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AEG Presents and Tim Hinshaw’s Free Lunch have entered into a strategic partnership, Billboard can exclusively report. Under the terms of the partnership, Hinshaw will be responsible for securing and marketing hip-hop, R&B and gospel tours for AEG’s global touring division.
The alliance follows in the wake of Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out — Ken & Friends.” The Juneteenth concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. was presented by pgLang and Free Lunch. Streamed to fans around the world on Amazon Music — Hinshaw’s current client — the event broke the record for the most minutes watched of any Amazon Music production.
In announcing the partnership, AEG Presents president of global touring Rich Schaefer said, “Tim’s connection to hip-hop and R&B — whether it’s the music, the artists or the culture — is unmatched. I’m excited to bring someone of Tim’ stature on to help our team expand in an area we’ve already had so much success in. His spirit and energy will be a great addition to the touring team, and we look forward to learning from him as we help build our business together.”
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Free Lunch founder and CEO Hinshaw added, “I am honored that this chapter started with Kendrick Lamar’s ‘The Pop Out — Ken & Friends,’ an iconic moment for L.A. and hip-hop. Partnering with AEG is a natural next step for Free Lunch. I have been very fortunate in my career to play a role in delivering some of the most unforgettable live music experiences for the culture and look forward to continuing that success with Rich and the whole AEG team moving forward.”
Formerly Amazon Music’s head of hip-hop and R&B, Hinshaw launched Free Lunch in 2023. As noted in a release announcement, the multifaceted creative shop is principally focused on “authentically bridging the gap between culture and corporate America.” During Hinshaw’s five-year tenure at Amazon, he oversaw the streaming service’s industry strategy and partnerships across both genres, inclusive of the global flagship brand Rotation. Among the various projects he brokered was 2022’s exclusive livestream of The Big Steppers Tour: Live from Paris via Amazon Music and Prime Video. The event not only spotlighted Kendrick Lamar’s second performance in Paris, it also celebrated the 10th anniversary of his second studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d city.
Hinshaw also helmed artist negotiations for Amazon Music Live, a livestreamed concert series on Twitch and Prime Video that aired following Thursday Night Football. Among artists featured on the series were Lil Baby, A$AP Rocky and 21 Savage. Additional livestream projects under Hinshaw while at Amazon Music included: Tyler, The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost Live concert in his hometown of Los Angeles; Kanye “Ye” West’s #FreeLarryHoover benefit concert in L.A.; J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival from Raleigh and Summer Walker’s homecoming show in Atlanta for Black History Month.
Prior to joining Amazon Music, Hinshaw established the urban music division at Fender Guitars. He also worked in music marketing for Vans. Honored as executive of the year in 2022 for Billboard’s annual R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players issue, Hinshaw began his music industry career as co-manager of his songwriter brother, Charles “Prince Charlez” Hinshaw. That endeavor led to a joint venture label deal with Island Def Jam and a global co-publishing agreement with Rondor/Universal Music.
A longtime symbol of love, beauty and longevity, the camellia has made its mark on pop culture as Coco Chanel’s signature flower, teaching an important lesson about prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird and, for MIN and her grandmother, the floral represents the K-pop star herself.
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“Whenever it blooms, she always gets so excited,” MIN says of the sometimes-fickle flowers her grandma grows. “She says, ‘Min-young, you’re going to be like the flower that has bloomed! You’re going to do so well.’ She always tells me that.”
As July marks 14 years since she and her girl group miss A debuted with the instant K-pop chart-topper “Bad Girl Good Girl,” MIN might seem past the point of needing such encouragement (no matter how adorable). But on her 33rd birthday today, June 21, the Seoul native is releasing her first-ever full project with Prime Time. The four-track EP doesn’t just take its name from the genre-shifting title track but acts as a layered mantra.
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“On the surface level, it’s saying this is my ‘Prime Time’ and you don’t get to choose when my prime time is — no one gets to tell me when my prime time is,” she explains in her longest-ranging interview in years. “Internally, I’ve felt like I was very repressed in a way that I didn’t really know I was repressed: I didn’t speak my mind, give an opinion or say my truth. I always felt like I had to listen to my elders and industry higher-up people who got to pick my time or choose what I do.”
