#the industrial vibe of these last couple of albums is very cool

[dust-n-roses]

I’m finishing listening to the King Crimson studio albums today and Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With from The Power to Believe… what a banger

[nayeonline]

Ari's K-Pop Roundup: February 2024 (Twice, Le Sserafim, BabyMonster, JYP Family, BIBI + MORE)

If there's a comeback coming up you want to see talked about in March's roundup, drop me a message/ask and I'll make sure to include it :)

I Got You + One Spark - TWICE (With YOU-th)

GIF credit: @femaleidols

Twice are officially back lets fucking go, the girls are here.

Unfortunately for TWICE, only one girl group can have a good release at a time in JYP apparently, and NMIXX have snatched that privilege from them in this instance (Fe3O4: Break is a 10/10). The concept teasers for this era were super interesting and really beautiful actually, kind of reminiscent of 2018 LOONA and the ASAP - NewJeans music video, but its JYP, so naturally that vibe was completely absent from the music videos whatsoever, but I digress. The pre-release, 'I Got You' is a thrumming, synth fueled track that attempts to be anthemic, but doesn't quite meet the bar. It's pretty catchy, sure, and the lyrics are actually reasonably good, but it feels slightly uninspired and very dated. The y2k trend's days may be numbered, but its still a bit early to be referencing 2015 in our 2024 tracks, in my opinion at least. While I see the appeal, this track really doesn't blow me away, and I don't see myself returning back to it much in the near future.

The title 'One Spark' suffers the same pitfalls as 'I Got You' if not even more so. Maybe it's just me, but I found the hook to be so unbelievably boring, and the rest of the song felt wholly pedestrian in its construction. It's really quite frustrating that a song this dull got past the many rounds of production required to be released, because the producers for it are certified hit makers, and TWICE are far too talented to be releasing insultingly boring music. The music video is all about TWICE being timeless, which they are, but if they keep releasing subpar title tracks like this, that's not how they will be perceived by the average kpop listener. It's a shame, really, but with JYP's track record over the last couple of years, I can't honestly say I'm surprised. It's not unlistenable, but it's hardly up to TWICE's standard.

What's even more frustrating is that the b-sides are actually really fun, 'Rush' is evocative of PinkPantheress and is super cute, 'New New' is such a punch up from 'One Spark' that's far more exciting and catchy, and 'Bloom' is gloriously ethereal and kind of giving Chungha realness - its SUCH A FUCKING HIT. Even 'You Get Me' that I assumed was going to be the apparently obligatory end of album ballad turned out to be a laid-back, easy going finale that is both catchy and well produced. How is it possible that the two least exciting songs on the record are the only ones promoted??? Literally any of the b-sides could have been the title, especially 'Bloom' which I will be treating as the title track in my delusions. Great b-sides, boring promoted tracks, JYP doesn't know what they're doing yet again, what's new.

Easy - LE SSERAFIM (EASY)

A little bit Rosalia, a lot a bit Tyla, with a healthy dose of platinum blonde Chaewon, this is Le Sserafim doing CONCEPT better than pretty much everyone else in the industry right now.

Right off the bat, this is leaps and bounds ahead of 'Unforgiven', which had its moments, but generally failed to make an impact. 'Easy' is an effortlessly cool R&B trap track that's heavily inspired by the afrobeats trends in western pop. It's stylish, exciting, and suits Le Sserafim well - this is how to develop a musical style while not abandoning your roots. The overall metaphor that harkens to a swan on a lake (pure elegance on the surface, intense effort below) is interesting and works for their concept, but the actual lyricism in this song is utterly nonsensical. Maybe I'm just being dumb, but does 'pull up and I rip it up like ballet' actually mean? There's an English version out, which is somehow even more unintelligible, but I digress.

Lyrics aside, I like this track a lot, and the music video is utterly gorgeous. Does it live up to the heights of 'Antifragile'? No, not really, but it's definitely up there with 'Fearless', in my opinion.

The b-sides were okay, not bad, but not especially exciting. 'Smart' was easily the most exciting out of the trio, but I don't see it having the longevity of 'Blue Flame' or 'EPATBW'.

Great title, slightly dull mini album - I am seriously excited for where Le Sserafim goes sonically, they and NewJeans are undoubtedly the trendsetters of the 4th generation, and I can't wait to here more of their stuff.

Like Magic - JYP, Stray Kids, ITZY, NMIXX

GIF credit: @thankyou-taeyeon

If you are ever in doubt that capitalism is destroying music, feel free to give this one a stream. Genuinely awful.

Bam Yang Gang + Sugar Rush - BIBI

requested by @a-moth-to-the-light

Bibi is such an exciting idol. Her music is consistently exciting and innovative, and rarely dull. 'Bam Yang Gang' is such an honest, realistic, and in many ways comforting song that is as simplistic as it is perfect. It's a little nonsensical, and oddly relatable. Not sure what the rat thing in the music video was about, but on the whole, it's a beautiful, hilarious, highly enjoyable song, and I'm so happy it is charting so well in South Korea.

'Sugar Rush' is a little less my speed, but it is successful in what it sets out to achieve. The production is trappy, synthy, and feels a little bit NCT 127? This kind of concept is difficult to pull off, and when some idols do it, it comes off as kind of goofy, but Bibi pulls it off 100%. Not really my thing, but a fun song nonetheless.

(also yena and soyeon make cameos in the mv so that's fun)

Stuck In The Middle - BABYMONSTER

'Batter Up' was a huge grower for me, originally I found it a bit dull and uninspired, but I'm a dancer, and sue me, the dance is fun, so naturally I ended up streaming it a bunch while learning the choreography, and now I think I enjoy it. It was undeniably a controversial release though - the comparisons with blackpink inevitably flooded in, the whole drama with Ahyeon being on hiatus and potentially being fully out of the group was a total shit storm, and there were zero performances on music shows to boot. Not sure why that last one happened, BabyMonster do not have the kind of influence to chart with longevity without domestic promotions but me being confused at YG's creative directors is literally nothing new.

Then we got 'Stuck In The Middle', an slightly bizarre English ballad with decent (if a little vapid) lyricism, and 'Moonlight Sunrise' meets Kwangya esque music video sets. I'm not going to do my monthly rant about how shit the vast majority of kpop ballads are, and how boring this song is, but I will say this. BabyMonster currently has no clear concept that sets them apart from their predecessors and everyone else in the industry, and outside of the YG bubble of ad boosted music video views, this song was unsuccessful. It went utterly undiscussed by the wider kpop fanbase, and has minimal streams on Spotify for a big three group. I don't say this to rub it in the faces of the girls and their fans, if anything, I am hugely upset that young women this talented are under a company so stuck in the past. YG needs to get their act together if they actually want a shot at creating blackpink the sequel, because what they're doing right now is not working.

Since the release, it's been announced that the it girl of the group, Ahyeon, is making a return for the first mini album, 'BABYMONS7ER', thank god for that, and apparently YG is now labelling all songs released thus far as predebut tracks, which is actually hilarious, they have no idea what they are doing.

Good luck babymonster, I think you will need it.

BONUS:

Super Lady - (G)-IDLE: (I know this was a January release I just forgot to talk about it ok) kind of iconic ngl; some of the English lines were questionable but the song is fun so lets move on; not sure why the song is only like 2 minutes literally nobody wants short songs

DNA - YENA: (requested by @a-moth-to-the-light) Yena is such a strong performer, but I think the production team let her down with the mixing of this song. The vocals should have more layers, or at the very least, be louder than the bass line. Overall though the song is super fun, and super Yena. I love the j-rock influences, I love Yena's gorgeous vocal colour; she is a soloist I am always sure to keep up to date with. It is so evident in her performances that she loves the music she is releasing, and for me at least, that's enough.

Holssi + Love Wins All - IU: Love wins all had a beautiful music video although the song itself felt a bit boring, but Holssi was unexpectedly groovy and understated - I can feel that it's going to majorly grow on me.

Diamond - TRI.BE: I was very pleasantly surprised that this song is actually really good? I haven't really tuned into their discography since the whole 'pretty savage' plagiarism stuff, but this is such a fun song that is impressively unique to them considering most groups of smaller companies like them tend to follow what the bigger groups are doing. Maybe I should check them out more - any tri.be stans reading, lmk some good recommendations :)

Young Posse Up - Young Posse: As a british teen, this sent me into fight or flight lmao

That's all for February, feel free let me know your thoughts on the comebacks discussed (or any I didn't mention) in the reblogs or comments, I'll look forward to reading them. Make sure to check back in for next months roundup but yeah thats it so byeeeeeeeeeeee

[numetaljackdog]

what i'm listening to 9/5/2022 (song notes under the cut)

spot link//yt link

trying something a little different where i put the songs in order from favorite to least favorite

Laura Les - Haunted: haunted. by laura les

Pitchshifter - Genius: this band is an unusual entry into the nu metal genre by virtue of being from the uk, where most acts hail from somewhere in the americas or asia. this is one of those songs that just *feels* good, like i'm chewing on the industrial crunch and overlapping vocals

Tallah - Shaken (not stirred): honestly this could have easily taken top spot. i genuinely cried upon hearing this for the first time from the sheer intensity. manic tallah-patented weirdness followed by an unexpected and very pretty harmonized singing section, followed by the most atrociously disgusting triple breakdown i've ever heard. cool to hear derrick doing some singing too!

Limp Bizkit - Welcome Home (Sanitarium): i know i've already posted about this one but it's just such a fun cover and i think the context is super funny, i just keep coming back to it

Ray Charles - I Got A Woman: remember last month when i included gold digger and said that i should just listen to more ray charles, since the sample was my favorite part of that song? well. i did

Limp Bizkit - No Sex: i reference this song a lot bc the title's funny but it's also genuinely kind of an interesting track. this one's about fred expressing to his partner that he feels like they rushed into the intimate part of their relationship too quickly, and now that's become the only foundation the relationship has. he wants to have a relationship, but he doesn't want to have to rely on only sex to keep it going. it's a surprisingly emotionally mature song to include on the same album as "nookie", and cements significant other as being... actually kinda really good

Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World: another song that gets memed a lot, but this is just such a sweet little number. in particular, the lines "i hear babies cry, i watch them grow/they'll learn much more than i'll ever know" makes me want to cry. what a beautiful sentiment, to rejoice that our children and our children's children may inherit a world better and wider and more full of love and wonder than we could ever imagine..... 💜

Supertramp - The Logical Song: one of those songs you hear a million times and never think twice about until you listen to the lyrics. i've been listening to this album on a mutual's recommendation (i wonder if you'll read this?) and it's been a fun time! planning on checking out some of the other stuff when i find the time

Godsmack - Serenity: tbh i never used to like godsmack. i don't think sully erna is a good singer, and their songs are pretty simple and hacky. i did buy this album as part of one of my thrift store hauls, though, and this closing track really struck me. like a lot of abrasive post-grunge bands, i think they're a lot better when they tone it down a little bit. this song reminds me of silently, desperately wandering through the desert

Vanilla Ice - Nightmare Disco: oh boy where to start. i'm a big vanilla ice fan (like, 70% ironically) and i never expected to like anything from his disastrous (and, to date, most recent) album W.T.F., but this one's kinda fun, it's like a dark dance pop track. there are a couple of halloween-y tracks on that record, and this is one of them. gotta love the spooky vibes! unless you're vanilla's team, apparently, as this album is not available anywhere on youtube

Almighty Cover Girlz - Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down (Almighty 12" Anthem Mix): damn could you make the name a little longer maybe?? normally i wouldn't even type all that out but they also have two other similarly named remixes of this song. this was an everynoise dot com find, and i was glad because i think alicia keys is a great performer but i've never liked this song. this mix brings it the extra mile for me

Lemon Demon - Ben Bernanke: this played on chase clown_depot's mediashare stream and i've had it in my head since. not much else to say, it's just another lemon demon song that i enjoy immensely

