Era

The roar starts before the lights go down — a low, collective thunder that shakes the arena floor. By the time the five members of Tomorrow X Together (TXT for short) appear, not from the stage but through the pit doors, weaving past the barricades and into the sea of fans, the noise has swelled to seismic levels. All day, fans have been buzzing online, daring each other to out-scream every stop before them after Yeonjun teased that some crowds weren’t loud enough. Consider the challenge accepted.

On this final U.S. night of the ACT : TOMORROW tour, the fans deliver a wall of sound that rattles the seats of Newark’s Prudential Center. And when Yeonjun leans into the mic, grinning as he says, “Let’s burn it all tonight, OK?” the roar somehow gets louder.

These are the kinds of screams that follow TXT wherever they go. In the six years since their debut, Tomorrow X Together have cemented themselves as one of the biggest K-pop boy bands on the planet, selling out arenas worldwide, topping charts, and cultivating a fiercely devoted fandom. Beyond the stage, they’ve extended their influence globally — they recently partnered with UNICEF on a campaign called TOGETHER FOR TOMORROW, even visiting the organization’s New York headquarters, where leader Soobin gave a speech on youth mental health. (Soobin admits he was nervous, but a thoughtful message from BTS leader RM helped him “calm down a bit.”) 

“The music we’ve always made is about helping youth and adolescents raise their voices and express their emotions,” Beomgyu tells Rolling Stone an hour before their last soundcheck of the tour. “We’ve been through the same obstacles and struggles that many people face, so we wanted to create a space where others can feel cared for and supported.” 

The five members — Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai — are now entering a new phase of their careers. With their most recent album behind them, they have renewed their contracts with HYBE, securing their long-term future as a group while also carving out space for individual pursuits. The balance between collective identity and solo ambition has now become central to TXT’s story, and nowhere was that more visible than on this tour. 

For the first time, each member brought a solo stage to the setlist, a showcase of personal artistry that revealed new sides of the group. Taehyun chose restraint, standing in the spotlight for the lyrical ballad “Bird of Night.” Soobin leaned into playfulness with “Sunday Driver,” a breezy track that matched his easy smile. Hueningkai took a surprising turn with the sultry “Dance With You,” while Yeonjun used the moody “Ghost Girl” to tease his upcoming solo debut album, confirming the release onstage. (“All the songs and the choreo are done, and I even shot the music video,” he says, adding that he did the choreography in Atlanta and that American fans are “gonna love it.”) Beomgyu closed out the solos with “Panic,” a mellow, guitar-driven track that nodded to his roots as a songwriter.

If the ACT : TOMORROW tour marked a new chapter for TXT — louder crowds, solo spotlights, and a long-term future secured with HYBE — the next will be written in their own voices. Backstage at the Prudential Center, the members sat down with Rolling Stone to talk about what this moment means: the balance between group and individual, the weight of being senior artists at their label, and how they plan to carry TXT into its next era.

I was at your very first showcase in New York back in 2019, and now I’m here at the final U.S. stop of your latest arena tour. It really feels like such a full-circle moment and a milestone in your growth as TXT. How does this tour feel compared to your earlier ones, not just in terms of performance, but also in how you see yourselves now as a group?
Hueningkai: Compared to 2019, I feel like I became a pro. I sometimes watch videos from that debut time, and I look so much more professional nowadays in terms of demeanor and attitude onstage and in performances. We look a lot cooler. 

Is there a moment on this tour, specifically, that really captures that evolution? 
Hueningkai: For the first time, we had our solo stage during this tour, and the solo stages are really different from the group work. Everyone was pretty nervous, and there were a lot of things to care for and think about, but as time went by during the tour, everyone felt more at ease, and everyone seemed more relaxed. I think we have this confidence that, as a group, we’re good, but through these stages, we realized that we can be good on our own, too. 

Like you said, this is the first time you’ve brought your solo stages on tour, and they really showcase your individual artistry. What did each of you want to express or explore through your solo performances?
Beomgyu: I’ve always had a love for indie music and the band sound, so it was really meaningful to share that through my solo stage. It felt amazing to be able to give people hope through my music — it was a truly elating experience for me. 

Soobin: I chose an easy-listening song for our fans, MOA. I was really excited to produce and prepare it [for the tour], and I felt so happy performing it on stage for them.

Hueningkai: I wanted to try a style of music I wouldn’t normally choose, something just for this concert. I really wanted to make an impact through both my dancing and singing.

Yeonjun: I’ve always had a love for rock ballads, so I knew what I was doing. I was pretty confident in my performance. It wasn’t anything fancy, but I wanted to focus and concentrate on myself — and that music really helped me do that.

Taehyun: I have a love for a variety of genres. I’m still on a journey to discover my strengths. So I chose a song that could highlight my vocals. It’s all part of the process of exploring where my future direction might be. 

Rolling Stone interviewed your producer Slow Rabbit a few months ago, and he mentioned that you’re in a transitional period right now. I get that sense from your answer,  too. It feels like you’re in the process of finding your individual sounds. What has that experience been like for you?
Hueningkai: Since our debut, we’ve had a specific musical color that we’ve carried as a group, but that chapter is coming to an end. As a group, that phase is closing, but as solo artists, we’re still exploring and still figuring out the direction we’re headed. So I’d say we’re very much still on that journey.

You’ve all had the chance to watch each other’s solo stages. Did you learn anything new about one another through that? Were there any sides of each other that surprised you or stood out during those performances?
Yeonjun: In terms of order, I always get to watch Hueningkai’s stage the most, so I’ve been able to observe his performances closely. We’ve always thought of him as the youngest brother of the group, but seeing him onstage, I really felt like he’s grown up so much. He just looks so cool and confident up there.