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Dressed today in cozy, oversized sweats inside the comfort of I LOVE DANCE‘s Manhattan studio where she frequently rehearses, guest-teaches classes, and, eventually, found a music and production team in the newly formed Monstar Entertainment, MIN (born Lee Minyoung) has a subtle, humble quietness to her despite spending most of her life entertaining. After working on South Korean children’s television and joining K-pop agency JYP Entertainment in middle school, a teenage MIN moved to New York for an intended international solo career that included mentorship from Lil Jon. After years of prep, internal plans at the company changed and she was introduced to her future band mates Fei, Jia and Suzy months before they’d debut as miss A, the first girl group to come from JYP after its Wonder Girls became the first K-pop act to break into the Hot 100.
“I met Jia and Fei once when I came to Korea from America, but that was it,” MIN recalls. “After three months, we were together 24-7. It was hard, very hard…I was under a lot of pressure to be successful and be on the same level when it comes to music and exposure as your rivals; I had to hit the top spot every time.”
While “Bad Girl Good Girl” kicked off the quartet’s five-year string of consecutive Top 10 singles in Korea (including five Top 10s on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart), miss A released less frequently by its third year as the members’ careers took off down non-musical roads like acting, television, hosting and modeling, while Chinese members Jia and Fei balanced opportunities in Korea and their home country. MIN booked variety television and movie roles, but her original intentions for solo music seemed incompatible with the fast-paced K-pop scene and a rapidly growing JYP Entertainment.
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“I have such a big respect for JYP and we still talk,” she says of the company’s founder and namesake who also produces music for his acts. “There are a lot of people working for one group and I’m one of the artists. It isn’t that my opinion doesn’t matter — we listened to everyone’s opinion to decide anything — but it also depends maybe how much money you make for the company and then people might listen to you and your opinion would matter more. It’s a big business with a lot of people needing to be paid…and maybe for some people, it is just a job. But for artists, it’s their life. It’s my life — giving 14, 15 years of my life. I have wanted to release solo [music], but it didn’t fit and didn’t happen.”
To encourage more miss A music and group activities, MIN found herself in the “peacemaker” role among her band mates around the band’s fifth year. “I believe that I tried my best at that time,” she reflects. “But I think that was already too late to take that role on or to make everyone happy.”
Indeed, before its fifth anniversary, miss A released what would be its final album, Colors, in March 2015. While the EP became the quartet’s highest- and longest-charting entry on World Albums, gossip regarding discord between the members began affecting its fanbase, and excessive media speculation led a young MIN to wish she had been more image-conscious.
Lauren Nakao Winn
Lauren Nakao Winn
“I didn’t understand the fans’ desire for us to be best friends,” MIN admits. “I think everyone wants that to be true, but I think it’s just very unfair. If I understood that, I think I would’ve acted differently. I was just young and feel like I should’ve thought ahead. It’s scary to be in front of people and on camera, and I would have acted smarter.”
Despite being characterized as miss A’s spunky main dancer, typically rocking a jagged bob and showing heel-over-head flexibility in music videos, MIN says she began battling high levels of self-doubt and anxiety near the act’s third or fourth year. At the time, mental health resources and using social media for direct fan communication were far from where they stand today in K-pop, allowing for rumors and anonymous trolls to run amok regarding the group.
“Just because I could dance and look strong doesn’t mean I can take or handle all the bad sides of the industry,” she says matter-of-factly. “Everything that we were and we did was fully under control, so I feel like a lot of people see me in a certain way. Things were more based on ‘the image,’ but I wasn’t a strong person, so I would get hurt by comments and online bullying — it just haunted me every day.
“I don’t really look at my stuff online. I always ask my friends if there are good [comments] that would cheer me up for my mental health and they would screenshot the good ones. But back then, naturally, I would maybe scroll down and see a bad comment, and I just couldn’t go to sleep. Wherever I was in public, I started to feel like, ‘Oh, maybe that person was thinking that.’ I felt my personality become very small and guarded…I still struggle with certain things and certain comments. In a way, I feel like I’m villainized, you know? It’s very unfair and sad, but I don’t want to dwell in the past and I don’t want to drag anyone down; that’s not me.”
By the end of 2017, MIN’s contract with JYP ended, and the company announced Miss A’s disbandment. While considering offers from new agencies, she “blocked every communication” and hid in her grandmother’s home as a safe space. She nearly signed on to join a K-pop survival show for idols rebooting their careers, but her grandma advised against it.
“I think I would’ve burnt out,” she recalls. “I just was not ready to face the world after my contract ended with JYP. I was in a really dark place; I was just scared to be outside or even be seen in public. I just had so much anxiety, so if I wasn’t seen then I could avoid all of that tension.”
