The Hu: “We love exploring the depth of our people and our way of living through our music.”

Celebrating their tenth anniversary, The Hu have spent the past decade developing their distinctive Hunnu Rock sound, combining traditional Mongolian instrumentation with modern rock while using their music to explore their culture, history and ancestry. As the band explain, that connection remains central to both their recorded work and their performances around the world.

Now having released their third album, HUN, The Hu are continuing to explore what their sound can encompass. Four years on from their previous record, the band describe the new album as an examination of human qualities, from strengths and weaknesses to the philosophies and perspectives passed down through their ancestors. Musically, they have also continued experimenting with Hunnu Rock, moving between heavier and softer material while retaining the traditional Mongolian elements at the heart of their identity.

That approach extends beyond the studio. Having toured internationally and recently supported Iron Maiden in the UK, The Hu remain focused on bringing aspects of Mongolian culture to audiences through both their music and live performances. Their ambitions include expanding their stage production to represent the landscapes, traditions and experiences of Mongolia more fully.

In our latest cover story, The Hu discuss reaching their tenth anniversary, the ideas behind HUN, taking four years to create their third album and continuing to expand the possibilities of Hunnu Rock. They also reflect on supporting Iron Maiden, their relationship with their audience and the importance of connecting Mongolia’s past with the present.

The last time you were in the UK, you played with Iron Maiden. What does a band like Iron Maiden mean to you??

“I think Iron Maiden is very special for us. There were only a few acts invited, and I felt very honoured to be part of that EdFest show and to be invited back to the Iron Maiden stage.”

Did you feel as much a fan as a performer?

“I don’t know. At any show where you’re the support, you’re there to bring a different tone and a different vibe to complement the headliner. As a support band, you’re supposed to do the things that brought you there. As a band, we have very unique artistry in terms of our performance, and we’re very proud of that. We were there to support Iron Maiden and we were there to do a job, so when you’re on stage you have to get that fan mentality out of your mind and remember what you’re there for, which is supporting the band and bringing a different vibe to the fans. We have to think about that fan experience as well. We feel very fortunate to be part of it, but at the same time we’re there to do a job. We don’t feel like fans when we’re on stage because we’re focused on doing our job.”

It is The Hu’s 10-year anniversary and your third album is out. When you started the band, did you ever imagine you’d be talking about your third album with people from all over the world?

“That’s a very interesting question because when we started this band, particularly for me, we were looking two or three years ahead. Whatever we were doing, we hoped it would be great, so our focus was on the songs, the visuals and the quality of the music. Nobody knows the future, right?”

“When we started this band, particularly for me, we were looking two or three years ahead. Whatever we were doing, we hoped it would be great.

You chose the title HUN for the new record. What does it mean to you, and why does it represent this collection of songs?

“For us, we thought this was the right time to sing about the weaknesses, strengths and everything about Human qualities because it felt like, if we waited too long, it would be too late, but if we had made this album a little earlier, it would have been premature. It felt like this was the time to sing about it because of the things we’re seeing. We also feel it is really important for us to sing about the qualities of people, their weaknesses and strengths, because the message of our ancestors, the way they lived and the philosophy they had also needed to be shared.

It felt like some people need that different outlook and perspective on life to change how they see themselves and how they see others, and that’s what we’re offering through this album. The main thing for us was to capture the essence of our ancestors through these songs and musically, but at the same time the message had to be shared because of the philosophy they had.”

When fans hear your music, what do you hope they take away from it? What do you hope they feel when they listen to it?

“I don’t want the fans to take away anything specific. I feel like whenever they listen to or hear the music, they will feel what they feel. That’s very important for me as an artist because I want listeners to simply listen to the songs, do a little bit of thinking and take whatever message from the album is important to them.”

V13 Cover Story 138 – The HU

You’ve talked about your ancestors and Mongolian culture and history. How do you keep that tradition fresh on each album?

“I don’t have any particular method. I just feel it’s important to keep it fresh on each album. We’re trying to convey a message to our fans and talk about the qualities that made our ancestors very unique in the world. There are so many things to think about when we look at our ancestors. There are many qualities throughout our history that I feel aren’t spoken about or shared enough, or sometimes have a very negative perception overall.”

There were four years between the release of this record and your previous album. Why was it important to take your time?

“We always want to take our time to make new music that will stand the test of time. That is the biggest reason why we took our time with our third album.”

The songs on HUN still sound like The Hu, but they also feel bigger. Was that your goal?

“Very much so. The experiments we did on this album are directly related to how we see our genre, Hunnu Rock, and how far it can be expanded. Heavier and softer songs are both presented on the album because of the versatility of the Mongolian musical components we use.”

“I just feel it’s important to keep it fresh on each album. We’re trying to convey a message to our fans and talk about the qualities that made our ancestors very unique in the world.”

Your music mixes traditional Mongolian instruments with modern rock. Do you still find it exciting to discover new ways of combining those worlds?

“Combining them is what makes what we do so much fun. One day we work on anime soundtracks, another day we record a rock ballad and the following day we write a heavy rock song. There isn’t anything we can’t do when we mix our traditional instruments with modern rock elements. When we’re writing a song, it depends on the song itself whether the traditional music or the rock elements come first.”

How important is it for your concerts to showcase the culture and history of Mongolia as well as the music?

“It’s very important. I think some people love and appreciate our songs because of our culture, and we love exploring the depth of our people and our way of living through our music.”

You’ve said you want bigger stage productions. What ideas do you have for your live shows?

“If budget or logistics weren’t an issue, we would love to bring everything that makes us Mongolian to the stage: the feeling you get when riding a horse through the landscape and the eternal peace you feel when looking at the Mongolian sky, to name a few.”

The Hu have toured all over the world. Has playing in different countries changed the way you think about your music?

“It hasn’t changed it as such, but touring around the world has reinforced our deeper appreciation of our music.”

The Hu have introduced people all over the world to Mongolian culture. What does that feel like?

“To be fair, our culture and our ancestors have been known throughout history, and educated people understand how much of a positive impact Mongolians have had on the world we live in. We, as a band, are merely connecting the past with the present.”