CL x Complex

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

Crush On You: Behind The Scenes With CL

Meet CL, the Korean Rapper and Singer Who's About to Take Over the U.S.



In Asia, this pop star needs no introduction. With help from the man who gave the world Justin Bieber, soon she won’t need one in the States either.

You will soon be bombarded by articles about CL, the 23-year-old singer/rapper who is coming to America after conquering Asia with her group 2NE1. These stories will inevitably mention K-pop (because she’s from Korea), and PSY (because they’re labelmates at YG Entertainment), and Scooter Braun (because she is S.B.’s first Korean signee post-“Gangnam Style”). All of these contextual details—which are, predictably, also in this story—might suggest that CL is a novelty aided by famous associations.

But reducing CL to these connections would be a disservice to her electric talent, which deserves the attention on its own. (Witness Diplo’s unsolicited co-sign.) The bold, unique solo records she has already released in Korea (“The Baddest Female” and “MTBD”) are what she calls “risky” for K-pop but—minus the Korean rapping—would make perfect sense here. Musical ability aside, her fluency in English and unmistakably cool style are more significant than her affiliations. So CL is from Korea, like Rihanna is from Barbados, or Lady Gaga is from Long Island. The origin story is important, but don’t let it get in the way of the music.

When “Gangnam Style” arrived in the U.S., I interviewed Scooter and PSY, and they both told me that it was important that PSY didn’t change who he was to cater to the U.S. market. Did you have a similar conversation when you signed with Scooter?
Yeah, he definitely respects me already as an artist, and he loves what I’ve been doing. He just wants to bring that out here and balance it out. It’s not like I am going to sing a whole song in Korean like PSY, but I think it’s a good balance. I want to represent Asian women in the right way. He wants to support that.

Some K-pop fans think that to make it here you’ll have to sex up your image.
Well, you know my image when I was in 2NE1. And I’m not going to change that. I’m not against being beautiful or sexy or anything, but it’s just I have this—I don’t know how to say it—but I have this “cool” image that I want to keep.

Everybody is speculating that your U.S. debut means that 2NE1 will break up.
That’s not true! We just finished our tour and everybody gets to take a break now. It’s just I don’t get a break. [Laughs.]

What are your expectations for your solo album?
I feel like it’s all about good music at the end of the day. It’s not like I’m a rookie—I have been doing this for a long time in Asia. It’s just a new market. I have to have good music, so I’m just focusing on that.

“ASIAN PEOPLE IN THE U.S. DON’T HAVE ONE POP ARTIST THAT THEY CAN LOOK UP TO. I WISH I COULD BE THAT PERSON FOR THEM TO BE PROUD OF.”

What has been the reaction in Korea to your upcoming U.S. debut?
People have been supportive. I’m happy about that. It’s a good pressure for me.

To be the breakthrough Korean artist?
Right. It hasn’t happened for me yet, so they’re just like: “Oh, good luck.” PSY blew up in a second, and everybody was proud of him. But they can’t say they’re proud of me. All they can do is wish me good luck and support me because nothing has actually happened yet.

Growing up, you attended international schools in Korea, Japan, and France—I’m guessing you learned how to adapt pretty quickly.
There were a lot of different races, and I grew up with all of them. I’m an open book. I love making friends. I like getting inspired, meeting new people, talking to them about their lives.

Korean dramas and makeup are blowing up in America lately. Have you noticed that?
Actually, no. Not dramas, because I don’t watch them. Are they big here?

A lot of non-Koreans are getting into them because there are websites that show them with English subtitles.
That’s interesting. I didn’t know.

And Korean makeup is huge.
When it comes to makeup, everyone in Asia already knows that Korean makeup is the best. [Laughs.] And I know the makeup game. People care a lot about beauty in Korea, in general.

Overall I’d say Korean stuff is cool in a way that it wasn’t when I was a kid, so it’s actually a great time for you to come out here.
Right. There are so many Korean people here—and Chinese and Japanese—but they don’t have one pop artist that they can look up to. That’s kind of sad. I wish I could be that person for them to be proud of.

I look forward to seeing that happen.
I’m going to try my best to represent Korea in the best way. [Laughs.] In a cool way. I feel like sometimes we have the wrong image, and I want to fix it a little bit. I’ll try my best.



complex@youtube, complex

Comments

[lydz19.livejournal.com]

I don't really like the second pic, but I love the first one.

Everybody is speculating that your U.S. debut means that 2NE1 will break up.
That’s not true! We just finished our tour and everybody gets to take a break now. It’s just I don’t get a break. [Laughs.]