Years later, MIN slowly returned to the spotlight with a new, noticeably un-idol-like attitude heard on singles like 2021’s “Onion” (with lyrics like, “I smoke, I drink, I get nasty with me/ Dirty, different and messy/ Patient, confident, weary/ Baby, there are layers to me”) and returned to New York (to co-star in the musical KPOP on Broadway in late 2022) settling in with her pet pomeranian Dan-chu. She credits the city in part to her music comeback.
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“It’s a hustle; everyone’s hustling,” she muses of NYC. “I just get that vibe and energy in the city and of the people. No one cares if you’re a f-cking K-pop idol. No one cares if you’re whatever.”
Liberating herself of outside expectations and reconnecting with her love of music and dance in New York translated into the Prime Time album where MIN says she has the freedom to return to, as well as break away from, her image in miss A.
MIN’s comeback single “PRIME TIME,” featuring rapper Lil Cherry (who enlisted MIN on an experimental album cut in 2022), purposely opens with a knocking, harder hip-hop opening as a callback to her miss A days. Her soaring belt hops into a Jersey club beat before it all gets mashed into a glitchy, glittery, gutsy chorus.
“Nobody’s telling me that I have to put out my album by a certain time or be a certain weight by a certain date,” she says that doubles as an anthem against stereotypes and pretenses in the K-pop industry.
“I felt like I’m an old person, but I am not an old person!” she laughs. “The average age is so young, especially in the idol world, so you breathe in that air and perceive it like that…but I’m just doing this because I want to and I think now is a time that I can fully [use] my potential to the fullest without caring too much of anyone’s demands — it’s on my terms.”
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Listening through the EP, “SHIMMY (Skip)” shrewdly uses a Korean playground song as a basis for setting boundaries (“I can be anything, you can’t tell me what to sing”) while the breezy, easy-listening pop of “M.A.W” (standing for “Might as Well”) is a personal motto for both her and her grandmother — who closes the EP with a surprise, uplifting voice recording on “HAPPY PLANT (A Call From Grandma).”
“She’s my role model,” MIN is sure to add. “Whenever I had to make a big decision, I always go to her and ask her opinion. She would say, ‘Might as well just do it.’” While Grandma is excited about her granddaughter’s music (“She’s just so happy for me”), MIN also wants to make sure listeners understand that the confidence in Prime Time results from not letting the outside world crush what and who she loves on the inside.
“I want to give people who are in the hardest moment of their life a message of hope and encouragement,” she says. “I feel like I could relate to them because there have been so many ups and downs in my life as well. I want people to know that it’s okay and you don’t have to give up on your life. Don’t. Because there is someone that loves you.”
The final seconds of the EP echo just that: MIN’s sunny laugh and her grandmother’s warm rasp ending “Call From Grandma,” telling each other that they love one another.
RIIZE rightfully has been recognized as a potential next-generation leader in K-pop‘s ongoing international crossover, in large part thanks to its refreshing embrace of approachability. But the way its label, K-pop giant SM Entertainment, has handled a controversy involving one of the group’s original members has provided a high-stakes window into the ongoing tension between South Korean artists balancing the demands of international careers with the country’s more traditional, accepted social norms.
When SM introduced RIIZE’s lineup in July 2023 via 27 casual Instagram photos that wouldn’t look out of place on any influencer’s page, it set a bar for how its seven members – Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee and Anton – intended to connect with fans online in a relatable way; as Eunseok explained it during RIIZE’s interview in Los Angeles for Billboard’s recent digital cover story, the group wanted to share “a lot of pictures of our daily life and intimate [moments] on social media.”
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But only six members of RIIZE participated in the cover. Interviews for the piece occurred almost exactly six months after SM announced that Seunghan would “halt activities” with RIIZE following an August 2023 leak of private, pre-RIIZE photos and videos that showed him kissing an unidentified woman in a bed and smoking a cigarette. Though tame by Western standards, the content went viral in South Korea, a country which has undergone rapid modernization but remains socially conservative — values that extend to the parasocial relationships fans have with South Korean music stars. Some fans condemned Seunghan’s actions – which they deemed inappropriate for a K-pop idol – and protested for his removal even before the highly anticipated boy band’s debut.