Bush - Comedown: not much to say here, either. another uncommon uk contender, and a far more successful one at that. not my favorite bush song, but it's the one i've had in my head. help

Pitchshifter - Microwaved: hey they're back! i was pleasantly surprised by this song taking on the sort of shitty fake plastic feeling that modern capitalist society has been permeated with. i've been revisiting the "leftist nu metal" playlist i had promised (and never delivered whoops) in a previous post and this was a good find. not as tastey sounds as genius but still worth the listen

A Perfect Circle - Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums: speaking of both left-wing nu metal and long as fuck titles... this is an anti-bush song that doesn't really land, but is a cool track independent of that nonetheless

Edison Lighthouse - Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes): one-hit wonder with a really weird story behind it. i would highly recommend the todd one hit wonderland video about this, that's how i first heard about it

Vanilla Ice - Hate: return of the ice-man. this is the type of song that got me into his music in the first place. i'm easy, really. i'll go for basically any nu metal i can find. nothing too special about this one, though, it's just catchy

SR-71 - Tomorrow: the last two songs here are placed next to each other on purpose. this was pop punk band SR-71's attempt at transforming themselves into clones of linkin park after hybrid theory started selling like hotcakes. they did a surprisingly decent job, getting the production and singing style nearly dead-on; however, they predictably didn't get very far with this maneuver

Crazy Town - Drowning: this was nu metal band crazy town's attempt at transforming themselves into clones of linkin park after hybrid theory started selling like hotcakes. being a nu metal band that already had dual vocalists and a dj, you would think they had an easier time of it than SR-71, right? nope. drowning is far less believable as a linkin park than tomorrow, which is pretty embarrassing for these guys. oh well, they can add it to their list

[dailyexo]

[INTERVIEW] Lay - 200819 Rolling Stone India: “How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop”

"The singer-songwriter and producer offers an in-depth look into his latest record ‘Lit,’ his evolution as an artist and finding the balance between East and West

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.”

Photo links: 1, 2, 3, 4

Credit: Rolling Stone India.

[fyexo]

200930 SuperM On Album Super One's Message, Friendship & Their Group Halloween Costume

What happens when you put together an Avengers-style K-pop group, featuring the top talent from some of South Korea's biggest boy bands, and unite their individual bands' fan bases? The boys of SuperM—Mark (from NCT and NCT 127), Kai (from EXO), Ten (from WayV and NCT), Lucas (from WayV and NCT), Taemin (from SHINee), Taeyong (from NCT and NCT 127), and Baekhyun (from EXO)—started that journey a year ago and made history.

With their first, self-titled EP, SuperM became the first debut K-pop act to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Nearly a year later, their first full-length album Super One is newly released—and very much influenced by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has stalled most musicians' plans for touring and performing for fans. Songs like "Together at Home" poignantly touch on it, with lyrics focused on finding the silver lining and embracing little pleasures.

Taemin tells ELLE.com that the boys want Super One to bring joy to their fans, and a sense of unity as the world goes through this period of quarantining and social distancing. "We want our fans to know that despite the distance, we are together in spirit," he says. "We created this album wanting to give back to our fans who give us unconditional love and support. Hopefully through our music, they can feel the positive energy and find happiness and hope to help get through this difficult time together."

Below, the boys discuss the album with ELLE, along with insights into how their friendship changed during their first year as a group, their experiences quarantining, and what their group Halloween costume has to be.

How has it felt to watch K-pop, C-pop, and J-pop take off in the West over the past couple years, and be part of that moment?

Taemin: As a K-pop artist, I am very proud. From performing in Paris and L.A. for the first time to having fans recognize me when we were taking photos along Abbey Road in London, these moments don’t seem that long ago, but it’s amazing to see how quickly K-pop has become popular around the globe. I am proud to have been a part of this movement and I’ll continue to work hard to help take K-pop to greater heights.

Last October, you made history as the first debut Korean act to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 with your SuperM EP. How did it feel taking that in? As a group, what is your dream to accomplish in the U.S. music scene?

Baekhyun: To have our first debut album hit number one on the chart was an incredible honor and the happiest, unexpected surprise. This is all because of our fans and I am so grateful for all the love and support they have and continue to give us. This just made me want to work harder to create a better album and provide more amazing content that brings joy to the fans. As for my goal in the U.S. music scene, when everything gets better, it’d be a dream come true to perform during the Super Bowl Halftime Show!

You’ve all known each other for years before working together. What were your first impressions of each other?

Mark: Before coming together as SuperM, I always looked up to them as role models. It was a cool feeling to see them all when we first had our meeting. I was thrilled and really looking forward to being on a team with them. And so, getting close to them as a brother and as a person was a good transition from just knowing them as senior artists. They all have their own brother-like personalities and I’m really happy to be able to see that side of them and have them accept me as a brother too.

Kai told Billboard last October that there was "nothing new to learn" about each other since you’ve all been friends for years. But what has working together as a group on this album taught you musically?

Taeyong: All the members are great artists and performers—each with their own unique, individual charm. Put them together and you get this amazing synergy onstage that’s been fun to show our fans. There are so many lessons I’ve learned from being part of SuperM but I would have to say the older members’ leadership and their ability to empathize with others inspired me to become a better leader for NCT 127. They really listen to what you have to say and always give great advice so I try to be the same for NCT 127 and help bring out the best in each member. I still have a lot to learn but I’m always trying to improve and working with SuperM encourages me to do so.

Ten: I learned so much from all the members while working on this album. They give the best advice, especially the senior members. Taemin gave me great tips on how to better express myself on stage and Baekhyun helped me a lot with my vocals. Outside of work, we can have deep conversations about anything. We all began our career at a young age so they really understand what I’m going through and how I feel. I can always count on them when I need someone to talk to.

How has being bandmates changed your friendships over the last year?

Kai: In the beginning, because we mostly knew each other as juniors/seniors within the industry and label, it was slightly awkward. But once we started to get to know each other, we were all able to connect with each other within the older/younger brother dynamic, so now they really feel like brothers to me. And I want to keep it that way going forward.

What has been your favorite moment from your first year together?

Baekhyun: One of my favorite moments would have to be when we filmed the reality show together. It was fun to do “regular” things together like cooking, playing games, and doing challenges. Everyone has a great sense of humor so we laughed the entire time. It was a great opportunity for us to bond and we had a blast.

Kai: I’d have to say when we were touring around the world together—and more recently, when we got to shoot our own reality TV show. Each of those moments brought us much closer together.

Taemin: When we made our debut as SuperM, and held our very first showcase at Capitol Records. I remember thinking, "This is another new beginning for me" and it brought back old memories of when I auditioned for SM and debuted as SHINee. It felt like another new path was created for me and I remember feeling all kinds of emotions throughout the day.

Taeyong: If you think about it, a year is not that long, but we made so many memories together and I think that’s because we are all positive-minded people. In the past year, we spent almost half a year on a world tour and the other half practicing and preparing for our album. I’ve grown a lot both on a professional and personal level so I cherish every single moment!

Mark: I think it would have to be our debut showcase in L.A. at the Capitol Records Tower. We were nervous but it felt good that we were all nervous together. Sharing the same emotions with the members is a good feeling because you know we’re all in it together.

Ten: When we went on our world tour. Experiencing different cultures and meeting our fans worldwide was unforgettable. Also, we all got very close during the tour from being together 24/7. Because we come from different groups, this was our first time doing a tour together so we were able to really bond.

Lucas: Our first performance of "Jopping" in L.A. It was a great feeling to finally be able to show the world what we’ve been working really hard on. The audience’s energy, the city, and the overall vibe that day was incredible. I’ll never forget it.

What song on Super One are you most proud of and why?

Taeyong: I am most proud of "Together at Home." It’s a little more special to me because I wrote some of the lyrics for the song. I put a lot of thought into the messaging and wanted to say that even though we are not physically together, we can find new ways to be there for each other. With what’s going on right now, I feel like fans can relate to the message and find comfort knowing that no matter what, we’ll always find a way to reach them. It’s a feel-good song that anyone can hum along to.

Lucas: I choose "Infinity." You can really feel our energy and our ambition "to go to infinity." Our title song, "One," is a hybrid remix that combines "Infinity" and "Monster" so it’s fun to hear the two tracks on their own and then hear "One" which has a completely different vibe. Each has its own charm.

Mark, you helped write "100" and Taeyong and Mark, you worked together to write "Together at Home." What do those songs mean to you? How has your songwriting evolved as you’ve worked on more music?

Taeyong: "Together at Home" [has] special meaning to me. When writing the lyrics, I tried to be as honest as possible with my feelings and thankfully, the team loved it, so I was very happy about that. Hopefully fans can also feel the sincerity of the message and like the song as much as I do.

Mark: It was fun writing both songs but I enjoyed "Together at Home" a little more because it really suits the current situation we’re all going through and I could really relate to it. Through this process, I realized how important it is to stay true to yourself. You can get inspired and get ideas from basically everything around you, but ultimately, you need to interpret them in your own way. Staying true to yourself differentiates you from other artists. This is what I always try to bring alive through my music.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Taemin: I would love to collaborate with Jessie J one day. Her performances are very sincere and I can feel her singing from the heart. I admire her energy and passion onstage and she is someone I feel I can learn a lot from. I also think we would create great synergy together if we collaborated!

You all are incredible dancers. What song from Super One has your favorite choreography so far?

Kai: I personally like "Tiger Inside." The choreography is inspired by the movement of a tiger and fits perfectly with the concept and theme of the song. I like that the choreography has its own storyline.

Quarantine and COVID-19 have drastically changed every musicians’ plans for the year. What is a day in the life of quarantine like for you? What things have you done for self-care when the days have felt harder?

Ten: First, I do the basics like wash my hands often, take vitamins, eat healthy, and exercise. But, most importantly, I’ve been keeping myself busy at home relaxing, practicing my vocals and dancing skills, finding new hobbies, and trying new activities that I didn’t have the time to try before. I was actually surprised at how much you can do at home.

Is there anything you can tease about what fans can expect for your next tour?

Mark: When we are able to tour again, I can guarantee we’ll be preparing the best show ever. As much as we missed out on a lot of shows due to inevitable circumstances, when it’s safe and the next tour opens, we’ll bring everything we have for the fans, especially songs from Super One.

What Halloween group costume will SuperM do this year?

Mark: It would have to be The Avengers! And if I were to do it myself, it would still be a character from The Avengers. Maybe Spider-Man? It’s a character fans really like and I think it suits me really well.

What's an entertainment pick—TV show, music, movie, video game, book—you’ve loved in quarantine?

Baekhyun: I’m sure many people are already watching a lot of Netflix and YouTube videos at home. Rather than an entertainment pick, I think it’s a great idea to take advantage of the time we have and start a new hobby you can do indoors—like learning to play a new instrument. Everyone has something they’ve always wanted to try but never did. Now is a great time to start! If you're interested in learning a new instrument, there are many great books and tutorial videos online so you can teach yourself!

Taeyong: SuperM videos! We created a lot of content for you guys and they’ll definitely keep you entertained and make time go by faster. Hopefully they’ll make you laugh too!

What’s next for SuperM?

Baekhyun: Fans have already seen our powerful, energetic side through our performances. Now, we want to get closer to the fans and show them more of our "human" side—who we are off-stage. Of course, we’ll continue to bring great performances but at the same time, we want fans to feel comfortable approaching us and not feel so distant. Most importantly, I want fans to find comfort and positive energy in our music.

Alyssa Bailey @ ELLE

[happyzyx]

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

(...) “It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

FULL

[nopperabounet]

This took a little longer than anticipated, but hopefully it brings some cheer this weekend for everyone!

Please enjoy this lovely, and very relatable interview with Imai~

音楽と人- PHY vol.15 February 2020 Personal Interview with Imai Hisashi Text by Ishii Eriko Translation by Lola

 First off, how did you find the five "THE DAY IN QUESTION" performances you did throughout the country at the end of the year?