Beomgyu: I perform right after Yeonjun, so I get to watch his stage a lot. He mentioned that he took out a lot of choreography for this performance, but he was absolutely on fire onstage — fully immersed and really cool. Watching his performance was so motivating and inspiring for me.

Hueningkai: I often get to watch Soobin’s performances while I’m doing my makeup, and the first thing that comes to mind is how handsome he looks. Watching his stage presence, you can really feel that. My second thought was how well he pulls off this genre. He just did a sexy duet [with Yeonjun] before, and yet he can also handle this style with the two dancers so effortlessly. I found myself really immersed watching his performance.

Taehyun: I don’t think anyone gets to see my performance because I’m the first in the order. 

Hueningkai: But we’re listening, though! We can hear him singing, and we can also hear the fans getting hyped up during his stage. 

Soobin: I actually get to see his stage sometimes, and his demeanor and attitude are really relaxed. He just takes off his jacket and gets the fans hyped up. Since the song has no dancing, he has to carry the whole performance with just his singing, and he pulls it off really well. It’s cool and exciting to watch.

Beomgyu: Mine’s last in the order, so I don’t think anyone gets to see it because we’re always busy preparing for the next stage.

Hueningkai: But we’re still listening! Even when we’re preparing for the next stage, we’re always listening. When he’s performing, he knows how to get emotional during the song. 

Taehyun: I always get that feeling whenever I hear [Beomgyu] think about his solo stages that he’s really trying to improve his vocal performance. It’s not easy to strike a balance between pursuing what you love and excelling at what you do best. Those two don’t always align naturally. But I think he’s managing to pull that off.

Beomgyu: [Flashing a peace sign] I’m lucky!

Beomgyu, what’s it like going from sharing the stage with four other people to being completely by yourself onstage?
Beomgyu: My solo stage is more focused on showcasing my vocal abilities, so I put a lot of effort into making that the core of my performance. But when I get to do a solo dance stage next time, I think that will be a new challenge I’ll have to overcome. 

Do you guys feel like your solo work adds new dimensions to TXT overall?
Taehyun: We haven’t come out with another album yet, but this challenge — we could even call it a bit of a struggle — has been real. We’ve had to fill a stage that used to be shared by all five of us, and doing that alone is no easy task. But I believe facing this kind of challenge will definitely have a positive impact on our teamwork moving forward.

Yeonjun: We’ve been a team for such a long time, so even when we perform solo stages, they still reflect the color of our group, whether we intend them to or not. Exploring these personal layers through solo performances adds new dimensions to who we are individually, and that inevitably feeds back into the group. It’s a process that not only helps us grow as artists but also strengthens us as a team.

You guys recently renewed your contracts with HYBE, which feels very significant. What made you confident in that decision?
Taehyun: When it came time to renew our contract, we were all on the same page. We’d heard from senior artists in the K-pop industry that this part is often the hardest — getting everyone to speak up and agree at the same time. But for us, it felt natural. 

Beomgyu: We had trust in each other, confidence in one another’s growth, a shared love for music, and a common desire to keep improving as one team. All of that came together, and it made the decision feel right for all of us.

When you sat down to have this conversation and you thought about the next several years together, what was one promise that you made to yourselves?
Hueningkai: At the end of the day, we’re musicians. We make music, we live for it. And when it came to renewing our contract, one thing we all wanted to hold onto was our love for music. That was something we promised ourselves we’d never lose, no matter what.

What does the next chapter of TXT look like?
Beomgyu: We’re still in the middle of that conversation, so we haven’t figured it all out yet. But one thing we can promise is that it’ll be a better version of TXT.

Hueningkai: This moment itself has become a new kind of challenge for us. In the past, our music followed one big story, one connected narrative, so we always had a clear direction for the next chapter or the next album. But now we’ve reached the end of that storyline. Figuring out where to go from here is the next task we have to face.

I interviewed you back when you had just debuted, and at the time, everyone referred to you as BTS’ “little brothers.” Now, you’re stepping into the role of seniors yourselves. How does it feel to take on that position as a senior group within your company?
Taehyun: Time has passed so fast, so it doesn’t feel real at all. 

Hueningkai: It’s honestly a bit surprising. We always thought of ourselves as one of the younger K-pop acts. But now, seeing trainees and new idols born in 2009, 2010, even 2011, it’s starting to hit us that we’re becoming… well, the older group now. Maybe even the elders in some ways.

Do you remember a specific moment when you realized, “Oh wow, we’re the senior artists now?” Especially now that a new group has debuted under your company, CORTIS. 
Taehyun: I think I feel it the most whenever we go to a music show. The older or more senior the group, the bigger the green room they get, and they usually perform last. One time, we noticed we were given the biggest green room and got to perform last, and that’s when it really hit us: “Wow, we’ve become the seniors in K-pop.” 

What advice would you give to younger artists just starting their journey?
Soobin: We have a group chat with other artists, and recently, a newly debuted group was asking what they should say to fans during their fan meet-and-greet. It was cute. I think those are the kinds of thoughts and challenges everyone goes through when they’re just starting out. It’s something we can all relate to.

Beomgyu: I’ve always believed that having that freshness, being a little nervous or not fully relaxed onstage or in front of fans, is actually one of the charming things younger groups have. So I just want to tell them to let it flow and be themselves. And if things get busy, to stay healthy and try to enjoy every moment.

Taehyun: I didn’t know that I would feel this way, but having those younger brothers [CORTIS] debut, like, they’re just so cute. They’re adorable. 

And very tall! 
Hueningkai: Oh, yeah, really very tall. [Singing a part of “Go!” by CORTIS.] Martin, play that beat!