so it was truly an honor to be able to visit through this tour. The weather was also amazing, and we were so happy to see how enthusiastic the local fans were at our show. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to explore the city, which was a little disappointing, but if we get the chance to visit Amsterdam again, I definitely want to take some time to explore the city and experience more of what it has to offer.

Mackiah: Amsterdam was full of so many Andear who were ready party and have fun. The crowd knew the lyrics to our songs and we sang together which I remember as a heartwarming memory.

Is there a particular moment from the show that you think you’ll remember for a long time?

Brian: I think something that I will remember for a long time is the energy that Andears give when we are performing. After a long show we get tired, but because Andear's cheer a lot for us we regain our strength back.

Kyrell: I think my favorite part of the show is the encore stage because we get a chance to really focus on the fans and interact with them and party together.

Seungmo: I have my own signature greeting where I shout, “Super Korean!” and it made me so happy to see everyone in the venue shout it together with me.

You come from several different countries and backgrounds. How does that diversity influence the way you work together as a group?

Jiho: Since we all grew up in different countries and were exposed to different kinds of music, I think that brings a lot of different influences and perspectives to our music when we work on songs. The same goes for choreography. We’re influenced a lot by our own cultures and life experiences when we create.

Siyun: I think one of the biggest advantages of having members from different countries is that we can explore a wider variety of musical styles. We also have different tastes in music, so I’ve been able to discover a lot of great music that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

Mackiah: Because we come from many different countries and backgrounds, it allows us to have a big pool of culture and ideas which we all contribute to. We share our own thoughts and ideas with each other, allowing us to have more resources to work with.

What have you learned from each other since AMPERS&ONE debuted?

Brian: I've learned that giving feedback directly leads to a better stage. Sometimes telling the members feedback might make them feel a little annoyed or put them in a bad mood, but I've learned that on stage we got to be professionals, so it's better to do whatever it takes to make our performance the best we can. 

Kyrell: I’m learning from the members everyday, whether it’s stage presence, new dancing or singing techniques, or how to work better as a team. We’re always growing from and inspiring one another.

Your name represents the idea of different people coming together as one. What does that idea mean to you personally, almost three years into your career? 

Kamden: I feel like we’re only just getting started. As we spend more time together, I think we’re developing a chemistry that’s uniquely ours, and our thoughts and ideas are becoming more and more in sync. I hope you’ll look forward to everything we’ll show you in the future.

Jiho: When we first came together, we were very different in many ways, so we spent a lot of time discussing and working through our differences. Now, three years later, I feel like we understand each other much better and have become more united as a team. Our chemistry has also become much stronger, and we’ve learned how to work together more naturally.

Siyun: I love the idea of the seven members coming together as one, but recently, I’ve been thinking that the best way to describe AMPERS&ONE is that our members and our fans come together as one. Especially when we’re performing on stage, we’re dancing and singing as hard as we can, and when we see our fans jumping, singing along, and enjoying the moment with us, I think of it as one stage created together by the artists and the fans. I believe that we exist because our fans are there with us, so the idea of AMPERS&ONE coming together as one has an even deeper meaning for me.

Has your relationship with your fans changed as AMPERS&ONE has grown?

Brian: I feel like as we grow, our bond with our fans only gets stronger and stronger. 

Jiho: Because our fans have always supported us and given us so much love, I’ve wanted to work even harder to give that love back to them. Since they’ve been there to watch and support me throughout my growth, I feel like we’ve become much closer over time.

Kyrell: When I first debuted, I felt like I needed to prove myself to our fans, but now I realize that they truly just want to support us and I am very grateful. I always have been and always will be, that will never change. Andear,  thank you so much.

When you are preparing a new song or performance, what usually happens behind the scenes that the audience doesn't get to see? 

Kamden: When we’re preparing a new song or performance, we usually take it very seriously and try to stay as focused as possible, especially when we’re short on time. Whenever we learn something new, I really love that exciting feeling of improving and challenging ourselves.

Mackiah: When preparing for a performance, we spend a lot of time in the dance studio, but we also put a lot of thought into creating the setlist and choosing our cover songs. We have many discussions with the members to make sure everything comes together well.

Seungmo: Before each performance, we spend a lot of time discussing the stage setup and creating a setlist that fits the overall flow of the show. On the day of the performance, we also focus on taking care of ourselves backstage and managing our condition so that we can give our best performance on stage.

How do you deal with the pressure that comes with being a young group in such a competitive industry?

Jiho: I think there’s always some pressure. Even right now, so many groups are debuting, and there are already so many K-pop groups out there. That’s why we’re always working hard to show our unique charm and stand out in our own way. We also spend a lot of time practicing so that we can continue to grow and show everyone how much we’re improving.

Mackiah: I definitely think it is a competitive industry which also comes with pressure to succeed and be the best. But because we are doing what we love with the support of fans and each other, it becomes very fun and enjoyable. Also, if I’m stressed, I just eat yummy food.

What are you hoping people will remember about AMPERS&ONE when they look back at this period of your career? And what is next for you? 

Kamden: I hope people remember AMPERS&ONE as a group they always want to see again. We want to become artists who leave a lasting impression and create an impact that stays in people’s minds for a long time.

Siyun: During our recent tour, many Andear told us, “Your show is the most exciting and fun show I’ve ever experienced!” Those words really stayed with me. So, I hope people remember us as artists who create the kind of performances that our fans love the most. We’ll continue to bring even more amazing, fun, and diverse songs and performances, so I hope you’ll keep creating these stages with us for a long, long time.

Kyrell: Right now, we are still relatively early in our career and we’re constantly dreaming bigger, striving to be better. In the future, I hope people will remember us as hard workers. However, our biggest goal is to bring people joy, whatever stage of our career we are in, whenever you first encounter us. Ultimately, I hope people think of AMPERS&ONE and say, “They made my day brighter,” or, “They made me smile.” Then that would mean we did our job right. 

Seungmo: I think this European tour was a great opportunity for us to show the potential of AMPERS&ONE. Moving forward, we want to build on this experience and meet even more fans in bigger venues around the world through a wider variety of performances. Most of all, we want to become artists who can give back to Andear for all the love and support they always give us.