I think they went well. It felt good to do them.

I got to see the Tokyo show. It felt a little strange to me too, maybe because it wasn't at Budoukan.

Because it was our first time playing there, so we had no way of knowing how things will sound. And you know I don't wear an ear monitor either.

What? You don't?

The two guitarists, me and Hide, neither of us had one. So I did wonder how the sound would be. Because  the thing is while I'm super used to how things sound in Budoukan when it comes to a venue, I was also looking forward to performing in Yoyogi even if I was a little nervous about it too. But you know once I was actually there doing it, I wasn't worried about it at all.

Was there a specific reason you refused to wear an ear monitor? Is it because it feels more natural without it when it comes to syncing the sound?

No, I've just . . . . . .never ended up wearing one *smiles*. Because I'm thinking about the songs you know, and if I wear it, then I can't get a good sense of the mood all around me. And then sometimes there's these clicks in your ear . . . . . .and that just annoys me I guess.

Hahahaha! But aside from that, are you saying it's more important for you to feel the vibe of the show than to balance the sound with the band?

Yeah. Well look, I'll do it this way for as long as I can. I'm sure soon enough the point will come . . . . . . when I'll have to use one though.

Even if up till now you thought it was better not to *smiles*.

Well like for the Makuhari "Locus Solus" shows I ended up not wearing an ear monitor even though I was about to right before it started. So I ended up playing by intuition alone.

By intuition alone. And you still ended up in sync.

Well, I did ask everyone if they thought I was off. They had a few things to tell me about that *wry smile*.

I had the impression that the set lists for "THE DAY IN QUESTION" and "Locus Solus" contrast one another.

Ah, yes, I think so too.  But it's not like we aimed to do that specifically. Because it's not like we ever have a specific concept in mind for "THE DAY IN QUESTION". Other than let's make it fun since it's an end of the year show.

Like, "Let's get together for the end of the year!"

Right.  So that's why there are times when the theme for it seems a bit lighter. But I'd say overall it goes in a very dark direction while still leaning towards something upbeat. Like, whatever happens, it'll be alright.

OK. So let's get into talking about work. You've been working on songs since summer of last year?

Yeah. Well, that's pretty early for me. It's not like I've been steadily preparing things way in advance, it's more that I've taken the steps necessary to start working.

Imai-san, are you saying thinking about working is enough to get you to start working? Or is it that time doesn't matter for you because you always have ideas planned out?

I don't always have stuff planned. To a large extent it's more the whims of the moment, so once in awhile I'll jot down a couple of notes in my work office to work from later.

Well, as you will be working on things perhaps you could tell me what sort of theme you have in mind this time? Or give a hint?

Hm . . . . . . I don't really have any in mind but once I get started, I'm sure something will come to me. I mostly just fumble through while I'm working until something jumps out at me, and that's what ends up being used. Something that feels like it veers from the norm. Or more precisely, something that goes against the rules is what I enjoy. That's the kind of image that comes to mind for me. But even now, I haven't really been able to put it into words.

When you say something that deviates from the norm, isn't that basically what BUCK-TICK has always been about?

Yes, exactly. Because in the end that's what's always swirling about in my mind, so it's better if that's what I put into words. But it's like . . . . . . if I try to talk about this feeling in a specific way then it's like, "Um, I guess it's not really a concept I can put into words." *smiles* By making it into an album, in some respects this makes it different yet again. I would say that's the point that makes it interesting for me.

So you're heading in a different direction yet again from "No. 0".

Yeah. I think it's because I just want to do something interesting. Like we have two guitarists, then there's the vocals, the drums, and the bass.  With that composition, I can't really make something fun with it because there's a tendency to go in a heavy direction, sound-wise. I'd like to try a different band sound. Whether I can or not, I don't know yet since I'm still in the midst of fumbling my way through it.

It sounds to me like it's still the case that no one knows what your band's style is exactly, wouldn't you say?

Yeah. I mean that's kinda the cool thing about it still, and I'd say it would be impossible for me to find it interesting otherwise.

It's what keeps you passionate about it. When it comes to the band itself, even now though you've been around a long time, there's no way you could say that you guys are just, "doing the same old thing as before".

Right, exactly. I feel like that's also what makes a cool thing cool to begin with, usually. But at the same time, I can't only adhere to that because that's like putting the cart before the horse a bit you know, so in the end I'm just flailing and wondering what I'm doing *smiles*. That's my current status. I'm like hm, maybe I'll go in a more electro direction, maybe I won't put in a guitar sound at all. I'm still not sure at all about any of it.

For "Datenshi", you used a rock'n'roll sound that was bass-centric.

Ah. Well, that's just because that's how the first riff turned out somehow.

Just how it turned out *smiles*.

It's not like I thought, "This is such a cool riff," when I started working on it you know, it's just super simple. Riffs like that are pretty typical really.

Certainly, you can hear how it comes off as a parody by moments. It feels like something by T-REX.

Yes. Because that's sort of the typical representation of a super simple rock riff. I'm really glad I used it. From there I made it a touch more pop, but more extreme, I made it sharp, and noisy, and I wanted it to have that image of being restless.

It's also another way to represent deviation isn't it. As you said, it's incredibly extreme, but you know I did wonder, Imai-san, if maybe you were trying to be like The Ramones?

No . . . . . . I'd say it's like my band Lucy, and the two albums I put out with them. After all, when I had started working on those albums, I put in all sorts of different sounds until I got something with a more simple rockin' vibe, so I had already begun to establish that sort of sound back then. I figured it would be fun to explore that completely. But it's also good if I don't only do that sort of thing.

It seems that way with SCHAFT too. You were limited by it being industrial. Did you think there was absolutely no way you could do that with BUCK-TICK?

Yeah. I couldn't've.  If we're talking a purely authentic rockin' or industrial album, then no, I definitely couldn't do that with them.

You couldn't do it in the typical sense *smiles*.  It's certainly an incredible thing, to do a single genre and follow through faithfully, but I'm guessing you're not really interested in doing that anymore?

Nah. . . . . . . . . . . . well, it's more that I haven't really thought about it.

Hahaha.

Back then I had a surge of interest to do it, that's all. I think that's why I was able to do it honestly. So you know when we all gather to talk about stuff before recording? It's never like, "This time the concept will be this, and this, and that." Because every time, we're just like, here, we did this.

Oh, you're talking about when you have a meeting at Victor Studios?

Yes. We meet up to talk, we hand over our demo if we've got one ready at that time for them to listen to, and then afterwards we go out to eat . . . . . . . and that's when we get into a deep conversation *smiles*.

Yuuta-san told me that your demo was rather rough, Imai-san.

Recently, yes. Because of the kind of song, it's got a four beat dance rhythm with pretty much nothing but bass at its centre. I said something like, "You know how you don't need words for a song to touch you emotionally?"

So you're leaving it up to the other members to convey that.

Yeah. I think it's not really a good song until it does that. Until it reaches that point where you've done everything you can with all of your might without ever giving up, and then you realize that yes, see, you can do it, you already have.

What happened to make BUCK-TICK become like this? It's a fairly recent thing, isn't it?

It is. But it's been since "Kedamonotachi no Yoru", and then it influenced the most recent single too. Previously, I'd say we were just making stuff that was rather trivial but, even though I made it, putting that stuff out wasn't really . . . . . .that interesting. Like there was a moment when I realized that it might be better if I don't only do the things I like all the time, and it might be more interesting if I don't.  Because of that when Yuuta told me, "Well, what do you think of this?" I said, "You know, it's not really my thing but yeah, go for it."

Did he need you to say those few words? *smiles* But you know I think if you didn't have that realization, you wouldn't really be able to be in a band you know. Like there are people who think they can do everything by themselves even if they're a part of a band.

I doubt they'd be able to do it *smiles*. Even for me recently, I've really thought about what other people have to offer. When I started working on the demo, I do it all on the computer at first, but even I'm debating every minute thing in my head, and I just end up like, "This isn't completely inspiring, it's crap." Honestly, even before, no matter what I create that's how I've felt, but gradually, I came to realize that you know, it might be better if I chill out a bit.  So now for instance when Anii changes up a phrase in a song, I'll say, "Oh, you know that's not bad, it might be better that way actually."

The vocals change the demo immensely as well, don't they?

They do, yes. Because Sakurai-san takes my crappy English that I sing at first, and changes it into Japanese. So of course with that the mood changes, and with the way Sakurai-san picks up on the notes as a vocalist he's able to say, "Ah, you know, I think this would be better here." Because that's the thing right, a demo tape is just that, a demo, and if you only stick to the demo, then you'll  never be able to surpass it. I think it's better if they don't just copy what I did, because it's by altering it and removing bits that eventually great things come about.

This is another way of breaking from the norm too. This might sound like a silly question but, why is it that you hate rules and following a set path so much, Imai-san?

Well, it's not that I hate them.  I'd say it's more that I like going beyond them. I do think there are times when doing something by the rules deliberately can be interesting too. I guess I just think that it's by trying to do things that rules end up being ignored.

Maybe that's the real thrill of it for you. You might think saying you're a pioneer is an exaggeration but, would you say it feels like none of you have found that thing you're looking for yet?

Yeah, that's a part of it.

Or would you say that it's more that you hate following a fixed format, and you want to break free of that?

Ah. . . . . . .well, I think it's simpler than that actually. I just want to create good things, incredible things. But like you just said, there is a certain feeling of being a pioneer within that like when I wonder, "Is this brilliant enough?" I mean I'm being kinda vague but, I've always thought like that.

OK.

Because that's how it works for me in practice I guess. From the start, I'm working to discover something in it, and when I do, it's like, "Yes, this is it!" But it's not like it's something that I've made up myself, it's more that it was there from the start, and I was just able to stumble onto it by chance. Sometimes that's just how it goes I guess.

So you don't make it up in your head?

Oh, of course some songs are what I've made up. Somehow I end up polishing whatever's swirling around in my head. But that's not how it is when I feel like I've really found something, those times it really is more that I just discovered it by chance.

It's what keeps the five of you going.

It is. Of course there's also the part of me that wants to put things out there, but I think, that's everyone who creates right, it's what makes you a creator. I think everyone who considers themselves an artist has that feeling. And I think if you let negative feelings win, then you end up wanting to quit you know? Like, "Bleh, this is too much work, I don't wanna." At least that's how I always end up feeling when I'm working on music and lyrics.

What do you mean by "everyone"?

It's just what I think. Like the other members, and Sakurai-san. Everyone who creates. I mean, we don't just churn things out automatically.

Even Yuuta-san, and Anii-san? Even though they don't write music?

Yeah. Like for those two, before they put something out first they have to listen to it, then they have to go into the studio and practice. So in order for them to get to the point where they can play the drums, and the bass for a song, they also have to play around with the phrases, and that's a form of creation. I think that's why we keep creating. I doubt it'd be the same if we had different members.

It's because it's you five that it works like this.

Yeah. Exactly.

It's absolutely incredible to me that you all have the will to create even now. When I heard that you guys would take a bit of a rest after the "Locus Solus" shows, I thought for a moment maybe you'd work on alternate projects, like maybe you would do another Lucy album.

Oh, that hadn't even crossed my mind. But I mean I wasn't really thinking of it as a break in that sense either.

Oh, really? But I thought you had done something to make you feel refreshed?

No . . . . . not really. Nothing specifically.

At least doing nothing meant finding that simple riff in "Datenshi", so now you won't have to pursue that kind of darkness and heaviness anymore right? Better to let that go.

Ah, yeah.  I'd say so. Like without that it wouldn't be rock, I'd really say it was pop. It kind of has that pop song feeling to me, even the words have Sakurai-san's style of brightness to them, that's why I thought it would be good to put them in.

Speaking of Sakurai-san,  he seemed pretty depressed last year.

