Minzy Interview Roundup

[adenar.livejournal.com]

On 23rd July, Minzy helped an AMA on the r/kpop subreddit to answer international fans' questions! The questions ranged from her personal life, to her history in the industry, to her future plans. Minzy answered a range of questions, from simple questions about her favourite foods, to more interesting questions about plans for activities that had fallen through while at her former agencies. Here's a selection of the most interesting ones below!

Number 1: Minzy's original solo debut plans at YG

erixxi: As a Blackjack, I’ve always been angry at YG for neglecting to support you as a solo artist. Did YG ever have plans for you to have a solo debut? Did you record any solo music while you were with YG?
You’ve said that you’re close friends with Luna. Now that both of you are independent, have you ever thought of collaborating on a song?
Love TEAMO’s Latin inspiration! What new genres are you trying next?
What are your plans for the rest of 2021? Any plans to release more new music before the year ends?

minzy_official: I had plans for debuting as a solo when I was in YG Ent.
I had plans to debut for a solo before "I Am the Best" but our schedules had some problems.
I recorded a song like Taeyang's "Only look at Me" (Medium Tempo)

I met him [her, Luna] recently on a show, and I found out that he [she] opened his [her] own label.
[She] He is planning on making various music and I also like to make projects.
So, I think if we collaborate together it would be great!

I think it would be good if we try Hip-Hop based genres, but not only that but we can try a new genre mixed together. I also like the cyberpunk genre so it would be good to show those kinds of genre music, it's just an idea!

Umm..year 2021, yes haha. I am going to make music.
And also have plans on collaborating with various artists.
I'm planning on having a fan meeting! I think it would be a year to keep in touch with my fans!

Thank you :)

Number 2: Favourite Choreographies/Advice

tiatamago: What are some dances/choreographies you’ve been loving lately?
Do you prefer short hair or long hair?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
If you could go back in time and meet your 16-year-old self, what would you tell her?
What’s your favourite thing about performing?
What’s your absolute favourite song of yours and why?
Finally - when the world opens back up and it’s safe to do so, do you want to go on tour? Heard London has some good venues... 😉

Again, thank you so much! I hope you’re doing well! TEAMO is SO GOOD, and I’m so excited to see what you do next ❤️♠️

minzy_official: I like Royal Family / Paris Gobblin and I also like Kinjaz. I have been watching their videos a lot. I had a lot of inspiration with my new album also
It's hard to choose one. I do prefer short hair!
Advice..My sister told me to work hard when you can!
When I was 16 years old and having a music career, I couldn't enjoy myself since I was so busy. But now I am older than before and everything seems like a good memory for me. So! I would like to say enjoy the moment!
First of all, I can't meet my fans these days. So, I miss singing together and communicating with my fans.
I like "I Am the Best." the best. That song makes me crazy in a way
Of course I would like to go on a tour! Haha..I would like to go on a trip and have a concert and meet my fans. And I would like to go to London. I personally like Harry Potter, so I would like to visit the shooting spot!

Number 3: Friends and Films

smtcl: What are the 2NE1 girls or other celebrity friends saved as on your phone?
What are some shows/movies/books you've been into lately?

minzy_official: We each had nicknames. I saved the names as nicknames. Recently I've met a friend called Wendy, she's the same age as me so we became friends. haha I call her Wandy because she is a DJ (DJ + Son Seung Wan) haha
I like to watch documentaries. Beyonce Home Coming, Miss Americana. The movie I really liked recently was "A Star is Born." It's a masterpiece :)

Number 4: Sister's Slam Dunk

hyetheist: Hi Minzy! I really loved watching you on Unnies Slam Dunk. Do you still keep in touch with the Unnies members? Congrats on your new single, it’s a bop!

minzy_official: Hello! Yes, we are still in touch with each other! We used to hang out together before the Pandemic. Everybody wants Sister's Slam Dunk3. And we do miss each other. Sook Unni gave me so much support for my album, even posted things for me on her Instagram :)

Number 5: Dynamics in 2NE1

Viper_Red: Hi, Minzy! Firstly, I just wanna say that 2NE1 is the reason 13 years-old me got into kpop. As a teenage boy, I didn’t believe kpop was the kind of music that was meant for me but your music changed my mind so thank you for that! I absolutely love you guys, think “Fire” is the best debut song for any group ever, still have ALL your songs in my playlist and listening to “Goodbye” still makes gets me pretty emotional (I’m actually listening to it write now lol).

