BACK TO REALITY feels like the moment K-indie band PRYVT stop running from the pace of the past year and finally look it in the eye.

The duo’s second studio album arrives less than twelve months after their debut, but the emotional distance between the two records is huge. Where &SCENE played out like a TV series – each song its own vignette – BACK TO REALITY folds everything inward. Rain, stage lights, the silence after a show, the awkwardness of first meetings, the heaviness of missing someone: they all become recurring markers in a project shaped by momentum and the crash that follows it.

HANUEL talks openly about the strange shift that happens when you step offstage and drop back into yourself – not the performer version, but the one who still has doubts, family responsibilities, old habits and even older fears. BACK TO REALITY lives in that headspace. Songs like “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?” and “WHILE IT RAINS” lean into homesickness and the slow realisation that family, childhood patterns, and the place you grow up in don’t cease to exist just because your career speeds up. Others, like “NEXT TO ME, AGAIN” and “ANGEL”, circle the loops you fall into even when you know better. The final stretch – “WON’T YOU”, “WITHER AND DIE”, “BACK TO REALITY”, “HEAVEN” – is the most revealing, tracing self-doubt, grief, and the fear of losing the people who’ve shaped you.

Sonically, the album mirrors that internal conflict. JT and HANUEL build songs that feel primed for a stage – bold, rock-leaning flashes set against dreamy atmospherics – but each track still holds its emotional weight when stripped back. If you want a record that feels like late nights, long drives and growing up too fast, PRYVT have made it. BACK TO REALITY cements the band as one of the most emotionally fluent new acts in indie music, with a knack for capturing the moments you don’t say out loud and turning them into a gut-punch of an album.

BACK TO REALITY

HANUEL The album is about experiences that I went through last year on tour and just how rapid our band thankfully has been doing and growing this fast. In between those moments, there’s me as an artist, and me just as a friend, as a son, as a brother. In that aspect, I think BACK TO REALITY is kind of like me coming back home from being on the road or doing shows, making music. It could mean physically, but also mentally too. I think a lot of the time, being on stage I feel like a different person almost. But once I come off the stage, it's more so like I'm back to being me. Last year – especially opening for slchld and wave to earth – it was a very eye opening experience for me. I think from there, the title kind of came to me: BACK TO REALITY. That's basically the theme.

Track 1: “PALETTE”

HANUEL We wanted to go a bit brighter to start the album, because I think the later half of the album is pretty dark and sad in a way, so we wanted to start it off pretty bright. And I think with “PALETTE”, I wanted to write about the first time meeting someone or doing something – just that initial feeling I get. For example, let’s say I met someone I really like for the first time; that feeling. Or being on stage for the first time; that feeling. And yeah, the song is pretty straightforward, but I think it’s up to the listener’s interpretation and how they want to hear it with the lyrics I wrote. But generally, it’s talking about the first time and meeting someone.

JT Production-wise, “PALETTE” was pretty much almost done in a single day.

Track 2: “NOON”

HANUEL Growing up, I’ve always been interested in a lot of Korean ballads – early 90s, 80s, or early 2000s ballads. The Korean language has a specific way of expressing emotions, so I was very intrigued by that. Last year, I read a lot of Korean poetry books and just a lot of Korean books in general. That inspired me. “Noon” means “I” in Korean, so it kind of goes along with “PALETTE” where I meet someone for the first time. Since I’m very introverted, I can’t really look someone in the eyes when I talk to them for the first time. That’s what I talked about: how I want to look into their eyes, and talk, and get to know them. That’s what the song’s about.

The reason why I wrote it in Korean is because I wanted to challenge myself to see what I can do in the writing aspect. That’s how “NOON” came about. I started in English, but then I realised it didn’t feel the same, at least to me. I guess to non-Korean speakers that may not make sense, but for me, writing it fully in Korean felt better.

JT With this one, we had the whole thing finished within a day. It was pretty quick.

Track 3: “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?”

HANUEL I wrote this when we were on the road and I was feeling a bit homesick. I was seeing my friends and my family, but I kept thinking: eventually I’m going to have to move out, start my own life, and live on my own. I was thinking about all the times there were conflicts between my parents, my siblings, my friends. We always make up, but I imagined myself 10 or 20 years from now looking back and wondering, was everything that happened really necessary? The conversations that went by.

