All photos by Malachi Conrad. Click on the photos in the gallery below.
Editor’s Note: To view more coverage of the Jeff High Archery Club, see the feature story by Liddia Waterbury in the Hyphen print issue, handed out on Wednesday and Thursday during lunchtime this week.
by Liddia Waterbury
P1Harmony’s EX hits with a bold pop attitude and unfiltered confidence, pushing their artistry into a more daring era.
P1Harmony’s debut album, Disharmony: Stand out, is edgy, masculine, has a superhero-like concept, and is heavily rap-oriented. Contrastingly, EX explores relatable emotions like self-doubt, empowerment and features strong synth-pop sounds. This album is designed to be catchy and features a more melodic vocal focus.
As P1Harmony’s first full English album, EX is filled with bright energy and excitement. The group shifts from its signature hip-hop edge into pop-rock anthems and electronic vibes, creating a fresh sound. This electronic feel coincides with the retro Game Boy theme of the album.
An all-English release from this K-pop group isn’t unexpected. The leader, Keeho, is Canadian, and Jiung and Jongseob already speak English fluently. Even members, such as Intak, Theo, and Soul, who are still developing their English skills, have demonstrated strong motivation to continue learning.
As well as being their first English release, EX is P1Harmony’s ninth mini album, featuring five songs. With this album, the group clearly aims to expand their global audience, connect with international listeners, and highlight their creative growth.
“EX”, being the first track in EX, is 2 minutes and 53 seconds long and is built around synth-pop and crisp digital sounds. This track blends “80s synth pop” with modern pop elements. It’s a catchy song with a clear message of independence, self-respect, and empowerment, with the lyric, “Every girl deserves to have her exploration, have a little fun without an explanation.” Even though the track has a clean production, it lacks depth or distinctiveness lyrically and melodically.
“EX” also has a Spanish version, which keeps the same upbeat, catchy sound. It doesn’t change the vibe of the original. Hearing it in Spanish makes it feel fresh and exciting. The members handle the language well, and it’s clear they are trying to connect with more fans around the world. It also shows P1Harmony’s creativity, exploring Latin-pop. The track is fun to listen to and a cool choice for Spanish-speaking listeners.
The second track in EX, “Dancing Queen,” is 3 minutes and 31 seconds long. The members deliver strongly with clear vocals, like “their voices soar.” This song is light-hearted, romantic, and is about being captivated by someone dancing. It also tells a simple love story. This shows with the lyrics, “Just keep on dancing queen, you’re so sweet. You put a spell on me.” It sets a fun tone and energy for the album. However, the lyrics are straightforward and kind of familiar.
Similarly, “Night of My Life” has straightforward lyrical content. This song is the fourth track of this album, and it’s approximately 2 minutes and 12 seconds long. It arrives toward the end of the record, functioning as a kind of feel-good, carefree moment. The lyrics are quite simple, though there is variation to the members’ typical vocal roles. It’s about enjoying the night and letting go of tomorrow. The sound is light and energetic, evoking a crowd-friendly feel. Yet, the song sounds like a “less-inspired version” of what P1Harmony can do.
“Stupid Brain,” the third track in EX, is 4 minutes and 2 seconds long. It has a mellow, reflective sound and captures the frustration of being stuck in your own head. The feeling shows with the lyrics, “Just turn it off, Just for a day, cause I don’t wanna live a life, tryna hold on while it’s slipping away.” The vocals carry emotional weight, allowing listeners to feel the overthinking and unease. This track isn’t flashy, like the big singles, but you can return to it when you’re in a quieter, more meditative mood. So this track is more relaxed than exciting.
Over the five years of producing music with FNC Entertainment, P1Harmony reached a huge milestone. EX showcases the group’s intent to connect with a global audience and experiment with new genres, including pop-rock and Latin pop influences. EX also serves as a central theme for P1Harmony’s large-scale P1ustage H: Most Wanted world tour.
With the tour, this album was released in various formats, including mini-album versions, Vinyl versions, and member compact versions. The mini-album versions, In-Game and Game Lovers, are both available for $31.99 each at Target. The Vinyl version can be found at Target for $29.99 and Barnes & Noble for $31.99. The compact CDs have a version of each member and are $19.99 each. All of these items can also be found online on multiple websites.