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Ahead of releasing RIIZE’s critically acclaimed single “Get a Guitar” at the top of September, Seunghan, then 19, took to the group’s Instagram account on Aug. 30 to “sincerely apologize to the fans who are supporting RIIZE,” saying that he “caused damage to our team through personal matters…all out of my carelessness.” Adding that he hadn’t addressed the situation sooner out of fear and nervousness, Seunghan said he “reflected a lot” and vowed to “put the team first” by being more careful both on and off the stage.
But across the influential Korean websites and forums dedicated to discussing – and, more often than not, tearing down – K-pop celebrities, criticisms of Seunghan continued even after “Get a Guitar” and October’s follow-up “Talk Saxy” began to earn them accolades.
On Nov. 22, 2023, SM Entertainment uploaded a notice that Seunghan was “feeling severely apologetic and is reflecting on himself for causing disappointment and commotion to not only the team and members but also to fans due to issues regarding his personal life that are leaked and circulated.”
While SM did note the content leaks were maliciously edited — calling it “severe defamation” and promising legal action — the label still settled on “the indefinite suspension of [Seunghan’s] activities.” According to its statement at the time, Seunghan also “relayed his intention to halt activities”; the label “judged that it is too difficult for him to continue activities through this situation.” On the same day, through RIIZE’s Weverse account, Seunghan shared in a handwritten letter that he was “deeply reflecting” on his “careless actions from the past” and apologized to the group’s fans (known as BRIIZE), RIIZE members and label staff.
RIIZE’s members did not mention Seunghan when speaking with Billboard or at their concert in Los Angeles, and a non-SM representative made multiple requests that Billboard not mention Seunghan in the interview for the digital cover story. SM Entertainment did respond to questions about Seunghan’s status with the band, and the company has not provided an update about the legal actions it is taking on Seunghan’s behalf. SM’s company website still lists Seunghan as an artist and a member of RIIZE. Upon the publication of Billboard’s digital cover about RIIZE, popular English-language websites covering Korean entertainment reported on Seunghan’s mention in the story. Koreaboo noted that it “accurately mentioned Seunghan as a current member, something some media sources have not done since his indefinite hiatus began,” which TheUBJ.com echoed, saying Seunghan is “often omitted by other media.” The sites hint at how, in South Korea, K-pop media coverage tends to be heavily screened by management teams, requiring questions before interviews and text approval before publication. (Billboard‘s editorial policy does not allow subjects to review questions or exercise editorial input.)
Now, as they attempt to reach RIIZE’s burgeoning international fanbase, the various parties involved in the group — SM Entertainment, SM’s new majority shareholder Kakao and RIIZE’s U.S. label partner RCA Records — are facing a different group of fans: those demanding an explanation for Seunghan’s situation and an update on his future with RIIZE.At press time, nearly 19,000 had signed a petition titled “Upholding Artists’ Dignity: A Call to SM Entertainment” calling for legal action regarding the “privacy breach” as well as an “immediate end to Seunghan’s ‘indefinite hiatus.’” During RIIZE’s May 20 fan-concert at L.A.’s Peacock Theater, a small but mighty crew began to chant “RIIZE is seven” and “Seunghan” before the band returned for its encore; similar chants erupted during RIIZE’s fan-concert days earlier in Mexico City. In late May, a behind-the-scenes video from an interview with RIIZE at the Tecate Emblema festival went viral, showing a member of the group’s team requesting that a host modify a question that mentioned “six in the group.” Some fans are even calling for a boycott of RIIZE’s music until a clarification.
Across its three decades as a leader in K-pop, SM Entertainment has acquired plenty of experience negotiating such situations. At two different times in his career, Super Junior’s Kangin was charged with DUIs. He initially took a two-and-a-half-year break from the boy band and went on another hiatus before ultimately withdrawing from Super Junior after his second offense; he remains signed to SM today as a solo act and actor.
More recently, in 2018, SM introduced Lucas as a member of NCT by way of the boy band’s China-based splinter unit WayV; Lucas was also a part of SM supergroup SuperM. In August 2021, multiple women claiming to have had relationships with the star alleged he had cheated on them and/or subjected them to alleged “gaslighting.” Lucas quickly stepped out of the public eye before officially leaving NCT and WayV in 2023 — although he remained signed to SM and made his solo debut with the EP Renegade in April.