Ah. Yeah, well . . . . . .that's because he was keeping quiet about some things for a super long time you know. So we just . . . . . . let him stew.

OK *smiles*. I guess that's why there's such intensity in certain lines in the song, like the "Ah ha" part.

Yes. Exactly.

I'd say "Luna Park" could be considered pop too so is that a hint of what is to come in the next album?

It is. Yes. I think it's going to be really incredible.

[jjongdee]

my favourite songs this month(so far !) - january 2020

1. BTS - ‘Black Swan’

This song just came out. I really, genuinely like it. I am looking forward to Map Of The Soul: 7 a lot more now, because the vibe of ‘Interlude: Shadow’ and ‘Black Swan’ are a lot darker than ‘MOTS: Persona’ ‘s, and it’s so up my alley. The hip-hop is showing through so much more than the last album, and I love the EDM/trap elements, as well as the subtle rock influence. I’m obsessed. Can’t wait.

2. DAWN - ‘MONEY’

This song came out at the end of last year, in November. I don’t remember first hearing it, but it was added to my playlist. Then, around the end of December, I really listened to it well. I watched the music video, too. Something about Dawn’s voice, really- it’s indescribable, sort of. It made me emotional, because Pentagon’s ‘Shine’ was my favourite song for so long, and his part really stuck out to me, and especially now it does. I guess this song triggers something in me about how much his voice means to me, even now that he’s a solo artist. I think I am just proud of him. How much Pentagon’s music helped me the past couple years. Just hits home. Also, “돈” by 던 is very clever. 

3. TAEMIN - ‘Sexuality’

I don’t think I can write a paragraph about this song like I can with the others. Not because it’s less of a song, or means less to me. It means a lot, I just can’t describe it in words. Please listen to it. There’s hardly words the describe the artistry and talent that Taemin posseses. Let’s just say I have the utmost love and respect for that guy. I hope he’s happy and healthy and safe, and I hope SHINee and SuperM can have a wonderful year.

4. Jackson Wang - ‘Papillon’

Hehe. I think Jackson(from china~~!! hehe he’s a cutie) is such an amazing artist and musician and this song really shows that. He’s very talented and special, and I think everyone agrees that Jackson is just amazing. From his music, to his performance, his heart, his abilities in language and sports- this guy! I could go on and on, but- this is a great song. If you love it, ‘Different Game’ is another one that has the same vibe.

5. CHEEZE - ‘We’re Everywhere’

Hm. I stumbled upon this song pretty recently. It’s really nice. It’s not too chill to the point that I get bored, but it’s relaxed and very pretty. I think the chorus has such a nice, feel-good ambience. Not usually my absolute favourite sort of song, but this one is pleasant. Listen, please!

6. JONGHYUN - ‘Deja-Boo’ and ‘Suit Up’

It wouldn’t be a favourites playlist without Jonghyun, would it? And yes, I picked two songs. I really love them both. Firstly, ‘Deja-Boo’. He knew what he was doing when he made this song, didn’t he? This song has aged incredibly well. Jonghyun’s voice is obviously (pretty much!)unmatched, not only in the Korean pop industry, but I think in the music industry as a whole. His music holds magic, I think. As for ‘Suit Up’. Such a sentimental, yet sensual jam! The intro isn’t my favourite, but 29 seconds in I’m automatically hooked again. It’s sweet and soft and holds a subtle sense of urgency and excitement. I like that Jonghyun described it as like the wedding night, when the bow tie and the veil are no longer needed. Other than the wink-wink meaning, I think he’s talking about marriage as a whole, and how he saw it. Like two people and love and other than that, nothing else is needed. I love these songs. (fangirl note: ughhhhhhh his voice !!)

7. Golden Child - ‘WANNABE’

This song definitely isn’t as deep as the others. This song makes me feel good and gets me pumped up, I like the vocals, the instruments, and everything about it. I heard some people say it was a little underwhelming and too people-pleasing(like just going with what’s trendy right now, that Stray Kids, ATEEZ, heavily EDM influenced sound), but I don’t think so. I like it a lot. Thanks for the gem, Golden Child!

8. SUPER JUNIOR - ‘SUPER Clap’

As the biggest Heechul stan, it’s hardly satisfying to see he has six(6) lines, but, you can’t say this song isn’t awesome(and I’m so happy he appeared at all!). Cheers to SuJu for still making awesome music. Love you guys.

9. WayV - ‘Love Talk’

This!! Song!! It’s not my absolute favourite, but it was for a hot minute! This song isn’t ~really~ my vibe, but it’s well produced, I can tell. I don’t know much about this group except for the fact that they’re a Chinese-based(?) sub-unit of NCT and this is my favourite song of theirs. It’s sexy! It’s cool! It’s trendy! And the rap parts are really nice. ‘Tis a jam.

10. TOMORROW X TOGETHER - ‘Angel Or Devil’

I’ve recently fallen in love with this song(recently meaning the past month). It’s more cutesy, but I absolutely don’t mind! It’s so poppy! I think TXT’s got this music thing figured out. Surprisingly, this song was my least favourite on the album(The Dream Chapter: Magic. This album. May have made my year.) when it came out. I really love it now. I love TXT, too. Those boys are already making and doing incredible things and they’ve got so many more good years coming! They’re not quite on their brother group’s heels yet, but I think in the next few years they’ll be their biggest competition! Hehe.

————————————————————————

all of these songs are korean, oops! i think that if you don’t listen to korean music, you can still find something you’d like on this list. and, some honourable mentions!

Stray Kids - ‘Gone Days’

Video Age - ‘Pop Therapy’

GOT7 - ‘You Calling My Name’

SOAK - ‘Knock Me Off My Feet’

Bien - ‘Electric Dream’

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

Post #46—Them Dirty Roses: Locked Down & Unplugged LIVE

“Cause I found the wind that blows, It’s blowin’ me back home 🎶”

Nashville-based southern rockers Them Dirty Roses recently let the wind blow them back to the Bama clay they were raised on for two consecutive nights of sold out shows at Sidetracks Music Hall in Huntsville, AL. General manager/talent buyer Shane Bickel was eager to re-open and provide both musicians and fans alike a safe, socially-distanced outlet for music, so Hillbilly Hippie Music Review made the trek there via Indiana and L.A. (that’s lower Alabama) to enjoy a couple nights of tunes post-lockdown.

Deemed “Locked Down & Unplugged LIVE,” the set of acoustic shows was the perfect, albeit different, way to kick off the return of live music—especially since HHMR’s last show before the nation-wide pandemic lockdown was in March with TDR at Sidetracks. Total full circle kind of moment, and one we wish we could have frozen in time. But, I’ve got to be frank—despite being a total glutton for acoustic music, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, being that everything had changed so quickly. Would people hesitate to interact? Would we dance and sing or sit there like statues? Would the energy in the room be relaxed or tightly-wound? At first, there was a bit of an unsure current in the air, but before long, everyone was loosened up and moving to the groove in their seats and all the ladies made their way to the stage to end each night with “Shake It,” a TDR ritual.

Before we dive into the specifics of the weekend, here’s a little background for readers unfamiliar with TDR: Brothers James Ford (vocals and guitar) and Frank Ford (drums) formed Them Dirty Roses with their friends Andrew Davis (guitar) and Ben Crain (bass) in Gadsden, AL circa 2012 prior to moving to Tennessee to travel the country playing their brand of rock and roll and finding success both stateside and across Europe. Their sound is a bit southern rock heavy laden with outlaw vibes, and a bit party band mixed with a penchant for slower, sentimental jams—in other words, it’s eclectic and every bit as unique as the four men who form the band. However you describe it, a TDR show is always a good time—and it only takes one to get hooked on the electric energy these guys bring to the stage. On June 5th and 6th in a little venue off by the railroad tracks in Rocket City, the vibe was killer and the feeling was out of this world. Not only were the fans ready to rock, but the band was ecstatic and thankful to be back in action.

HHMR contributor Linda Owen’s first-ever TDR show was March 13–the night the country shut down due to the pandemic. She has the unique perspective of experiencing the “typical” wide-open TDR show and the stripped, intimate version back to back. Here’s what she had to say:

“Three months without live music—I know I slowly watched myself go from the happiest most optimistic person I knew, to a complete mess. It may have seemed like I was okay, but I assure you I was not.

I’ve always known how much music has impacted my life. It has always brought me the greatest memories and blessed me with many friendships and there were so many times in my life where the only thing I had to hold on to was a song. Three months without my music family was torture. With that being said I'll never forget my first shows post-COVID-19. Ironically, the first post -COVID-19 show was at the same venue with the same band I saw pre-COVID-19, and it was perfect.

Let me set the scene. Sidetracks Music Hall is the kind of local music hall we all want in our hometowns: you feel at home as soon as you walk in, you are treated like family, and it has by far the friendliest staff and patrons of any place I've been to date. The venue possesses a large open floor plan with the bar area in the back, so there is not a bad spot to see the show. For this show in particular, tables are spread about what is normally the "pit" area. To be honest, I was a little nervous that this social distancing acoustic show wouldn’t quite fill that void that COVID-19 has left me feeling...I was so wrong. After getting settled in with a drink, my sidekick Lyssa and I did some mingling getting to talk to new-to-me friends that I'd made three months previously at the last show I had attended. The excitement in the room was palatable—and it only got better from there.

TDR hit the stage and you could feel the spirits of every single person in the room glowing around you. All the doubts that an acoustic show wasn't going to feel right with social distancing rules melted away! We danced and sang along like those tables weren't in the way the first night. "Whiskey in My Cup" "Grew Up In The Country" and "Molly" had us all on our feet grooving. We were treated to covers by The Black Crowes, Jason Isbell, and The Allman Brothers, in addition to fan favorites and new songs from their upcoming album expected to release in September—and we are stoked for it.

My heart and soul were happier those two nights than they'd been for the past three months. I sang my way back to Indiana..caught myself sing at work on Monday too!”

The magic wasn’t solely felt by the HHMR team—the air was saturated with it and everyone in the room had a taste that left them yearning for more. Below are a few comments from TDR fans:

“The first show post lock-down came with more enjoyment than just the music. We were super excited for the chance to get back out and hear live music! Them Dirty Roses were the last band we got to see prior to the lock-down. Now, it turns out that Them Dirty Roses would be the first post lock-down. The music was great! What we didn't anticipate was the joy it also brought by seeing so many friends with smiling faces! It was amazing to be seen again and to hear two nights of wonderful tunes!”

—Bud Gambrell

“Went to the Friday show and it was a group of guys that were ready for a show. They were the last band we saw before the Coronavirus shut things down in Huntsville. Looking forward to seeing them again.”

—Kevin Boyd

“The first show post quarantine was like something wonderful that I had been deprived of for a long time. I think sometimes we don't see how many things that surround us in life we take for granted. I see at least two live music shows a month. During the summer, I probably go to 2-3 shows a week. Honestly, it seemed like such a wonderful release and something that people needed. Everybody has something that feeds their spirit—mine is music. Being deprived of other people and the things we love are just some of the things that add to that depression that comes with the whole quarantine/covid situation. So, being around friends and music felt really great and normal. It seemed like life may be getting back to normal finally. I smiled all night!”

—Jerolyn Davis

“Needless to say, Them Dirty Roses put on one hell of a show two nights in a row, which was just what I needed after the almost three month drought of no live music! The fact that they were the last live show for me before everything shut down is kinda ironic and cool at the same time. I'm also very thankful to Sidetracks for putting on the shows, they rock!”

—Robin Huff

Guitarist Andrew Davis was on the same wavelength as many in attendance. When asked his thoughts on performing again post-pandemic, he said: “In March, the future of the entire industry was uncertain. We all knew that April was going to be postponed, but we couldn't even imagine postponing or cancelling the entire festival season. Then, weeks later, exactly that happened. With all of the uncertainty surrounding the future of our industry, it was very reassuring to get back out and play again. It definitely answered a lot of lingering questions about whether or not people would rush back to live venues.”

