New P-pop group AZTER turns the experiences of youth into music in their debut album “univerZity,” a seven-track collection that explores friendship, heartbreak, uncertainty, healing, and self-discovery.
The group’s name carries a special meaning, drawing inspiration from the aster, a flower associated with blooming, as well as a star that shines brightly. For AZTER, this reflects their mantra to “blossom like a flower and shine like a star.” The letter “Z” also represents one of their two sub-units, Zodiac, alongside AXIS.
The 12-member group—Kean, Charlie, Tatin, Gee, Alas, Laurence, Wayne, Loyd, Kiel, Gem, Miguel, and Cray—builds a fictional university around “univerZity,” where each “classroom” represents a different experience and lesson.
The album features “Parang May Mali,” “Kupido,” “Kick Ball Challenge,” “K Dot,” “OTW,” “Unlove You,” and “Boys Night Out” composed and produced by Roel Rostata, Patrick Rodriguez, John Reinard Fernandez, Jungee Marcelo, Renz Jomel Salazar, Ron Pangyarihan, Randy Preysto, and AZTER Gee. The album was overall produced by StarPop label head Roque “Rox” Santos.
The campus concept also reflects how AZTER sees its large lineup as one of its biggest strengths, allowing each member’s individuality to contribute to the group’s identity.
“We have always thought that having so many members is our strength as a group, and we wanted to make use of that. We intended to incorporate school, university, and classroom themes to embody the concept that each member has different individualities, and when together, we make one great team,” AZTER said.
Beyond performing the songs, the members were also actively involved in shaping the album’s music, visuals, concepts, and choreography.
“Through the making of the songs, the visuals, and concepts, we made sure that we always had our input in the ideas and work. Gee has written and solely composed three songs from the album. Kean, Laurence, Kiel, Tatin, Cray, and other members, along with our coaches, brainstormed the choreography of each song,” they shared.
Leading the album is “Parang May Mali,” which captures the frustration of feeling stuck in the same situation while holding on to the hope that things will eventually change.
The song immediately stood out to the members during their listening session, making them confident that it would be the right introduction to AZTER’s sound.
“We had a listening session for the songs presented for the album. The moment we heard the demo for ‘Parang May Mali,’ everyone in the room instantly knew it was a banger and would be the perfect sound to introduce AZTER in the scene,” they said.
Through “univerZity,” AZTER hopes to build a sound that continues to evolve beyond trends while encouraging listeners, especially the youth, to embrace their individuality, believe in themselves, and pursue their dreams.
Listen to AZTER’s “univerZity” album, available now on all digital streaming platforms. For more details, follow AZTER on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify.
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