On the other side of the spectrum, SM also stood by Chen of EXO when “scores of protesters” took to the streets to demand he leave the group after the singer announced in January 2020 his plans to marry his girlfriend as well as the fiancée’s pregnancy.Like Lucas, artists who exit groups and their labels after behavior deemed unsavory by K-pop standards do often successfully return as soloists, though they rarely achieve the same commercial success as their prior groups. While no official news has been shared yet regarding Seunghan’s future, rumors of the 20-year-old attending a Korean “cram school,” possibly in preparation for college exams, have surfaced. While some K-pop stars pursue both music and their studies (all seven members of BTS have university degrees), some wonder if this hints at his exit from entertainment altogether.
For now — even as Seunghan’s future with RIIZE hangs in the balance and fans protest his minimally-explained absence — RIIZE still seems to still be living up to its name. The group’s latest single, “Boom Boom Bass,” released on June 17, has already racked more than 12 million views for its official music video, and RIIZING – The 1st Mini Album (released June 18) has already sold more than one million physical copies globally, according to South Korea’s real-time album sales website Hanteo Chart. Make of it what you will: on album track “Talk Saxy,” Seunghan’s vocals are still there.
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MILLENNIUM PARADE is set to launch its first-ever global tour called the WHO AND HOW TOUR 2024 in November, traveling to nine cities around the world for 10 shows. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The band, led by Daiki Tsuneta of King Gnu, will kick off […]
Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” holds at No. 1 for the 18th week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, released June 19.
Most likely due to the hype around the duo’s Yoyogi 1st Gymnasium shows over the weekend (June 15 and 16), the MASHLE Season 2 opener saw an increase in radio airplay this week and kept the decline in other metrics at a minimum. Total points for the long-running hit, now in its 23rd week on the Japan Hot 100, remained almost unchanged at 95% compared to the week before. R-shitei and DJ Matsunaga are set to perform their first Tokyo Dome concert in February 2025 and also announced the production of a new album.
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Travis Japan’s “Sweetest Tune” debuts at No. 2. The seven-member group’s fifth single is being featured on the drama series Tokyo Tower and was digitally released June 10. The song launched with 44,971 downloads to top the metric, while coming in at No. 29 for streaming, No. 39 for radio, and No. 20 for video views. Comparing first-week figures to the boy band’s previous single, “T.G.I. Friday Night” — which also debuted on the Japan Hot 100 at No. 2 — downloads are down from 75,135 units but points for streaming, radio, and video have increased. In particular, streaming and video increased by 126% and 152%, respectively, indicating a shift in viewing trends.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” holds at No. 3, seeing an increase in downloads and streaming. Bowing at No. 4 is the three-man band’s latest single, “Columbus,” hitting No. 2 for downloads, No. 5 for streaming, and No. 3 for video.
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Five songs debuted in the top ten this week, and the other three are ≒JOY’s “Taiikukan Disco” at No. 6 (No. 1 for sales with 137,761 copies sold), Angerme’s 34th single “Bibitaru Ichigeki” at No. 7 and OWV’s “LOVE BANDIT” at No. 8.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from June 10 to 16, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
On Friday (June 21), this year’s Make Music Day will kick off in the town gazebo of Fairfield, Conn., where Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz will ceremonially strike a handmade gathering drum. The day’s activities, beginning at 9 a.m. ET (3 p.m. in France), will include a real-time musical relay featuring musicians in 24 countries over the course of four hours.
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The overall Make Music Day event will be celebrated 120 countries with a total of 5,000 concerts and music events taking place that day. The celebrations seek to bring out the musician in all of us, regardless of skill level, with outdoor concerts, jam sessions, lessons and music-making of all kinds.
Make Music Day is presented by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation. The concept was conceived by Jack Lang when he was French minister of culture.
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The global online relay, dubbed Pulsations, will be streamed online at the makemusicday.org homepage. It will feature musicians in various countries playing a 10-minute set of their choosing, ending in a heartbeat rhythm. As one set ends, the next one will pick up the heartbeat rhythm in a different country, allowing for a seamless transition between musicians. Pulsations will begin in Auckland, New Zealand, and end in Paris.
“Since its inception in France in 1982, Make Music Day has transcended borders to become an international event,” said Pulsations organizers Dominique Hervieu (director of the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad) and Lang (now president of the Arab World Institute) in a joint statement. “Make Music Day aims to impart a universal dimension to this special day centered around music, widely regarded as the most unifying art form globally…. The Pulsations project mirrors our collective values, promoting camaraderie, peace, and mutual respect worldwide.”