After last weekend, it seems life will slowly, but surely, get back on track and all will be right in our world again. Until that day comes, be sure to support live music and independent venues—such as Sidetracks who has hosted many fabulous performers like Anderson East, The Steel Woods, Black Stone Cherry, Adam Hood, Kingfish, Ritch Henderson, Muscadine Bloodline, Whitey Morgan and the 78s, and many, many more in addition to TDR—in whatever manner you can so that we have them to return to when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted nation-wide. And don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for that new Them Dirty Roses record to release this fall—it’s without a doubt some of their best work. In the meantime, keep up with the band and their tour schedule at www.themdirtyroses.com and @themdirtyroses on both Facebook and Instagram.

As always, stay safe, spread love, and be kind to one another. See y’all down the road!

✌🏻💙🎶—Lyssa

*This is an independent review. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this review.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

*Fan quotes have been edited for conciseness and clarity.

*These images are not ours, not do we claim them in any way. They are copyrighted by Todd Dean with Butterdean Photography, Linda Owens, & Lyssa Culbertson.

[nini-amore]

SuperM 1st Mini Album analysis/review

Hey there! I’m Nahir and I wrote an analysis for SuperM’s debut album (song by song!).

I realised that I had SO MUCH to say, lol (I’m just too shy to make a video and post it on YouTube), so I wrote down everything. I hope you guys enjoy it and feel free to add stuff! Here we go… PLEASE DON’T LET THIS FLOP, I WORKED FOR LIKE, TWO HOURS ON THIS POST

Jopping

 Jopping is the title track of this mini album and the 7 members participate on it.

LDN Noise produced this song and if you’re an SM stan you just know that the song is about to be GREAT if you hear their name, for reference, they produced songs like “Monster” by EXO, “Married To The Music” by SHINee, “TOUCH” by NCT 127 and many more!

Intro: I have so much to say about the intro, first let’s talk about Kai using his powers, during the beginning of the MV you can see him teleporting himself from one dimension to another, I think adding his ‘exo super power’ was a very cool and creative idea!

The start of the song itself was very interesting to me since the used the sounds of chanting  (I thought this was only part of the MV because it goes well with the visuals but it’s on the audio version as well!). This reminded me of an old Rome stadium, with desperate chants for the winner of a fight. I immediately associated it to victory and them conquering the music industry with their debut!

Rap: I personally really enjoyed everyone’s rap (Kai, Taeyong, Mark, Ten and Lucas), they delivered the lyrics in a very fierce way that complimented the song.

The only flaw that I could spot was with Ten’s rap, I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to hearing him as a vocal or what but I found myself mixing Mark with Ten on the first couple of listens! Their voice tones sound very similar (rapping wise).

Vocals: urghhh, there´s nothing bad to say about this! Baekhyun and Taemin’s voices blended SO WELL, I was SO impressed by how well they match each other, I saw so many people complementing this which made me so happy! Remember all those times Baekhyun said that he was going to vocal lessons? I think that paid off very well because his voice was very stable and clear throughout the entire song, his falsettos where on point and he held a note for like,,, 15 seconds which is VERY IMPRESSIVE.

I feel like Baekhyun and Taemin carried the vocal part of the song flawlessly and supported one another just perfectly!

Overall song: this song reminded me of “Take Off” by WayV because it had a very dramatic change in the middle of the song, but it this case, the change was repetitive, giving us a contrast between the rap and vocal parts.

MV/visuals/choreography: this video was filmed in Dubai which I think it contributed to the visuals BEAUTIFULLY!

You can see that the video was very huge budgeted and had good editing.

The styling was just 10/10 and very high end, I loved the clothing, hair, makeup, EVERYTHING.

The choreography (from what I could see) is amazing very creative and everyone was in sync which was very satisfying to watch.

Last but not least, Ten’s dance solo! At this point I think we should be used to seeing him have his little thing! It was very well done and delivered, very clear and sharp! Wouldn´t expect nothing less from him!

I Can’t Stand the Rain

Again, another song with the 7 member s, and also, ½ of my favourites!

The overall song gives me adventure vibes but also the feeling of being trapped inside one’s mind, like not being able to escape! This second thought came back to me when I read the translated lyrics!

The lyrics, oh my… they´re amazing! The message was very simple and direct but they were written in such a poetic way + the boy’s delivery was very well done. Top tier song.

What really stood up to me were the rapping verses of Mark and Taeyong in contrast of the vocals; perfect musical production in my opinion.

The percussion and the violins building up the song really captivated me and kept me in some sort of trace, I just can’t get enough of it! All of this plus the high note from Baekhyun made the song really perfect.

Ten, Kai and Lucas had very few lines but I understand that Kai and Lucas may not have voices that suited this type of song but I feel like we definitely could have had more of Ten.

I wish we could get an MV for this song; I can picture them in some kind of cliff or mountain with a gray sky over them while they sing/rap with Kai and Ten doing a ballet performance!

2 Fast

In this song you can hear: Taemin, Baekhuyn, Mark and Lucas.

2 Fast automatically remained me of SHINee or Taemin would sing, it gave me “Good Evening” and “Crazy 4 U” vibes!

What can I say about this song, huh? The use of Lucas deep voice is precise and sharp because it comes in very particular moments and, in my opinion, helps break down the song in a different way, I think a good colloquial term to describe it would be “melting it off” because it gave me that sensation!

The ad libs in this song really catch my attention; they were on point and made me think a lot of an NCT or EXO song since they use them super well in their songs.

Ironically, the song gets faster as it develops, loved that.

Not much to say about this one, it’s a great song.

Super Car

In this song you can hear: Mark, Taeyong, Ten, Baekhyun and Taemin.

This song gave me major NCT vibes, songs that come to my mind are “My Van”, “Simon Says”, “Black On Black”; but also old school Monsta X (more precisely the song “Quiet”) since the pre chorus was delivered quite… aggressively. [I’m talking about these lyrics/part]:

“움직여 vroom, like a black car

어떤 리듬 다 잘 타

더 vroom 레벨이 달라

나도 나를 감당하기 벅차”

A very engineering and robotic sound (though not the typical robot sound, more like the ‘pipipi’ sound the machine robots make on films, lol I hope you get that, I don't know how to describe it).

I really like the ad libs Baekhyun did, to sum it up, a very aggressive and straight to the point song.

No Manners

In this song you can hear Taemin, Kai, Ten and Taeyong.

The intro is kind of scary, stereotypical instrumental for an Italian mafia film; you’d get it if you listen close.

My other favourite song. It’s a very daring and sensual song, very trap based and because of this, I feel like Kai’s voice suited it very well since he has a honey voice that fits trap and r&b.

The song sounds very orbital, as if you were in outer space, giving you the feeling of being disconnected, which go in hand with the lyrics that talk about being in a toxic relationship and how they should break up right away without going around the bushes, in order to send this massage, the guys sang this song in a very ‘cold’ and ‘distant’ hinting that they don’t care about their significant other anymore.

My favourite thing about this song is Taeyong and his rap, I don’t know if he wrote the lyrics for his part but it was a work of art! I especially like how he mentioned ‘Nancy and Sid’ when talking about being addicted to this toxic relationship, it was a very TY touch to the song!

[For context, Sid was part of the band Sex Pistols and was in a relationship with his groupie, Nancy; both were addicted to drugs (more precisely heroine). Nancy was found stabbed to death in their New York apartment and Sid was accused of murder but he said that he couldn’t remember anything; he died a couple of months before being judged].

This song reminds me of EXO’s “Twenty-four” because of the trap base and chill way of singing.

IF YOU MADE IT HERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH I REALLY APPRECIATE IT

[salvatoreschool]

Exclusive Interview with Actor and Musician Quincy Fouse

Musician and actor Quincy Fouse just dropped a new music video for his single, “I Know”. I got the chance to talk to him about how Hugh Jackman pushed him to start making and releasing music, his single “I Know”, what it was like shooting his first ever official music video for this single and so much more! Keep reading to see what he had to say!

Tell me a little bit about how you first got into making and performing music.

Okay, this is a good story. I was actually on set for my first movie Logan and I was beatboxing on set. I used to beatbox a lot in high school and I used to do a bunch of indie shows around my hometown. So Hugh Jackman hears me beatboxing and then he asked me, “Are you making anything?” And I was like, “Nah. I’m just having fun on set.” And he goes, “Well you know will.i.am produced most of the beats on the ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ track while he was working on set with [me]. Maybe you should look into that.” We went on hiatus, I got a computer, I downloaded Logic and was looking up how to produce. So ever since then, I’ve just been producing music and then I got back into writing and rapping and it just kind of snowballed from there.

So making music and releasing it was never something you actually thought about until Hugh Jackman told you that it’s something you should consider.

Literally yes. I was just kind of chasing the feeling with acting. So I had just gotten used to the fact that acting was something that I could really live off of and then Hugh was like, “You should produce music” and I was like, “Okay” [laughs].

That’s so funny. I know you use the stage name Soul Fro when you release your music. What made you want to use a stage name and why Soul Fro?

[laughs] Well when I was in high school, I was kind of a really shy kid and when I started beatboxing – I guess I can’t say when I started beatboxing because I had been beatboxing my whole life – but so when high school [classmates] got a whiff of what I could do, I noticed I got people’s attention and I made people feel good and people would come out and start rapping while I was beatboxing. I kind of just became this kid with an afro that beatboxed in high school. I believe there was some upperclassmen who named me Soul Fro and it just stuck. I was like, “You know what, I’m going to make this work.” Now since then, the name itself has received a lot more meaning from me just because it’s kind of one of the first markers of me coming into my own self-confidence in high school. So music Quincy will be [known as] Soul Fro.

Gotcha. Something I’m always genuinely curious about is what artists want to convey to listeners with their music. If you had to describe the music you create without using genre names, how would you describe it?

I’d describe it as love in a vibe. I think when I make the beat and I build a chord, I’m looking for this feeling of being carried by the music; then, when I write, I’m just expressing the truth that’s on my heart. And all of that, in the process of essentially writing away and being my whole self, that’s what I define to be the equation of loving oneself.

Very cool. Kind of going off of that, who are some of your musical influences?

My biggest ones – and I’ve got millions – are Childish Gambino for sure and then Erykah Badu. Growing up, I’d say beatboxing was the first thing I did to get confidence, but the sparking moment that led me to even attempt to believe in myself to do these indie shows was watching Donald Glover on Community and seeing how weird and how awkward he can be in his comedy but still have a successful and secure place in society. I’ve been listening to Erykah Badu’s music and there’s always something so comforting and something that reminded you that you’re home within this breadth of culture in her sound. So both of those things coming together just kind of really defined my vibe of inspiring the kids that were like me and then also just giving that sense of love that isn’t finite to that kid.

Gotcha. So let’s talk about this new single, “I Know”. What’s the story behind that song? What inspired it?

The story behind that song, I was just working in LA and I met this girl. She was amazing. I was in the moment of falling for her, but knowing that I didn’t really have a destination and I didn’t really have a concrete place of wanting something for us together. I didn’t necessarily want to marry her. I’m too young for that. But I wanted her; I wanted her in so many ways and I just started writing and essentially just talking to her [through the song]. “I don’t know what exactly I want but I feel like you got it, whatever it is.” Just that place of confusion and yearning.

What was your songwriting process like for this song? Was it something that came pretty easily to you or is it something you kept coming back to and working on?

I literally wrote that thing in one day. It was just that intimate conversation. That’s why there isn’t a second verse. I just kind of used my producing chops to give some color to the rest of the song because that was just really authentic. It was straight from the heart and it was a message to her.

In general, though, when you write, do you tend to write by yourself or are you someone who likes collaborating with other artists in co-writes?

