It solely takes a second with Kun – the 26-year-old singer-songwriter who rose to fame on China’s Idol Producer – to really feel like long-lost buddies.
The boy group member turned singer-songwriter is fast to leap into dialog about his seemingly favourite subject – making music. There’s lots to speak about. His newest single, “Deadman,” was launched a month in the past. The soulful observe’s launch was accompanied by a cinematic music video, which the 26-year-old was deeply concerned in creating.
Contemporary off a somewhat-surprise efficiency of the track track at 88Rising’s Head within the Clouds pageant final month, Kun sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to speak about making deadman, his love for music and what’s subsequent in his “new journey.”
Are you able to inform me extra about your newest single “Deadman?”
Properly, I’m very, very completely happy as a result of this observe was made final 12 months, so it was a 12 months [until the time] when folks might truly hear it. I heard it a thousand occasions already, so now folks truly are listening to it and a variety of them are stunned. I believe they’d [say], “Oh, I didn’t know Kun’s voice was like this now.” However I used to be simply doing my factor over the previous 12 months. I’d simply maintain cooking music within the studio. That’s what I really like. I wish to deal with it, and I made a variety of demos. However “Deadman” is certainly the one I liked, so I’m very completely happy. Lastly, I put out this observe. One thing about this observe has the classic sound that I’ve by no means made earlier than, and [there’s] the distinction between the classic and the fashionable factor. I believe it’s very attention-grabbing, so I actually wished folks to listen to it.
It does have an nostalgic feeling to it. It feels such as you’ve heard it earlier than, in a great way, not a reptetitve means. Inform me in regards to the course of making songs?
There’s no reference, to be trustworthy. Now we have the guitar participant [and the] piano gamers. I simply inform them, “Hey, let’s do that groove.” I’d simply begin giving a groove, a tempo, we arrange a vibe. I begin [to] freestyle, simply straightforward. No reference. I’ll inform them, “Hey, I wish to do one thing like old-fashioned, however not too previous.” Does that make sense?
I like soulful stuff. I take heed to a variety of traditional jazz, soul and R&B. They know what I like. I like Prince. I like Elvis. All of them know that. My buddies, we make music collectively, so once I begin free-styling, they simply know. They’ll inform me, “That is the road.” We’re simply chilling. We’re simply taking part in.
Do you’ve got a favourite a part of releasing this single?
Undoubtedly the music video. There’s a variety of loopy tales behind the music video. Take a look at his face, look his face. It’s like, we shot it in Montenegro. It’s a really stunning place. I used to be there for per week, an entire week. I realized the choreography there, and I realized preventing. I realized dance. We arrange the rig. It was type of loopy, and the schedule was very tight. We needed to transfer to completely different areas, and I couldn’t even sleep at night time, so I used to be posting [to my Instagram] story that I used to be simply sitting on the couch like, “I hope this shall be good, I hope every thing shall be wonderful.” My buddies had been at all times asking me, “What’s happening? Why are you not sleeping? It’s alleged to be very late proper now, proper?” It wasn’t a simple one. Undoubtedly. However I’m very grateful for all of the those that labored on this undertaking. It’s not a simple one. It’s type of like a film shoot.
That’s spectacular, particularly given the size.
I wished to make this character. He’s dying over and over due to the issues he loves, so he’s bleeding on a regular basis, very painful. At all times rocking with the guitar like in the present day is the final day, in the present day’s the top. That is going to be the final track I sing to the world. That’s the course we went for, and that’s the primary line I mentioned to everyone. “Hey, I wish to write a track. It sounds silly, however what if I die tomorrow? Immediately is the final observe I’m going to play.” That’s how we bought “Deadman.”
It sounds such as you’re very, very creatively concerned in every thing you do. What’s that so essential to you as an artist?
I’m only a inventive man. I wish to study new issues. I wish to create new stuff, like cool shit, however in my very own means, I don’t wish to be anyone [else]. I simply wish to be myself, proper? I simply wish to sound like myself. I simply wish to do my very own factor. I’m the man that’s at all times [improving] myself. I at all times hate the previous me. It’s like, “Why did I [do] this shit?” [There’s] nothing dangerous about it. I simply wish to be higher on a regular basis. You get what I imply? That’s simply my persona, so I identical to to beat myself.
Basically, for you, your solely competitors is your self?
Precisely.
Are you able to inform me a bit about Head within the Clouds and what it was like performing there?
This time I actually simply got here right here to assist. [I wasn’t] taking part in a set. I solely have one new observe out. I wish to play the brand new songs. I don’t wish to play the previous songs. We will in all probability play [them] subsequent time, like a brand new set, possibly in New York. However this time I used to be principally simply right here to indicate folks the brand new music, what it seems like. I wished to indicate the viewers in America, allow them to hear the brand new observe. And likewise join with my followers. I really like the crowds.
What’s it like performing within the U.S. for you? Do you take pleasure in it? Do you discover it a bit completely different?
I believe it’s completely different. It’s very cool. It’s my first time [doing a festival]. In China, we now have a variety of festivals too, however [I] by no means actually go to [them]. I used to be solely doing [my own] concert events, so that is the primary time. I simply actually did one thing I haven’t completed earlier than. I’m simply very completely happy. I’m actually loved it.
We didn’t even have a variety of time to arrange [with] rehearsals. I simply went on the stage and tried it. I didn’t even know what mic I used to be going to make use of. I didn’t even know who was going to offer me my in-ears and every thing. It’s a shaggy dog story. I used to be truly fixing the mic stand once I was singing the excessive notes. Any individual didn’t tighten it, so it was simply going up and down. I’m attempting to repair it, however I’m additionally singing the excessive notes. It’s type of loopy, however there’s a variety of tales folks don’t know.
Do you wish to carry out extra within the U.S.?
We are going to. We are going to. I really feel like we’re simply beginning. Ranging from “Deadman,” every thing is simply new. [I’m] beginning a brand new journey, so It’s actually just the start. Head within the Clouds, it’s enjoyable. It’s a great begin. It’s serving to a variety of Asian artists. That’s one thing I respect. There’s not a variety of labels [or] festivals that’s serving to Asian artists. That’s wonderful. That’s one thing very cool.
What’s like to have the ability to carry out at a pageant like that?
It’s an excellent expertise for me. After I’m singing, every thing simply type of tunes out. I simply deal with the observe. I simply wish to put out the message I would like. I simply wish to present folks, “Hey, that is the brand new sound.” Previously, we simply spent an excessive amount of time within the studio. I spent an excessive amount of time in studio. And I do know that my followers [have been] ready for too lengthy. I really feel a bit sorry. I at all times say that. I really feel sorry typically they don’t see me that a lot. I don’t even publish rather a lot… That’s simply me. I’m not an web man. I’m not a social [media] man. That’s simply not me. I identical to to deal with my factor. Typically I really feel sorry to my followers, so this time once they requested me to play [the] pageant, they mentioned, “Are you able to play a set?” I mentioned possibly subsequent time, however I can present up. I can come to assist. I’d wish to as a result of I really like Head within the Clouds. I really like the vibe.