The heartbeat rhythm that serves as the connective musical tissue is composed by French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, according to the release announcing the festival. The global online performance will culminate with a livestream at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, where Ibrahim Maalouf & The Trumpets of Michel-Ange will perform an hourlong set to close out the four-hour musical relay,
Performers during the musical relay will include A.R. Rahman, who will perform live from the KM Music Conservatory in India; funk-pop band TOI in New Zealand, who will sing “Ain’t Just Dreaming,” which achieved chart success in that country; Dwight Trible, who will perform with the Fernando Pullum Youth Arts Center Jazz Ensemble in Los Angeles; and folk-rock duo Twin Flames performing at Hugh’s Room Live in Toronto.
Besides the online portion, the globe-spanning festival will be shown live on large public screens in several participating cities, including Paris, Toronto and Hanover, Germany.
06/15/2024
With groups celebrating anniversaries, like Super Junior and INFINITE, alongside solo superstars like NAYEON, XIA, Sunmi and BOL4, which new song gets your vote?
06/15/2024
On the eve of their Billboard China cover interview, the Sir Deer team decided to hold three impromptu campus performances in Henan province. Bei Bei, the lead vocalist of Sir Deer, described these fleeting moments at the campus concerts as always thrilling to him. In the past two years, Sir Deer has toured nearly 20 campuses.
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In Bei Bei’s view, every minor incident holds the potential to alter one’s life trajectory. The experiences of participating in the music club and organizing performances during their university days set the wheels of fate in motion, sowing the seeds that would eventually flourish into the band’s formation. On this campus tour, Sir Deer also encountered many young individuals who shared their passion for music, just as they had in the past. Bei Bei believes this performance will plant a seed of inspiration in these students’ hearts as well.
Akin to their performances in theaters and live houses, Sir Deer’s campus concerts employ a full-scale touring production. For many students, this concert may not only mark their first live performance, but also their inaugural encounter with Sir Deer live. “The pressure of performing on campus is truly immense, as it could impact a student’s life. So we also feel a burgeoning sense of responsibility within.”
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Bei Bei hopes that Sir Deer’s campus tour can present students with “another possibility”: “The college entrance exam is like a mountain, and postgraduate studies are exceedingly difficult… but what vistas await on the other side of that peak? Let music become a process to help everyone resolve their troubles. Perhaps the anxieties they currently grapple with will gradually dissipate after a night’s performance. At least in the realm of music, we wish to reveal to students the greater potentialities of life.”
Transcending Adversity, Uncovering the Self
Over the past tumultuous two years of the pandemic, not only Sir Deer, but all of humanity has endured trying times. In Bei Bei’s perspective, this arduous period represented a form of “spiritual cultivation” unfolding both internally and externally.
At the year’s outset, bassist Li Si penned a heartfelt message on Weibo: “During this stage where both our bodies and souls require restoration, we must all march forth hand-in-hand.” For Li Si, the “team spirit” of Sir Deer is the most paramount facet in his life: “These bonds of friendship have aided me in traversing an enormously difficult time and have imbued me with the impetus to progress and look ahead.”
Sir Deer’s rhythm guitarist Yang Songlin is a quintessential “science and engineering type.” Within this ensemble, where artistic and emotional sensibilities form the principal creative axis, Yang candidly admits that his rationality serves as a tool to safeguard everyone’s childlike spirit: “I comprehend my role in the team is to ensure the stability of the rhythm.”
In the digital era, a band can no longer simply perform songs, they must also actively explore social media attempts. As Sir Deer’s lead guitarist, Dong Bin has contributed countless “firsts” for the band. Dong Bin’s primary vocation is architectural design. “I brim with excitement before the performances, and when I revert to my work post, my heart settles. I cannot control the duration of my life, but I can seize the breadth of my life.”
Keyboardist Bing Bing completed the female vocal overdubbing for a new Sir Deer composition alongside her mother, which she deems a career highlight. “Being able to collaborate with my closest family member to imbue emotion into the band’s work, this emotional connection within the musical context is an unforgettable lifetime experience.”
After drummer PP’s maternity leave this year, several different drummers have successively joined Sir Deer’s roster of guest musicians. As for Sir Deer’s in-depth cooperation with Tencent Music Entertainment Group, it has imbued each band member with a renewed creative drive. These new partnership ventures have imbued Sir Deer’s future with an abundance of novel, undiscovered possibilities.