Oh I mean if I’m featuring on another song, we definitely sit down together. I create with my brother Darin Blaine Wilkens and then my other brother Colah, whose name is Noah Alexander Gary. I was recently featured on their newest album, How Was Your Day?. But yeah, when I’m writing with those guys for a feature on their music, we definitely talk with each other to make sure that we have the cause of the song down. If someone writes verse and it kind of goes against the message of the song, then we will all work together to kind of alter it. But other than that, if I’m working on a standalone project or it’s my song, then I’m writing the verses myself.

So for “I Know”, were there any major changes that happened once you got into the studio, whether it be in the lyrics or something sonically?

Nah. No. It was all pretty straightforward. And because I produced the beat for “I Know” as well. So right after I made the beat, sitting there in the studio session – I like to have like my family around me as I’m making stuff just because sitting in love makes me perform better – so while I’m sitting there, I make the beat, they’re like, “Oh that’s hot” and I just started writing the song. It’s one of the perks of being the producer and the lyricist and the performer.

I know you also shot a music video for this song. What was that experience like?

It was so dope. I worked with my good friend Barry Galperin, who is the director, and he created the music video for me. I called him up after the song came out and I was like, “Look man. I know that you kind of process art the same way that I do and I know that you could hit this feeling. Can we work together?” And he was like, “Sure.” It was so great because we were so in sync the entire time, so it was a beautiful experience.

Was that your first time shooting a music video or had you shot other ones prior?

No, that’s my first music video. I’ve shot little promos before. But yeah, that was my first official music video.

Was it everything you thought it’d be or was it completely different than what you thought it be?

Oh it was amazing. I think for me, I never have a template of an expectation. I have more of a specific goal or something to accomplish rather than expecting any type of experience. So when I just got on set and saw that we were accomplishing each little goal, you look at the end product and it just kind of made sense. But it was definitely beautiful all throughout the process and that’s something I definitely take away from the experience.

In terms of new music, what’s on the horizon for you? What are you working on?

[laughs] OK. I recently just sort of hinted at this on my Instagram so I can talk about it now, but I have a single that I wrote with Kaylee Bryant and she plays Josie on my show, Legacies. I wrote a little ditty for season one and we talked to Legacies and they let me keep the rights to it so I can make a song. So I’ve just kind of like expanded upon that scene and we’ll be releasing that.

Other than that, I have a couple of other singles that I got coming out and I’m going to be re-releasing my first album Soul Space. I had to make a few little edits to that and I also wanted to add a bonus track to it. Then, after that, I have a prospective future album called Son of the Ronin and that’s the album that I’m getting ready to go work on and kind of delve into the magnum opus of sorts.

Very cool. You’ve got a lot music wise coming up.

[Laughs] Yeah, I do.

What are some of your music industry related goals for your career over the next couple of years?

Like I said, I’m very goal oriented so I kind of stay away from the template of “I want to take over the game and be the best rapper ever” blah, blah, blah. I want to be able to just do live performances where the audience knows the words to my songs. And I just want to be able to express myself honestly. That’s pretty much the one mark that I want to hit. As far as the ascension and the gears that are the entertainment business, you know we’ll deal with it when we get there.

Last question – our website is called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner nerd, so what is something you are currently nerding out about?

Something I am currently nerding out about is Miles Morales in general because that’s always been like a dream role of mine [laughs]. I fantasize about that character, man. So I’m excited to watch the new Spider-Man coming out and I wonder if you can expect like maybe he’s in there; that would be really fun to see.

[brownskinsugarplum76]

Eye of the Storm, Ch. 1

So, I'm going to take the plunge into something multichapter. I'm not sure where it will end up, and I'm not sure how long it will be, but I'll keep going as long as I can (but no regular publishing schedule). It's going to be AU-ish, with Robert single, but with as much as of the legit Zeppelin timeline in place as possible. It's starting in 1976, after his car accident, right before the release of Presence. And it brings back Maggie, of San Diego beach fic fame. 😁

Thank you, as always, to @firethatgrewsolow for your expert advice, guidance, and review. Thank you also to @starchild0985 for your encouragement for me to just do it. And thanks to @callmethehunter for the Maggie character idea to begin with.

No smut in at least the first 2 parts, but we'll get there.

Thank you. Please send positive vibes--I am a bit nervous about my ability to pull off a bigger story. ❤️❤️❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert was enjoying himself at one of his favorite places besides the stage: the soccer field. He smiled as he watched the LA Aztecs thwart another Dallas Tornado goal attempt at 80 minutes into the match. He had to admit it wasn't as exciting as being at a Wolverhampton game, but it would do. Few people in America got feverishly passionate about soccer like his countrymen and women. This was especially so in LA, the playground of starlets and rock stars, most of whom thrived on nocturnal indulgences rather than daylight spectating.

He swept his hair out of his face for the umpteenth time. The wind meant that Old Man Winter, as gentle as he was in The Golden State, was not ready to retreat. Robert was glad he'd brought his leather jacket with him from Benji's car; his black, long-sleeved tee wasn't enough to ward off the coolness of the air. He had to laugh at the thought that the weather could be considered chilly, having survived much worse winters across the pond.

It was a few weeks shy of spring, a few weeks before he'd be thrust back into the spotlight with the release of the seventh album. He was proud that the band was still standing. During their forced hiatus there had been an influx of raw, hungry, minimalist groups openly mocking bands that reveled in grandiose musical ideas on grandiose stages, and Zeppelin was not immune to these kinds of attacks. But being in the studio a few months prior in front of a microphone felt like home, even if he was still on the mend.

Just like his pride in the band's resilience, he was thankful to be on his feet unaided, a couple months removed from the confines of a wheelchair or leg brace. He was also extremely thankful that his fall in the studio, during a moment of excitement, didn't cause another injury and another setback. He wouldn't have wanted to let the band or himself down in that way.

He shifted his attention back to the game. He refused to sit while soaking in the sun and the sport, the camaraderie with his friends, and the feeling of being alive and well. He also was enjoying being off duty, as Robert Anthony, rather than the Golden God. He would enjoy that feeling while it lasted; it never lasted long.

He had been scanning the crowd periodically as, in addition to the game, he was looking to score a lineup for a passionate match in his bedroom. It seemed a bust, because the few women present were tightly clinging to their significant others. But then he saw a familiar face, and he couldn't help but smile.

Maggie.

He hadn't seen her in about a year, though she lived a road trip away. And now he realized that had been a mistake. With too much on his mind after his accident, instead of reconnecting, he felt it safer to conjure up the memory of her body on their first night together. He remembered fondly how she lay underneath him in San Diego, slightly dusted with sand, as the world spun in a haze of tequila and the ocean waves rolled incessantly a few yards behind them. He also frequently thought of seeing her the following year at Kezar. Bonzo joked that she was the second bird who felt the clutch of his hand that day. It was an apt description, because Robert couldn't keep his hands off of her. After that reunion, he stole as much time as he could to visit her in San Diego or spirit her away to LA, whenever the band was camped in its American home base. Their relationship was free-flowing and undefined, but fueled with enough passion for it to bloom whenever they got together. He hoped they could pick right back up.

He watched her approach the stands, alone, and he took that as a positive sign. “Maggie, love!” he exclaimed. He raised a hand and waved; his cuff bracelet was almost in danger of flying off in his excitement. The gesture bordered on absurdity, as if she wouldn't be able identify a tall, otherworldly attractive man, one with whom she'd had many happy memories, who also just happened to be a household name. He grimaced at his overeagerness. But if his convalescence in Malibu told him anything, it was that cabin fever was possible in paradise. He wasn't quite ready to engage in tour life, but he was ready to be the prowling, pouncing lion again, not the broken man who was the receiver of TLC, even though the women were very lovely and very willing. He craved a fun fling, or more, with the right woman. The sight of Maggie gave him hope that he would get his wish.

She looked his way. Her mouth went wide, but her face soon settled on delight.

“Robert!” she squealed when she reached him. “What are the odds? How are you?” She threw her arms around his neck.

His spirited bear hug lifted her petite body from the ground before he initiated a kiss, one that successfully conveyed how much he missed her.

“Much better,” he said, putting her down and smiling some more.

“That's right, your accident! You're lucky to be alive!”

“I'm also lucky to be walking without a limp or anything… Some of the specialists had their doubts, but I never gave up.”

“That sounds like you. You look great,” she said, appreciating every inch of him from his hair, which was bigger than usual due to the vicious wind, to the red Converse sneakers on his feet.

“So do you.” He realized nothing had changed: her dark, wavy hair still grew past her shoulders, her smile still warmed his heart, and her curves, swathed in jeans and a thin sweater under an open peacoat, still called to his primal core.

He brushed her wind-blown hair out of her eyes. It was a futile gesture, because there was no shortage of wind. But when his hand came to rest on her cheek, it did accomplish what Robert ultimately wanted: a tender connection.

Maggie closed her eyes to savor the feel of his large hand. Robert beamed at the thought of how much she seemed to have missed it.

She greeted Benji, whom she had met at Kezar Stadium, and introduced herself to the rest of Robert's friends.

“Can I get you something? A hot dog? A beer?” Robert asked Maggie.

“I'm OK, thanks.” She turned to watch the play on the field.

“No worries. If you have time, maybe we can stop somewhere after the game?”

“I'd like that.”

Robert picked up his beer and took a sip. “So, what brings you up here, love?”

“I actually live in LA now. The band, we were signed, and we released our first album last month. We've been doing a bunch of LA gigs and are gearing up for a short tour in the summer. And we're going to open for Santana on a couple of dates this fall!”

“How wonderful! The time of year will be perfect for your tour. No risk of an icy car crash death, as when we first hit America…”

“I'm definitely glad for that! And you'll have to tell me that story another time. How frightening! So, I think I've read that you all have a new album coming out soon?” Maggie asked.

“In a few weeks’ time.” Robert sighed.

“Not excited?”

“I'm glad we recorded again, and it was really amazing that the album came together so quickly, but I have been enjoying the slow pace of our time off. I've missed the stage, but the circus that forms up around us, night after night? It's been good to have some distance from that, you know?” He watched LA race down the field and score a goal. He pumped his fist in the air and cheered.

“Lifelong soccer fan? Here by yourself?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I am,” Maggie said. My father got us kids interested in soccer, and we all played in the neighborhood. My one brother was supposed to be here with me today, but he's a bit under the weather.”

“Rough and tumble tomboy past, then?” Robert took another sip of beer.

“I did have more boy friends than girl friends growing up. It led to lots of crazy adventures, but it also gave me the confidence to lead the band and deal with trashy men in the industry...”

“I bet you've come across tons of them already.”

“Tons,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

“Well, if I know you, you've reduced them to damn near tears at the end, yeah? I know you don't take shit from anyone.”

“Thankfully we have a manager now, so I can step out of that role, but yes, I have fought for what we deserve.” She grinned proudly. “My band is my life and my family. I can't keep quiet when things seem to be going wrong for us.”

“That's my girl!” Robert leaned in closer to Maggie. “I also remember that you're a lady who knows what she wants and doesn't stop until she's satisfied,” he whispered in her ear before nipping her earlobe. A hungry smile spread across his face as he contemplated her fiery spirit.

“And that has not changed,” she said, turning and looking into his eyes.

She placed a hand on his chest as he tilted her face and kissed her slowly.

Robert marveled at his eagerness to consider leaving the match early, to spend some alone time with Maggie. This was new behavior, and it spoke volumes about the importance he had placed on her.

With only a handful of regulation minutes left, and LA comfortably ahead, he decided to break with tradition. For her.

“I think we know how this is going to go…” He put on his sunglasses and zipped up his jacket.

“The game, or our time together?” Maggie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Ah!” Robert ran a hand through his hair. “I meant the game,” he said with a chuckle. “But--”

“--I'm teasing you. I'm sure both of your thoughts are spot-on. In fact, I'm counting on it.”

