British pop and soul outfit Code Red want to distance themselves from the current crop of boy bands enjoying popularity in Asia, claiming their talent is evident in their songwriting skills.
Returning to the region soon to promote their debut album Scarlet, the four-piece band are keen to prove they are more than pretty faces with little substance.
'We have the ability to write our own stuff and our music has universal appeal,' band member Phil Rodell told Sunday Young Post.
'Our fans in Asia seem to have caught on to the fact that we are real people singing from our hearts,' said the 21-year-old. 'It is great to see all these people from a different part of the world connecting with us.' Code Red, due in Hong Kong for a concert next spring, are Rodell, Lee Missen, 20, Roger Ratajzcak, 21, and Neil Watts, 22.
They say their debut set has been worth the wait: 'We wanted to make it good value for our fans and we are really proud of it.' The album features 14 easy-listening tracks, including the recent hit This Is Our Song, the biggest- selling Polygram debut single for an international artist in the Philippines and Indonesia; it went platinum.
Although most tracks have been written by British production team Graham and Lew - and produced by Nicky Graham - all four members get the chance to display their songwriting talent, penning one song each on the impressive Scarlet.