My questions:

We usually see with most kpop groups that the members are close to each other in age. But you have quite a large age difference with Dara and Bom so I was curious how that impacted the dynamics of 2NE1?
Secondly, are there any 2NE1 songs that have a special meaning or story associated with them for you? What is your personal favorite song?
Lastly, what are your plans with MZ Entertainment? (I had more questions but I guess I was too excited to remember them all)

minzy_official: First Question! Since every one of us lived abroad, and have that culture in us, we didn't feel the gap of age. We got along like friends! So we called Dara Unni the Fake Maknae haha. She was in the Maknae line with me. Cl unni and I took care of Bom unni and Dara unni. haha I think we had a good balance together ;)
Pretty Boy has an important meaning to me. That was the first song we recorded together. And also, it was my birthday haha. This song made us feel like we are One!




K-Pop Icon MINZY on New Single “TEAMO”

Minzy’s comeback is marked with a unique aspect that merges styles outside of what she has presented in her previous two singles, but when viewing the music video, feels like a completed vision of her ideas. Earning that ability to follow your own path and forge your own style doesn’t come easily for many artists, but Minzy has found ways to challenge herself after over a decade of experience – and that’s a testament to her enthusiasm for music.

With “TEAMO” finally available and marking the powerful reappearance of Minzy’s music, we discussed her new single, trying new concepts, and the next era of K-pop talent.

Congratulations on your new single, this is such an exciting and liberating comeback song! How would you say this release compares to the style or ideas behind your previous work?

Minzy: In “TEAMO”, there are no untouched parts such as concept, styling, hair, and makeup. Before that, it was to package many people’s ideas into one, but this single, I think it contains my stubbornness. I participated in almost every part.

This track is a fun Latin and Hip-Hop fusion that feels very balanced – were there any other songs or artists that inspired you to branch out and try this combination?

Minzy: While listening to the music of my eternal divas, Jlo, Shakira, and more recently, Anitta, I think I had many musical concerns.

view the rest at the source



Minzy speaks about her new single ‘Teamo’, how she has changed over her career and why she started her own label

The lyrics for ‘Teamo’ are loosely based on ‘Romeo & Juliet’. What inspired you to incorporate this story into your new song?
Minzy: “I had an online fan-meeting with some Brazilian fans, and at the time, they were really passionate and great to me. I wanted to deliver my sincere thanks to them with the song’s lyrics, so I ended up writing a song inspired by the passionate love between ‘Romeo & Juliet’. During the time that my choreographer was preparing for ‘Teamo’, there was also a movie about ‘Romeo & Juliet’ that came out. We felt that the story suited the song really well, and that’s how it all came about.”

‘Teamo’ recently made its debut at Number Six on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart, congratulations! What do you think has contributed to the success of the new track?
Minzy: “Thank you! Firstly, my priority was to communicate with my fans and so we made sure that ‘Teamo’ would be a song that they could sing and dance to with me. So, I think it could be because ‘Teamo’ ended up becoming the kind of song people could come together to sing along to.”

Also, you started your own label MZ Entertainment late last year. What motivated you to start your own agency and what has that been like?
Minzy: “In the long-term, I would like to help nurture the next generation of artists with MZ Entertainment, because there are many great juniors out there. Also, I wanted to be able to create music and performances that could show off my own colour as an artist.