It’s basically me asking myself – and them – “how have you been?” because I haven’t talked to them in a while. It’s a way of making up for the times I messed up, or they messed up, or we fought, or whatever it was. And maybe it’s a Korean thing, but in Korea when you ask someone “did you eat?” or “how was your day?” it carries a deeper meaning. I think if I called the song something like “what did you eat?” it would’ve felt different, so I stuck with “HOW WAS YOUR DAY?”.

Lyrics-wise, it’s probably in my top three on the album. It hits pretty hard for me, and every time I listen or sing it, it brings back exactly what I was imagining.

For the production, it originally started as just guitar and vocals, and it was really slow. Then I sent it to Justin and he completely flipped it. What you hear today is basically what he did. It was shocking, because in my head it was always a slow ballad. But when he sent over the demo, I was like: yo, this is it. This is the one.

JT That’s true. What I heard at first was a beautiful song, but I was like, what if we made it sped up – and then this is the version we have now.

HANUEL That was pretty cool.

JT This type of dynamic happens regularly for us. The way the songs happen is, like, Sam would start an idea and then he’d send it over to me. I’d work on it, send it back, and then we’d get together and work on it, or we’d just be in the studio together and make a song. Those are the main ways.

Track 4: “MAYBE I’M RIGHT”

HANUEL So I have two nephews who I think they’re three and five years old. I was just hanging out with them after church, and you know how kids just lie, but you can tell they’re lying, right? That’s kind of where I got the idea from. I was thinking, oh, how come even now sometimes I would lie? Maybe it’s for the good of someone else. But I think that’s when I started second-guessing myself, which is basically the song.

I’m just talking about how I’m very indecisive at times, which leads me to sometimes not be the most honest in situations. And yeah, it’s a pretty straightforward song, to be honest. When I wrote it, that’s all I could envision – my nephews just, like, fighting each other, those small… not arguments, but just how they were talking and stuff. And it reminded me of when I was younger. Even to this day, it’s like my younger self is still in me. I’ve grown up, but he’s still there.

And the title too, “MAYBE I’M RIGHT”, kind of shows that indecisiveness. I’m not saying I am right, you know? But “maybe”… I think that word represents how I think a lot.

Track 5: “CROSS MY HEART”

HANUEL I was watching the Pixar movie Up. In one scene, they’re both young and they’re in an abandoned tree house or house, I think. One of the characters does the whole “cross your heart and hope to die” thing to keep a secret. That’s where I got the inspiration from, which is why it’s called “CROSS MY HEART”.

I think that whole first-love kind of feeling only comes to you once in your lifetime, I feel like. And that movie represented that pretty well. I think this song is probably the most relatable song, generally speaking, between all the songs. I don’t think there’s more to it other than that it’s based off the movie Up.

JT Production-wise, I think this one kind of stayed true to the original demo that was sent. Maybe we shortened it a bit, but other than that, it was already there.

Track 6: “WHILE IT RAINS”

HANUEL Vancouver rains a lot. I think most of our seasons – other than summer and maybe a little bit of spring – like fall and winter is just straight rain. So I was looking out the window and it was raining a lot, and I was thinking what it would feel like, because I think rain, as much as it sucks, is pretty calming to just look at or listen to sometimes. It was pretty cool to visually see that happening.

But I wrote it about how, while growing older, I feel like I personally just want to stay in Vancouver for as long as I can. I know that means the rain will always be there, but just… growing old in this environment and with the people I love, making it kind of sentimental for them and with them. For example, it could be growing old with my dog and just, you know, seeing the rain together, growing. I’m pretty sure dogs don’t get grey hair, but you know – just growing old until we get grey hair, keeping them close. It’s that kind of vibe.

And I wanted to write a second verse, but when I did, it didn’t feel the same. So we decided to keep it short and more impactful with how it sounds, because I think it’s a good transition into the second half of the album through this song. I think it’s a song I want to look back to in a couple of years – and maybe I am looking at rain or similar environments again. That’s what the song’s about.

Track 7: “NEXT TO ME, AGAIN”

HANUEL It is probably the most upbeat and, I guess in a way, “hype” song on the album. It’s very energetic, and I think it’s the most rock-based song, in my opinion. The song’s basically about being in the loop – stuck in it. I kind of had the inspiration from a toxic relationship that I’ve seen and heard from friends. But I think it can apply to a lot of things, not just a relationship. It’s like when you’re so used to something or someone, no matter how bad it is, you keep going back to it because that’s all you know. And as much as it sucks, you find yourself in that situation over and over again. That’s what I wanted to write about.

And I think visually, our team – our creative team – pulled that off really well. And it is, I guess, the odd song on the album, because it is different from all the other songs on the album, which I really, really liked.