“One catch, though, Maggie dear: you'd need to drive, as I'm still at the mercy of Mr. Lefevre, here, for getting around. LA traffic is too much work too soon for my delicate bones, I'm afraid.”

“At my mercy… I like the sound of that, even if you left out the detail of me being your chauffeur…”

“You'll forgive an invalid lad and be gentle, won't you, love?” His sweet gaze became more seductive the longer their eyes connected.

She sighed, remembering how Robert could charm his way out of anything, and how willing she had been to let him do it. “Sure, if that's what you really want…”

“For now, anyway,” Robert countered.

With a warm smile, Maggie linked her arm with Robert's. The two of them said goodbye to his friends and headed to Maggie's car.

[dailyexo]

[INTERVIEW] Baekhyun, Kai - 201001 Elle: “SuperM On Album Super One's Message, Friendship & Their Group Halloween Costume”

"What happens when you put together an Avengers-style K-pop group, featuring the top talent from some of South Korea's biggest boy bands, and unite their individual bands' fan bases? The boys of SuperM—Mark (from NCT and NCT 127), Kai (from EXO), Ten (from WayV and NCT), Lucas (from WayV and NCT), Taemin (from SHINee), Taeyong (from NCT and NCT 127), and Baekhyun (from EXO)—started that journey a year ago and made history.

With their first, self-titled EP, SuperM became the first debut K-pop act to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Nearly a year later, their first full-length album Super One is newly released—and very much influenced by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has stalled most musicians' plans for touring and performing for fans. Songs like "Together at Home" poignantly touch on it, with lyrics focused on finding the silver lining and embracing little pleasures.

Taemin tells ELLE.com that the boys want Super One to bring joy to their fans, and a sense of unity as the world goes through this period of quarantining and social distancing. "We want our fans to know that despite the distance, we are together in spirit," he says. "We created this album wanting to give back to our fans who give us unconditional love and support. Hopefully through our music, they can feel the positive energy and find happiness and hope to help get through this difficult time together."

Below, the boys discuss the album with ELLE, along with insights into how their friendship changed during their first year as a group, their experiences quarantining, and what their group Halloween costume has to be.

How has it felt to watch K-pop, C-pop, and J-pop take off in the West over the past couple years, and be part of that moment?

Taemin: As a K-pop artist, I am very proud. From performing in Paris and L.A. for the first time to having fans recognize me when we were taking photos along Abbey Road in London, these moments don’t seem that long ago, but it’s amazing to see how quickly K-pop has become popular around the globe. I am proud to have been a part of this movement and I’ll continue to work hard to help take K-pop to greater heights.

Last October, you made history as the first debut Korean act to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 with your SuperM EP. How did it feel taking that in? As a group, what is your dream to accomplish in the U.S. music scene?

Baekhyun: To have our first debut album hit number one on the chart was an incredible honor and the happiest, unexpected surprise. This is all because of our fans and I am so grateful for all the love and support they have and continue to give us. This just made me want to work harder to create a better album and provide more amazing content that brings joy to the fans. As for my goal in the U.S. music scene, when everything gets better, it’d be a dream come true to perform during the Super Bowl Halftime Show!

You’ve all known each other for years before working together. What were your first impressions of each other?

Mark: Before coming together as SuperM, I always looked up to them as role models. It was a cool feeling to see them all when we first had our meeting. I was thrilled and really looking forward to being on a team with them. And so, getting close to them as a brother and as a person was a good transition from just knowing them as senior artists. They all have their own brother-like personalities and I’m really happy to be able to see that side of them and have them accept me as a brother too.

Kai told Billboard last October that there was "nothing new to learn" about each other since you’ve all been friends for years. But what has working together as a group on this album taught you musically?

Taeyong: All the members are great artists and performers—each with their own unique, individual charm. Put them together and you get this amazing synergy onstage that’s been fun to show our fans. There are so many lessons I’ve learned from being part of SuperM but I would have to say the older members’ leadership and their ability to empathize with others inspired me to become a better leader for NCT 127. They really listen to what you have to say and always give great advice so I try to be the same for NCT 127 and help bring out the best in each member. I still have a lot to learn but I’m always trying to improve and working with SuperM encourages me to do so.

Ten: I learned so much from all the members while working on this album. They give the best advice, especially the senior members. Taemin gave me great tips on how to better express myself on stage and Baekhyun helped me a lot with my vocals. Outside of work, we can have deep conversations about anything. We all began our career at a young age so they really understand what I’m going through and how I feel. I can always count on them when I need someone to talk to.

How has being bandmates changed your friendships over the last year?

Kai: In the beginning, because we mostly knew each other as juniors/seniors within the industry and label, it was slightly awkward. But once we started to get to know each other, we were all able to connect with each other within the older/younger brother dynamic, so now they really feel like brothers to me. And I want to keep it that way going forward.

What has been your favorite moment from your first year together?

Baekhyun: One of my favorite moments would have to be when we filmed the reality show together. It was fun to do “regular” things together like cooking, playing games, and doing challenges. Everyone has a great sense of humor so we laughed the entire time. It was a great opportunity for us to bond and we had a blast.

Kai: I’d have to say when we were touring around the world together—and more recently, when we got to shoot our own reality TV show. Each of those moments brought us much closer together.

Taemin: When we made our debut as SuperM, and held our very first showcase at Capitol Records. I remember thinking, "This is another new beginning for me" and it brought back old memories of when I auditioned for SM and debuted as SHINee. It felt like another new path was created for me and I remember feeling all kinds of emotions throughout the day.

Taeyong: If you think about it, a year is not that long, but we made so many memories together and I think that’s because we are all positive-minded people. In the past year, we spent almost half a year on a world tour and the other half practicing and preparing for our album. I’ve grown a lot both on a professional and personal level so I cherish every single moment!

Mark: I think it would have to be our debut showcase in L.A. at the Capitol Records Tower. We were nervous but it felt good that we were all nervous together. Sharing the same emotions with the members is a good feeling because you know we’re all in it together.

Ten: When we went on our world tour. Experiencing different cultures and meeting our fans worldwide was unforgettable. Also, we all got very close during the tour from being together 24/7. Because we come from different groups, this was our first time doing a tour together so we were able to really bond.

Lucas: Our first performance of "Jopping" in L.A. It was a great feeling to finally be able to show the world what we’ve been working really hard on. The audience’s energy, the city, and the overall vibe that day was incredible. I’ll never forget it.

What song on Super One are you most proud of and why?

Taeyong: I am most proud of "Together at Home." It’s a little more special to me because I wrote some of the lyrics for the song. I put a lot of thought into the messaging and wanted to say that even though we are not physically together, we can find new ways to be there for each other. With what’s going on right now, I feel like fans can relate to the message and find comfort knowing that no matter what, we’ll always find a way to reach them. It’s a feel-good song that anyone can hum along to.

Lucas: I choose "Infinity." You can really feel our energy and our ambition "to go to infinity." Our title song, "One," is a hybrid remix that combines "Infinity" and "Monster" so it’s fun to hear the two tracks on their own and then hear "One" which has a completely different vibe. Each has its own charm.

Mark, you helped write "100" and Taeyong and Mark, you worked together to write "Together at Home." What do those songs mean to you? How has your songwriting evolved as you’ve worked on more music?

Taeyong: "Together at Home" [has] special meaning to me. When writing the lyrics, I tried to be as honest as possible with my feelings and thankfully, the team loved it, so I was very happy about that. Hopefully fans can also feel the sincerity of the message and like the song as much as I do.

Mark: It was fun writing both songs but I enjoyed "Together at Home" a little more because it really suits the current situation we’re all going through and I could really relate to it. Through this process, I realized how important it is to stay true to yourself. You can get inspired and get ideas from basically everything around you, but ultimately, you need to interpret them in your own way. Staying true to yourself differentiates you from other artists. This is what I always try to bring alive through my music.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Taemin: I would love to collaborate with Jessie J one day. Her performances are very sincere and I can feel her singing from the heart. I admire her energy and passion onstage and she is someone I feel I can learn a lot from. I also think we would create great synergy together if we collaborated!

You all are incredible dancers. What song from Super One has your favorite choreography so far?

Kai: I personally like "Tiger Inside." The choreography is inspired by the movement of a tiger and fits perfectly with the concept and theme of the song. I like that the choreography has its own storyline.

Quarantine and COVID-19 have drastically changed every musicians’ plans for the year. What is a day in the life of quarantine like for you? What things have you done for self-care when the days have felt harder?

Ten: First, I do the basics like wash my hands often, take vitamins, eat healthy, and exercise. But, most importantly, I’ve been keeping myself busy at home relaxing, practicing my vocals and dancing skills, finding new hobbies, and trying new activities that I didn’t have the time to try before. I was actually surprised at how much you can do at home.

Is there anything you can tease about what fans can expect for your next tour?

Mark: When we are able to tour again, I can guarantee we’ll be preparing the best show ever. As much as we missed out on a lot of shows due to inevitable circumstances, when it’s safe and the next tour opens, we’ll bring everything we have for the fans, especially songs from Super One.

What Halloween group costume will SuperM do this year?

Mark: It would have to be The Avengers! And if I were to do it myself, it would still be a character from The Avengers. Maybe Spider-Man? It’s a character fans really like and I think it suits me really well.

What's an entertainment pick—TV show, music, movie, video game, book—you’ve loved in quarantine?

Baekhyun: I’m sure many people are already watching a lot of Netflix and YouTube videos at home. Rather than an entertainment pick, I think it’s a great idea to take advantage of the time we have and start a new hobby you can do indoors—like learning to play a new instrument. Everyone has something they’ve always wanted to try but never did. Now is a great time to start! If you're interested in learning a new instrument, there are many great books and tutorial videos online so you can teach yourself!

Taeyong: SuperM videos! We created a lot of content for you guys and they’ll definitely keep you entertained and make time go by faster. Hopefully they’ll make you laugh too!

What’s next for SuperM?

Baekhyun: Fans have already seen our powerful, energetic side through our performances. Now, we want to get closer to the fans and show them more of our "human" side—who we are off-stage. Of course, we’ll continue to bring great performances but at the same time, we want fans to feel comfortable approaching us and not feel so distant. Most importantly, I want fans to find comfort and positive energy in our music."

Credit: Elle.

[fyexo]

200819 How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

“’Lit’ continues to explore chasing your dream. This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

“I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.  

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.  

“I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.

Riddhi Chakraborty @ Rolling Stone India

[chelseawolfemusic]

Chelsea Wolfe Interview // MusicRadar.

Full article via MusicRadar

“I’ve been able to do some really cool stuff, despite being undefinable and an outcast,” Chelsea Wolfe tells us.

It’s a strange, especially cruel double-edged sword that the more different you are as a musician to anyone else around at the time, the harder you can become to ‘market’ and gain some reward for that talent. And as compelling as Chelsea Wolfe’s music is when you take the time to listen, and it really is incredible work, there’s no escaping that the Sacramento artist’s five albums to date explore wildly diverse ground that’s difficult to label in traditional terms.

Despite an undeniable but gradual rise that’s seen her solo band play on all manner of varied bills, she remains more a cult figure than we think she should be.

“I think it makes it more difficult for any artist to break through when you can’t be put into a simple box,” she tells us backstage in Bristol on a European tour supporting industrial behemoths Ministry.

“It’s easier to ‘sell’ someone if you can be like, ‘Oh she’s an acoustic singer-songwriter from California’ or whatever. But that’s not really all I am, I have all these different sides and influences, from doom-metal and old country, to trip-hop and I bring all those things together in my own way.

“I think it’s more difficult to get certain opportunities because some people just don’t know what to do with me, but at the same time it’s been really cool because since we can fit into a lot of different worlds we’ve got a lot of different opportunities to play at festivals we wouldn’t normally fit on, because someone saw something in us.”