LOL so everyone is taking a break and she was like "oh let me try to debut in the US for this break" I find that admirable.


What are your expectations for your solo album?
I feel like it’s all about good music at the end of the day. It’s not like I’m a rookie—I have been doing this for a long time in Asia. It’s just a new market. I have to have good music, so I’m just focusing on that.

She knows what she is getting into. I'm glad. Now she gotta do what it takes.

[rachelrainna.livejournal.com]

......................ick so this is really happening...................

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

mte

[rachelrainna.livejournal.com]

jeremy scott, moschino, denim---------- i can't with any of this it's like someone's asking me to eat something i spit out already

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

luckily for everyone involved i cant find the video of slavoj zizek talking about spitting into a glass then drinking it to try and make some philosophical point, but yes moschino & especially JS and denim need to go away

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

the second picture is not good at all. she looks like she won a bunch of weight and all went to her face

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

crappy outfit + shitty photoshop
She has a nice waist and they make her look like a rectangle

[blkjck.livejournal.com]

The cl us promo has officially begun.

I'm so nervous good luck queen.

[lily-of-west.livejournal.com]

I'm really not a fan of this specific hairdo on her. It doesn't suit her face at all. I love the outfit in the second pic bar that fugly ass jacket.

Love her interviews and I love how well thought out the answers are. I'm happy she knows that she needs good music and that's what it comes down to and that she's not going there with the mindset of blowing up and just getting fame but that she really wants to make good music. And basically she confirmed through this interview she's going there as a pop act so hopefully people can stop yapping about hip hop/rap and comparing her to Iggy.

[tiffturn01.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't it be better for her to come as a rapper? I just think that part of her would be more interesting than her as a singer. She has a nice voice, but it's not outstanding enough to set her apart. I think her rapping would make her different. I'm not saying she's the best rapper but she is good enough for people to pay attention to her. I think that would be more marketable.

[fantaesticbaby.livejournal.com]

I love her SO much and lol @ her comment about kdramas. No way she'd waste her time watching that cliché crap

[hurtmybones.livejournal.com]

No way she'd waste her time watching that cliché crap

have you only watched the heirs or sth bc what?

[leopolitan.livejournal.com]

fugly shoot...but cute interview. hope her debut is styled better than this tho

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

That second outfit is a no. Cute interview and I'm glad she shut that disbanding nonsense down

[bulleusekat.livejournal.com]

She has the right attitude and has good points but idk, sthg tells me there's going to be some mess in this debut. Not very fond of her closest biz connections so far tbh.

[seroquels.livejournal.com]

that 2nd pic :(

But nice interview!!

[bunica1990.livejournal.com]

idk what they did with her makeup and the lights in the second pic...she looks weird

the first pic is cute; good luck to her!

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

I liked the interview, CL seems to know what she's getting into, and I am so excited for her US debut

[hurtmybones.livejournal.com]

barf @ the styling. I'll hold out hope until the last minute that she finds a way to keep jscott away from her solo ventures idc!!! just look at the cheap looking carnival-esque costumes he put k*t* p*rr* into, he's hopeless

oh and diplo can fuck off

[yohan94.livejournal.com]

why does cl always look older than she is to me is it the heavy eye makeup idk

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

uhh i get nervous seeing these articles like "SOON u will be seeing CL EVERYWHERE" like dont jinx her... im just picturing myself looking back at this article a year from now if she flops... but ive got my fingers crossed

[cooliosa.livejournal.com]

that was a cute interview

[angela-derp-otp.livejournal.com]

I'm glad she's aware of her position, seems like she knows what kind of works will it take to break the US market.

[donutism.livejournal.com]

Nice interview.

Tho imo japanese makeup >> Korean makeup, but thats just me.

[tiffturn01.livejournal.com]

I like this interview but I do not like her hair or earrings.

[ryukokoro-oppa.livejournal.com]

What song are they using in the background during that video?

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

it's Dirty Vibe by Skrillex feat. GD and CL

[akaich0u.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan of her personally but I will be for her American debut. Asians, yes!!

That said I am getting a budget Rita Ora vibes from this shoot. Which is bad because Rita is already a budget Rihanna.

[lily-of-west.livejournal.com]

How in the world are any of those outfits "chola" outfits. Since when is high waisted jeans and a croptop defined as a "chola" outfit? This is 90's fashion which has made a comeback something everyone used to wear back then. You need to stop reaching and stop throwing around the expression "cultural appropriation" for every single thing especially if you don't clearly know what it entails.