A little backstory to this: I was in Korea, and I was in the countryside by myself, and I was just playing around with my guitar. I literally started writing it, and I think it took me like 30 minutes to write the whole thing. And then because of the time zones, I sent it to JT, but he wasn’t awake. So I went to sleep, and when I woke up he was like, “Yo, this is fire.” And he produced that thing in a day. So that was pretty cool.

I think, at least for me, when I write something and I know, like, “yo, this is gonna be good,” I get so excited. So then I kind of want to get it or hear it as soon as possible.

There were a lot of songs like that on the album. I would send him a demo, and the next day he would have a fully produced song already. And I think that’s something that’s pretty cool, because I don’t think that’s too common in the industry. But just how we work is very, very cool and efficient at times.

Track 8: “ANGEL”

HANUEL So I actually wrote it for the first album. But then for some reason, I was like, I don’t think this is a good song. Last year I told JT, “Yo, I don’t think this should be on the album. I don’t really like this song.” And then I sat on it and I was like, actually… this is not bad. So we decided to put it on this album. And I think it fits really well on this album. It’s such a strong song, but also the message kind of goes in theme with “NEXT TO ME AGAIN”.

In the hook I write, “we’re getting closer even though we’re not supposed to, even though it’s wrong.” It’s basically about that repetitive loop you’re stuck in. But it’s more in depth about that specific something or someone for me in this song. And “angel” is just a representation of, you know, how we pray. Or at least in a general aspect, people pray for a lot of things. But for me, it was a time of desperation where I was kind of seeking why I’m on this earth. So through that repetitive process, I was trying to figure out what it is. It was me kind of praying and trying to find answers about myself and about what I’m supposed to do, which is why it’s called “ANGEL”. But the song’s about that specific thing or someone that’s making me stuck in that situation.

I think it kind of goes hand in hand with “NEXT TO ME AGAIN”, and then the next track, “WON’T YOU”, because the production is so good. For me, it didn’t fit in the first half of the album because the first half is a bit brighter, a bit more energetic. But then the later half is more calmed down and slower-paced. So I think it fit there the best.

Track 9: “WON’T YOU”

HANUEL So in this song, I’m kind of talking in my head once again. I feel like that’s a recurring theme, but I think I was really going through it personally and I was questioning a lot of things.

I start the song with, “won’t you come again for the day when the rain is falling down, we’re running around.” I think as kids, I didn’t really think as much as I do now. Now there’s a lot of things I have to think about and make decisions for, and I kind of miss that childish mindset – just being able to do whatever I want. But once again, it’s like there’s something or someone that I felt safe with for once.

And then I say, “I trust you with me for keeping me sane, and to not waste my day just waiting here alone for another.” I think I found myself getting pretty lazy when I was going through a lot and not feeling the best. So I needed someone to pull me out of that situation. Whether it’s someone or something… it could be anything. For me at that time, it was just making music, and it did help me a lot.

I was expressing kind of directly how I was actually feeling at the time, which was about last year – I think right after our song “if it’s not you” was doing really well on TikTok and we were going viral. In a way, I did feel confused because I was questioning myself. Like, am I ready for this? Why is this happening all of a sudden? That kind of stuff.

I think this song lyrically is very relatable too. In the hook I say, “let me go out of the ordinary,” which is, I think, when our songs started doing well. That’s when I lost my mindset of regular everyday stuff, and I was doing more music stuff, which I’m very thankful for, but the transition was very fast. So that whole time frame is basically what I wrote about for “WON’T YOU”.

In a way, it’s like a cry for help to someone or something to guide me through this.

JT The production went by pretty smoothly. I think it just took a while to finish it up. We made the majority of the beat and the production within one session, but we went till like 5am, I remember. Other than that, it turned out pretty good.

Track 10: “WITHER AND DIE”

HANUEL This kind of goes along with “WON’T YOU”. I got the idea from when we did our first Vancouver headline show last year. I had a lot of flowers and I hung them up backwards to dry them, like roses. That’s basically where I got the title “WITHER AND DIE”, because that was what was happening with the flowers.

But the song itself, I was talking about me – just as a person. Everything about how indecisive I was, and how back and forth I was with a lot of things. Like, I would make a decision, and then I’d be like, oh, maybe that’s not right. What do I do? All that kind of stuff. So in the lyrics I try to emphasise that a lot, and in a way be mad at myself for being like that.