EX proves that P1Harmony isn’t afraid to take risks and redefine their sound. Their mix of catchy pop energy and fearless lyrics shows how much they’ve grown as artists. Each track carries a sense of freedom and ambition that matches their bold new direction. With this album, P1Harmony steps confidently into a new chapter, ready to connect with fans around the world.
Album Review Chart
Album Title: EX
Artist: P1Harmony
Released: Sept. 26, 2025
Number of Songs: 5
My Grade: B
by Liddia Waterbury
Captain Tobey Wilder of the Archery Club walks up to the bow rack. Coach Robert Russell blows the whistle twice, and Wilder grabs a bow from the rack. They then walk to the line, standing in front of the quiver with the bow to their toe.
When Russell blows the whistle once, Wilder grabs an arrow, moves it up and over the bow, and nocks it onto the string. They then shoot at the target. After quickly shooting five arrows, Russell blows the whistle three times, and Wilder heads to the target to pull the arrows out.
Once a week, kids like Wilder from every grade, just starting or shooting for the last year, walk into the cheer room. They help the coaches set up the targets, and then they get out the bow rack along with the arrows.
“Back in 2022, I signed up for a grant, and it was about a $5,000 grant, through what is called the National Archery and Schools program,” said Russell. “It was something I’ve been wanting to do for a while…I thought it would be pretty cool to have an archery program here at the high school.”
The program has since grown, providing students with the opportunity to learn archery. Unlike many sports that focus on speed, strength, or teamwork, archery teaches players precision, patience, and focus.
“It’s all about consistency, it’s about perseverance,” said Russell. “Archery just takes a lot more discipline, and you can’t get frustrated; you’ve got to keep on doing it because the more you do it, the better you’re going to get.”
Russell’s advice highlights the importance of perseverance, as archery requires time to improve. Even advanced archers know that learning the harder skills means being patient.
“Trusting the process is ending up making you get better overall and accepting that you’re not going to do a fantastic job every single time, that you’re going to struggle through some parts and accepting that,” said Wilder.
“It’s all about consistency, it’s about perseverance. Archery just takes a lot more discipline, and you can’t get frustrated; you’ve got to keep on doing it because the more you do it, the better you’re going to get.”
Archery Club Coach Robert Russell
Archery isn’t about instant success; it’s about patience and steady progress. For beginners, that mindset makes it easier to enjoy, like one member who shared why they joined and how they’ve loved it for a long time.
“I’ve loved archery since I was really little, and literally for the first Christmas I can remember, I asked for a bow and arrow,” said beginner member and freshman Finch Schardine.
To make it better, beginners don’t need any special equipment to get started. They just need a standard Genesis bow, arrows, and a safe place to practice. Coaches also provide extra guidance to help archers build more confidence.
“When I’m working with beginners,” said coach Brian Cleveland, “there are about seven elements that they have to learn to do; they have to master each element at a time.”
Teaching archery involves breaking down the process into manageable steps, allowing new archers to focus on one skill at a time. By building confidence, he sees beginners start to see their own progress.
“The biggest motivator in the world is the discovery that you can do something,” said Cleveland. “If I can get you on the target and shooting a group, the discovery that you can do that will motivate you. Practice makes permanent. It doesn’t make perfect, you have to make it perfect.”
That sense of progress when practicing keeps the members motivated, and for some, it leads to trying out competitions. This is where they can test their skills in a new way, both inside and outside of school.
“NASP, the organization that regulates the competition, does competitions regionally, locally, or statewide. They usually take place at some other school, so like on a Saturday morning, someone who’s competing would train and prepare here but then go wherever they’re having a competition,” said Cleveland.
Competitions change the atmosphere of practice, moving from regular training to a more serious focus as the members prepare for the competition ahead.
“Near competitions, it’s very serious and all of us are really trying to get better before our final push before our competition,” said Wilder.
Wilder then explained that being close to a person while at a competition, having fatigue, and not being able to focus are big challenges.
For the archery team, it’s not just about hitting the target. It’s about patience, focus, and steady progress. From beginners to advanced members, each person learns that with practice, every shot brings improvement.
Click on Behind-the-Scenes photo essay on Archery Club below:
thehyphennews.com 