AsiaPlayList: CL

Showing posts with label CL. Show all posts

Thursday, March 8, 2018

English Songs by Asian Pop Artists (Pt 2)

There are some cases when Asian pop artists deviate from their usual language and make a song in English, whether it be to reach a wider audience or to treat their international fans. Here is a list of completely English tracks by K-pop, J-pop and C-pop artists. Some of these songs are exclusively English, whereas some are an alternative version to the original. Here is Part 1.

1. Jane Zhang - 808

C-pop

"808", the English version of "心電感應808", is a promotional song that Jane Zhang recorded for Budweiser. She performed this EDM banger live at the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and subsequently, it charted at number 31 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs!

2. Wonder Girls - 2 Different Tears

K-pop

As I mentioned in part 1, the Wonder Girls have quite a few English songs aside from their hit "Nobody", this being one of them. "2 Different Tears" was released shortly after "Nobody" and continues the retro concept that was in the former. The five Wonder Girls dance in an 80s inspired music video and sing about the joy of a relationship and the pain of it's ending.

3. CL - No Better Feelin'

K-pop

CL still hasn't started her American music career full-fledged, but in the meantime she recorded an official soundtrack for The My Little Pony Movie. In this, CL shows off her powerful vocals, which is something she doesn't always get to do as a rapper. One may expect that a song for an animated children's movie would be juvenile, but "No Better Feelin" is quite enjoyable for all ages.

5. Taeyang - Wedding Dress

K-pop

The English version of "Wedding Dress" appeared on the International version of Taeyang's first solo album. With this, Taeyang proves true to his title of the "Korean prince of R&B" and sings bitterly about his love who is walking down the aisle with another man.

6. Utada Hikaru - Come Back To Me

J-pop

"Come Back To Me" is a single off of Utada's third English album. The song is an R&B ballad that has a similar sound and meaning to Mariah Carey's We Belong Together.

7. Diana Wang - Skinny Love

C-pop

On her debut album, Diana Wang included a beautiful cover of Birdy's "Skinny Love". Wang added her own charm to the British singer's piano ballad.

8. Henry - Monster

K-pop

Henry has been dropping singles here and there for the past year, each with different sentiments. "Monster" (also released in Korean and Mandarin) is an angsty song about a a man's change of emotions during or after a relationship. Henry, yet again, shows he's a great songwrtiter by writing such emotive lyrics. "And if you listen to me, Hear all the words that I speak, Trying to hold it but the pieces are falling, I just can’t stay by your side, I just have to live my life I’m not the monster."

9. Tiffany - I Just Wanna Dance (Remix)

K-pop

Girls' Generation Tiffany made her solo debut in 2016 with the 90s inspired "I Just Wanna Dance". A bonus English remix of the song is available for download on specific platforms, and unlike the original, it's written and composed in part Tiffany herself.

10. Miss A - Love Alone

K-pop

"Love Alone" was created as a promotional song for the Olympic figure skater Yuna Kim. Miss A peformed the song at Yuna Kim's "Ice Show" in 2011. It was accompanied with a music video in which the ladies are shown performing and getting their make-up done behind the scenes.

11. Jolin Tsai - I Wanna Know

K-pop

Taiwanese pop sensation Jolin Tsai was featured on Swedish DJ Alesso's "I Wanna Know". This is actually a remake: the original is between Alesso and Nico &Vinz. "I Wanna Know" has a groovy house compostition and its lyrics were re-written to be from a woman's point of view.

12. Jay Park X Yultron - Forget About Tomorrow

K-pop

Jay Park teamed up with Los Angelos based producer Yultron for "Forget About Tommorow". Jay Park is American himself and often has an explicitly Western sound in his music that is especially apparent in this EDM track. He recently signed with Jay Z's record company "Roc Nation", so I am curious to see whether he will make more English songs like this to promote under the label!

13. Tablo X Taeyang - Eyes, Nose, Lips

K-pop

Soon after Taeyang came out with "Eyes, Nose, Lips", his record company held a YG Family cover project in which his labelmates perfromed their own rendition of the hit song. Epik High's Tablo turned the piano ballad into a rap song and delivered clever lyrics about a failed relationship. Contrary to the orginal, Tablo's lyrics are in English and hold animosity for his former lover.

Sources
1,2,4,6,9,10,12,

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Big Bang & 2NE1

Big Bang and 2NE1, under YG Entertainment, are K-pop royalty. When every one else is trying to fit into a certain concept, the kings and queens just be themselves. People have often referred to 2NE1 as the 'female-Big Bang', and it's true that they parallel their oppa sunbaes (seniors). It's not in a copy-cat way, they just give a similar vibe. I will be talking about the singles that I think reflect each other.

'Loser' and 'Ugly'

Everybody has their insecurities. Sometimes the view of ourselves is an accurate portrayal of our faults and other times it's because we're having a low moment. Big Bang really exposed their hearts for Loser, especially the lyricists which include G-Dragon and T.O.P. Listening to this song, there's a part of me that wonders "Why would you say those things about yourself?" and the other part that respects the raw honesty. "At some point I started looking at the ground more than the sky, It’s hard even to breathe I hold out my hand But no one holds it." 'Loser' is a uptempo-track and is some-what emo. As popular as this song is, I still think that it's underrated.

Like Loser, Ugly is emo-pop. The lyrics are also vulnerable but all too real. "I’m getting angry again, why can’t I ever be perfect,I simply put the blame on my ugly appearance in this broken mirror." It expresses the insecurities that some girls (but all people really)feel about their appearance and envy of those who are pretty.

"I think I’m ugly and nobody wants to love me. Just like her I wanna be pretty, I wanna be pretty. Don’t lie to my face tellin’ me, I’m pretty." The lyrics also show the narrow view that we may have of ourselves. Just because a person is ugly, that doesn't mean no one will love them. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so that person who called you pretty may have told the truth.

'Blue' and 'Lonely'

Blue is solemn. There's no musical stunts, the melody just rides you along. When I listen to this song, I picture a sad guy just strolling on the sidewalk. "It’s cowardly but I’m hiding because I’m not good enough. Cruel breakup is like the end of the road of love. Far from a dance track, 'Blue' is slower than most Big bang songs.

I think Lonely is like 'Blue'. But to be exact, 'Blue' is a combination of 2NE1's 'Lonely' and 'Missing You'.The sentiment is the same, though the reasons are different."I must be lacking when it comes to love, please forgive this horrible person I am." 'Lonely' reaches a point of intensity (unlike Blue) but this is one of 2NE1's most mellow songs.

'We Like 2 Party' and 'Do You Love Me?'

Now I don't want you to think that Big Bang and 2NE1 are depressive people. In fact, most of their music is upbeat like these songs!

We Like 2 Party is fun song. I wouldn't call it thrown together, but it wasn't carefully calculated-not a bad thing! No, that doesn't make it a bad song, just casual. For this summer hit Big Bang used reality footage as the music video.