That’s why the start of the song kind of sets that mood. I say, “just have it your way, I’m losing my faith in us, you’re so scared of change,” and “just say what you want to say, I’m getting tired of these games.” It’s me talking to myself in my head. It’s like, you say you want to be an artist, you say you want to do music, but you’re not there. You’re not doing enough. Those doubts I always have – that’s what the song’s about.

And I think when we were opening on the tours, that’s when I felt that the most too. Because I was seeing these great artists performing, and all the fans coming out to see them, and it was such a great learning experience for us. From there, once we got back, I was like: what can I do to get there? What can we do to be able to do that? And within those thoughts, I also had a lot of doubts within myself.

I realised that as much as I’m really introverted, meeting new people is always fun. And I don’t think I really like saying goodbye or not being able to see someone for a long time again. Being on the road with specific people for like a month straight – we definitely got closer, and it was very fun. So that sudden stop and coming back home was kind of hard, I guess. The transition.

But it’s just a song about me and how I was thinking throughout all that. I think it’s pretty straightforward if I read the lyrics now. And I think it represents me a lot too.

Track 11: “BACK TO REALITY”

HANUEL We should talk about the production first. So we went on a day trip to Seattle with a couple friends: me, JT and a couple other friends. We were driving back and we were just talking about songs and whatnot, and we got the idea. And then we got back to my studio and we literally started writing it that day. We basically got down the first verse and the first hook, and a little bit of the production.

The song, at first, was about missing someone. And then I was talking with my friend, and they gave me the idea of when someone in your life is no longer with you physically – maybe they passed away or they moved far away – you miss them a lot, right? There’s no way of knowing how they’re doing and stuff like that. I wanted to emphasise that.

And I think the older I was getting, I realised how old my parents were getting. And it kind of hit me that I’m not going to be with them forever. And as much as that sucks, it’s a reality I have to accept. So I was imagining how it would feel without them here with me, which is why I start the song with: “what if I move on, carrying your secrets, would you be happier for me, smiling back at me?” I think I wouldn’t be able to smile or be happy when that happens, but I know for a fact they would want me to keep moving on, doing the best I can, trying to be as bright as I can.

And then the little things I’ve never realised would start to hit me. The more and more I think about it, I realised there would be a big time frame where it would hit me – so many things and so many thoughts would come across. Which is why I said “the silence keeps growing longer”, and that’s me thinking about the situation. And I feel like in a lot of situations you wish you could’ve said something or said more, so I wrote about that too.

Because they’re such a big part of my life, a piece of them would live with me for as long as I live. And I think the verses are me thinking, and then the pre-hook into the hook is me accepting it and telling them, you know, you guys can go on and I’ll be fine, trying to live my life from now on.

In the hook I say “she’s calling, my love is…”, but I’m not talking about a girl or a love situation. “She” is just a general figure. In this situation it can mean my parents — like maybe I’m having a dream about them and I don’t want to leave because I miss them and all that.

It is a pretty heavy topic when I wrote about it, but I think a lot of people can interpret it differently depending on how they want to and what situation they’re going through. That’s pretty much what the song’s about.

Track 12: “HEAVEN”

HANUEL “HEAVEN” is pretty straightforward. I’m basically saying I don’t want to be here without them, and where they are is, you know, quote-unquote my heaven. And, like, when I feel the best, when I am the best, when I am me, I guess. It’s me kind of grieving, I guess, in a way, and trying to talk to them even though they’re not there.

For me growing up, within my family or friends, we would joke about each other, make fun of each other. Sometimes it would hurt, but looking back, it was just all love, because that’s just a way of expressing some form of love. So in this song, there are two lyrics I really like: “stuck with your melodies” and “it’s like they’re making fun of me.” I think because I write songs and make music, when I say “stuck with your melodies,” it’s like I get inspiration from a lot of things, and that turns into songs, which becomes melodies and all that. And “it’s like they’re making fun of me” is like my friends or my family always making fun of me for whatever, and it’s a joke and stuff like that, but that’s what I’m missing. That’s why I wrote that lyric.

And then my second favourite lyric on this song is: “please don’t go far, because wherever you are, my heaven or hell opens up because you are my only love.” I think that kind of sums up the song for me. It’s basically saying that if they were with me or without me, there’s a huge difference for me. So yeah, that’s why I named it “HEAVEN”.

The production is very grand. The drums, the guitars, everything combined. It starts off very mellow, but I think it’s a perfect way to end the album with how much storyline there is and the diversity. I think I really like how this is the last song on the album.