“Frankly speaking, it was really difficult becoming an entrepreneur and starting a company on my own, but on the other hand, I can now communicate with fans in my own way that is comfortable and familiar, so I think this was the best decision for myself.”

It has been 12 years since you began your career, and it must have been a wild journey for you. What has it been like and how do you think you have changed since the beginning?
Minzy:“So much has happened over the past 12 years that it is difficult to express through words, that’s for sure. But that is why I am here today. I was so young in the beginning, so many of the staff I worked with would tell me what to do, and what I could do. But now, I can share my ideas on everything and express myself freely, so that is how I have changed.”

read more at the source




K-pop singer Minzy on new song Teamo, going solo after 2NE1 and learning to love herself

Friendship is something Minzy has struggled with for much of her life. Born Gong Min-ji (Minzy is an alternative romanisation of her given name), she joined South Korean music company YG Entertainment when she was in grade six, and was only 15 years old when 2NE1 released their first single, Fire, in 2009. Since she started her career so young she didn’t spend a lot of time in school with people her own age, and has publicly spoken about her struggles with depression during her time within the group. “I was really lonely,” she admits. “When I was young, I was very careful and worried about everything. I was so busy then … At the time, all I was thinking about was whether I was making mistakes on stage or if there was something I could improve. But I wasn’t able to enjoy the moments.”

Following several years of no new releases from the group, during which a planned solo release under YG was postponed into obsolescence, Minzy left 2NE1 in 2016 to focus on herself, which ultimately proceeded the act breaking up in 2017.

Minzy is not alone in leaving a girl group to focus on herself. It is unfortunately common for members of even the world’s biggest female pop acts to part ways with their teams to focus on their mental health. Last year, Jesy Nelson left Little Mix, citing her own personal struggles, and, though not permanent, several Twice members have sat out promotional periods to focus on their mental health.

Now Minzy is in a better place mentally, actively trying to enjoy her life and career. She claims her dark times helped her grow and develop a more optimistic mindset, and now she determinedly looks forward to what’s to come, not back at what she’s been through. “I look at the forest and not the roots, and just chase my future. I am optimistic my future will be special,” she says.

After leaving YG, Minzy joined another South Korean entertainment firm but it didn’t work out, so she launched her own company, MZ Entertainment, in 2020. “It’s really not been easy for me, but I realised I can do it by myself. It’s really been a lesson for my entire life. Before this, I was just an artist. Now, I’m a leader of an enterprise.”

One thing Minzy is really looking forward to is inspiring younger stars and being a role model, the way she herself was inspired by various artists who came before her (she’s a particular fan of Michael Jackson). Nowadays, she encounters a lot of newer K-pop acts while working, and she has really enjoyed conversations with younger stars who have reached out to her to discuss their careers. “Especially the girl groups, I know how hard it is. I want to try to help them, be a person they can turn to. I see myself when I was young, and I hope I can provide some guidance.” She tries to offer her own insight into the industry, and has been inspired to see others grow and thrive as the world becomes more aware of South Korea’s pop culture.

read more at the source

source: r/kpop, popwrapped, nme, scmp

i didn't want to overload this post with text so I cut the interview short lol
Learning that Minzy first had a solo debut recorded in 2012 and we had to wait until she went solo for an entirely different song...I wonder what the other members had shafted in that time too

Comments

[myungung.livejournal.com]

if CL who had so much hype and plans being shelved, I won't be surprised Minzy got a lot more things delayed/swept under. I hope now she gets to have budget and chance to release. A Luna collab sounds promising, given both vocals and dance would be covered!

94 line making friends is nice, since Minzy probably didn't have that many same aged friends upon debut, and I think at her 2ne1 period she probably was friends with older idols like Soshi?

[adenar.livejournal.com]

I remember at one point Minzy was sort of close with a few Soshi members because they went to the same church - she's mentioned them in her 'thanks to' on a few 2ne1 albums. I also know that she's been friends with Luna since not long after they all debuted so it would be amazing to see them do something together.