Wolfe’s last two albums, 2015’s Abyss and 2017’s Kurt Ballou-produced Hiss Spun find her in an undeniably heavy era for an artist who also has a whole acoustic folk compilation under her belt (2012’s Unknown Rooms). They mix dark, dense and abrasive sounds with mesmerising tones and ethereal hooks to stunning effect on a journey into Wolfe’s world, with guest guitarists including Russian Circles’ Mike Sullivan and Queens Of The Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen threading through the maelstrom.

There’s a lot to talk about and celebrate here, but the beginning feels the best place to start with Chelsea…

Going right back, were your musical tastes eclectic from a young age?

“Yes, definitely. Mainly because I grew up with a country musician as a father so there was old country and blues, from Johnny Cash to Led Zeppelin - they were one of my early influences through my father. And then my mum had really good taste too; she’d listen to Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt, so there’s a female folk and blues artist influence from her. I was lucky to have a lot of really cool influences.”

Vision quest

You’ve followed your instincts as a musician, but have there been times when that has been difficult?

“Not really because the label I’m on, Sargent House, are very supportive of what the artist wants to do and their vision. So there’s never been this push of, ‘You should try to do this’ or some radio-edit version. I’m not saying that’s out of the question because a lot of bands have done that and been successful doing that.

“I think I have such a lovely audience who are supportive of what I want to do, I don’t think they want me to become more commercial; they want me to just be me and that has become the biggest blessing as an artist because, as I’m writing, I feel the support coming at me from all sides and it makes me want to do my own thing and want to give the authentic version of myself as an artist.”

You were in a band before you went solo, did you have to strike out alone to find your identity?

“I think so. I started as a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar and my voice. Then I was putting together my first record that had folk songs and rock ’n’ roll songs and I met Jess Gowrie, who is my current drummer, and we formed the band called Red Host for a few years in Sacramento where we’re both from. And that was heavy rock, hard-hitting songs and it was a lot of fun, but I just knew I had so much more in me and I wanted to be able to do different genres and bring them into my own style. So I had to just fly free for a while to find my own voice and my own style.

“Jess and I unfortunately didn’t talk for a number of years but once we reunited a few years ago it was very clear our musical chemistry wasn’t finished and luckily we started writing songs together again and that became Hiss Spun.”

It seems like it’s been a more traditional, word-of-mouth thing with people discovering your music. Does it feel like it’s been quite a gradual build for you?

“Totally, yes. I mean we’re on year seven of pretty continual touring and that’s obviously a very old-school way to gather a following and we’ve seen the growth from small clubs to some cool theatres. So it’s definitely a gradual growth and a lot of people tell me, ‘Oh I heard about you from a friend or someone recommended it.’ I don’t get a lot of press that other musicians might get. I don’t really know why, maybe because I’m like this weirdo and they don’t really know what to do with me! But it’s been cool doing things in a more organic way.”

And those kinds of fans tend to stick with you, they’re often loyal…

“It seems like it. I see a lot of the same faces at shows and I recognize them from really early shows.”

Who have been influences on the heavier side of your music?

“Queens Of The Stone Age were a big influence for myself and my drummer, Jess. Bands that we’ve played with have ended up influencing us a lot; Swans, Sunn O))), Russian Circles even. I think playing with all these heavy bands is a reason I started going in a heavier direction for Abyss because after [third album] Pain Is Beauty I kind of imagined that I would go back to acoustic but then we were doing all these tours with heavier bands and I thought, ‘That looks like so much fun.’ I wanted to write some heavy songs that are fun to play and that I could really lose myself in.”

Is the acoustic guitar still part of your world?

“Oh yeah, I’ve actually written a ton of acoustic songs in the past year and I’ll probably focus on that next. I just follow my musical intuitions and instincts. For the last couple of records I’ve really wanted to make heavy music but now I think something in me is pulling me back to this more minimal acoustic folk, which are really kind of my origins as a musician.”

Abyss and Hiss Spun featured guest guitarists - with Russian Circles’ Mike Sullivan and then Queens Of The Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen. They obviously felt like the right players to contribute to those records, but how much direction did you give them or is there a trust there from the start?

“I think it’s a bit of both. Somehow it comes together in the right way where I know this is the person I want to play on the record with these songs, and then some of the songs I’ll be like, ‘Do your thing and let’s see what happens.’ But there will be a song like 16 Psyche where I really left space for Troy and I knew that I wanted him to write a big lead part over the breakdown/bridge, whatever you want to call it, towards the end of the song. It was kind of a back and forth situation where he would play something and I would say, ‘Focus on that part.’ It was really cool to have a great player put so much trust in me as I was putting so much trust in him.”

Flooring it

On Hiss Spun there’s also more of a band-in-a-room dynamic than ever before, is that reflective of the creative process?

“Yes, I wanted this one to be more collaborative and more as a band. So we did a lot of jamming together, Jess and Ben [Chisholm, bass player and guitar] and I. Also we’d bring in different lead guitar players to add some flourishes. But a lot of it was just the three of us jamming out. The traditional rock ’n’ roll process of songwriting, and also Ben wrote a lot of the guitar parts. There’s more of his vibe and his influence there, which is cool.”

Do you find in that context there are more happy accidents with things that happen in the moment?

“Yes, totally. I can completely understand why there are people who just jam in their garage with friends and don’t ever play shows or anything. That’s really the most fun part - having some drinks and jamming with your friends. Coming up with these cool ideas. That’s even more fun to me than playing live so, yes, I think a lot of happy accidents come out of that.”

Are some of what sound like electronics on Abyss and Hiss Spun actually guitar? Do things start to blur between those worlds?

“Probably yes, because Carrion Flowers, a song that I would consider to be an electronic song, is actually a bass part that’s run through some pedals into speakers, recorded from there and then run through even more pedals. So we kind of make our own electronic sounds and we like to sample things a lot.

“Even just upstairs there’s a crazy old fan that’s making some really cool patterns so I recorded that and I’m sure I’ll use that in a song later. Ben and I are always collecting weird sounds that we’ll put into MIDI or Ableton, twist it around or top little parts of it and make a totally new beat.”

What’s the strangest sample you’ve ever captured?

“I think the strangest one so far is probably the track Scrape, which is the final song on Hiss Spun and the final song in the set too. Our friend was working at a recycling centre and I think we asked him to take some samples of weird sounds. So he sent us the sound of the tractor scraping bottles up off the floor and it just had that natural rhythm and that ended up becoming the basis for Scrape. I know people might not imagine using the floor of the recycling centre but it really worked out well.”

There’s this relationship between beautiful and quite unsettling sounds in your music, is that difficult to balance, or is it just subconscious for you now?

“I think it’s become subconscious for me. It’s something I’ve always done, whether it’s putting a prettier melody like a softer vocal part over something super-heavy, I think it makes the front of house sound guys’ jobs intensely frustrating because you have this wall of sound with this whispery vocal over it but I don’t know, it’s just what I do.”

[needtobreathe-throughsmoke]

Needtobreathe: a band of brothers

By L. Kent Wolgamott      

HOW DO you follow up a chart-topping, critically acclaimed, synth-infused album?

If you’re Needtobreathe, you put out a rootsy, soulful, four-song EP, recorded old-school style — nearly live to tape.

To do that, singer-keyboardist Bear Rinehart, his lead guitarist brother Bo and rest of the band left the comforts of their South Carolina home studios for Nile City Sound, the Fort Worth, Texas studio where soul singer Leon Bridges made his Grammy-nominated debut album “Coming Home.”

“We met these guys who did the Leon Bridges record down there and just got intrigued by it,” Bear Rinehart said. “We do a lot of our recording ourselves or at least co-producing. This was something we wanted to try. We were liking the early ‘60s soul vibe. We had been throwing off some Isaac Hayes references. So we said, ‘Let’s go down there for 10 days and see what happens.’”

What happened was a fast-moving session in which overdubs and meticulous note-by-note production were kept to a minimum.

“The vibe was right to record live,” Rinehart said. “The record’s very much that way. A couple songs we did live, it was one or two takes of a song, which is pretty crazy for us. We usually take a year to make a record. My favorite bands live play stuff fast. That’s what we were doing in the studio. We did a good job of keeping that live vibe.”

The sessions, which were intended as an experiment, became “Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions),” the four-song EP the band decided to release earlier this year.

“We ended up cutting seven songs,” Rinehart said. “We thought, ‘This could be half a record or we can take the ones we like and put it out now.’ It’s the fastest turnaround we’ve ever had.”

Now those songs are making appearances in Needtobreathe’s live shows.

“The title cut, that song could have been on any record that we’ve made,” Rinehart said. “(Folk duo) Johnnyswim guested on the song and they’re out with us on the tour. They’re doing it live with us. It’s cool.

“This is the biggest show we’ve ever taken out in terms of production and the biggest crowds we’ve ever played to,” Rinehart said of the tour. “It’s going great. The first shows, you’re worried somebody will set themselves on fire or something. We got through those and now it’s really going good.”

The show also includes some songs that are included on Needtobreathe’s new live album. But they won’t sound the same as they do on “Acoustic Live, Vol. 1” which was released in November.

“For 10 years, we’ve been asking the agent to book us an acoustic tour, but the timing was never right,” Rinehart said. “We were getting bigger and they wanted us to play the bigger places, to play the electric rock show. Last year, we finally got to go out and do some acoustic dates.

“It was a blast. I knew after the first night it was going to be a record. It was so different and weird from what we usually do, I knew we had to put it out for the people who weren’t able to get to the shows,” he said.

“Acoustic Live, Vol. 1” is Needtobreathe’s second live album to go along with six studio records and the EP. Those recordings have been markers in the band’s career.

“We’re a 15-year overnight success,” Rinehart said. “When people ask what the turning point was, every little bit helps. It’s hard to keep the band together.”

That’s particularly true when it’s a literal band of brothers — see The Kinks, Oasis and even The Everly Brothers.

But Bear and his younger brother Bo have kept it together for two decades, since they started performing together as high school kids.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride,” Rinehart said of being in a band with Bo. “We’re a lot better at it now. Both of us have families, that seems to tone things down a little bit. And, with the band, we realized that every show isn’t make-or-break, that there isn’t one thing that is make-or-break.”

The Rinehart brothers were raised in Possum Kingdom, S.C. before moving to Seneca, where they played together at coffee houses at Furman University.

There, Bear joined the Furman Paladins as a wide receiver and won the 2002 Banks McFadden trophy for South Carolina football player of the year.

Not surprisingly, Rinehart said one of the best things about being in Needtobreathe is that he’s become friends with athletes from across the country. And he and Bo remain big sports fans

“College football’s the thing,” he said. “Me and Bo were named after Bear Bryant, so we were in it from the start. We didn’t really have much choice.”

The Rineharts, who are sons of a pastor, put together Needtobreathe after Bear graduated from Furman, taking the band name from a Socratic teaching. After a pair of independent releases, Needtobreathe was signed to Atlantic Records and released its major-label debut in 2006.

Simultaneously with its release, NeedToBreathe was on the cover of “CCM” magazine, the leading contemporary Christian music publication. And the band has won 10 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards for song, album and group of the year and got a 2015 Grammy nomination for Contemporary Christian Music Performance for the song “Multiplied.”

But Needtobreathe has consistently avoided the “Christian music” label, calling itself a rock band and largely being seen as that by the music industry and fans.

“Nobody wants to be labeled something,” Rinehart said. “I think about the Tom Petty story. When his first record came out they called it new wave. He said, ‘What’s new wave? We play rock “n” roll.’ ... Our first record came out and they called it emo. We were like, ‘Huh?’”

That said, there is a spiritual component to the band’s music, designed to touch those who hear it, Rinehart said.

“In our lyrics the only thing we really try to do is tell the story of what we’re going through. If I was being honest, a lot of the time, we don’t know how the story ends. I think that’s what draws people to it,” Rinehart said. “It never made sense for us to be the party soundtrack. If we were going to do this, it ought to have some sort of purpose.”