Sir Deer on Billboard China cover
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The Tides of Time Flow Onward, Embracing a “Wilder” 10th Anniversary
The sands of time are ever-shifting, and Sir Deer’s evolution has mirrored this restless progression. Mastering the art of embracing change is a lesson Bei Bei has imparted to himself and the band: “The crux is that when you make certain decisions, you must also accept the other facets that come with it. If you possess the courage to transform, there will be no issues.”
Founded on Aug. 31, 2015, Sir Deer will soon commemorate its 10th anniversary next year. Traversing these 10 years, there have been myriad triumphs and tribulations. How will the bandmembers celebrate Sir Deer’s decadelong journey? Dong Bin states there will undoubtedly be a commemorative performance: “I hope this retrospective concert can present our evolution and some reflections, providing a proper account for the 10th anniversary.”
This 10-year milestone will render Li Si unable to resist reminiscing about the year Sir Deer was first formed, in 2015. At that time, all the members convened at Bing Bing’s residence for a meeting, discussing the title of their inaugural song, the overarching creative direction, recording plans, rehearsal schedules. In Li Si’s recollection, they have held countless such work sessions over the past 10 years, but in each one, everyone participated earnestly and diligently, never absent.
Regarding this year’s plans, Bei Bei shared that they intend to release a collection that is “a bit wilder” than the original Sir Deer: “We still harbor many unrealized artistic ambitions, hoping to soar even faster and higher. Participating in the 31st College Student Film Festival made me cognizant of the importance of visual elements for music. I feel immensely honored that these 10 years with everyone have not been in vain, and I hope the next decade of Sir Deer can be even wilder.”
Sir Deer on Billboard China cover
Sanke Ren/Billboard China
–This article was written by Jifan Wang for Billboard China
Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” rises again to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, climbing 4-1 on the chart released June 12 to extend its record to 17 weeks atop the tally.
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The return of the hip-hop duo’s long-running hit to the top spot follows Billboard Japan’s 2024 mid-year report, where the MASHLE Season 2 opener was crowned the top song on 13 different lists, a first for any song in the history of the Japan charts. Perhaps due to the impact of this news, points for radio airplay increased 1.8 times from the previous week, which helped keep the decrease in point total for the track at a minimum. “BBBB” returns to No. 1 after three weeks.
NCT DREAM’s “Moonlight” debuts at No. 2. The title track off the K-pop boy band’s second single launched with 253,965 copies to hit No. 2 for sales, while also coming in at No. 4 for radio.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” follows at No. 3. The song climbs 5-3 with increases in downloads, streaming, karaoke, and radio points. Mrs. GREEN APPLE ruled the mid-year Japan Artist 100 chart and currently still has 12 tracks charting on the Japan Hot 100 this week. The three-man band dropped a new song called “Columbus” digitally on Wednesday (June 12), which will likely join the list of the popular trio’s hits.
Omoinotake’s “IKUOKUKONEN” also rises 9-4 this week. The piano trio released “Tsubomi” on June 12, the track being featured as the ending theme of the anime series My Hero Academia Season 7, and has been promoting it through various channels including Instagram Live.
Bowing at No. 5 on the Japan Hot 100 is Strawberry Prince’s “Chikai no hanataba wo ~With You~.” The track hit No. 1 for sales with 502,921 CDs sold but didn’t score any additional points in the other metrics of the chart’s measurement.
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Sakurazaka46’s “Jigoujitoku” debuts at No. 10. The popular girl group’s ninth single dropped digitally on June 5 and came in at No. 14 in downloads, No. 5 for streaming, and No. 9 for video views.
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The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from June 3 to 9, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
In both America and South Korea, June marks Pride Month, with the 2024 celebration seeing one of K-pop‘s rare representatives deliver a universal anthem honoring global pop icons.
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The first-ever LGBTQ+ boy band to come from the K-pop scene, LIONESSES has been bravely pushing for representation in Korea and reaching the world with its consistent string of all-inclusive anthems like “It’s OK to Be Me” and “Show Me Your Pride” since debuting in 2021. Minus the group’s leader and music producer Damjun, LIONESSES’ countertenor Kanghan, vocalist Lee Malrang, as well as its former member and rapper Foxman who exited in late 2022, all perform in masks to conceal their identities in the socially conservative South Korea where LGBTQ+ people face prejudice, discrimination, and social stigmas with few protections compared to other developed democracies. But the music video to LIONESSES’ latest single “Like Christina Taught Me” not only shines a spotlight on a range of pop icons — including the titular Christina Aguilera — but sees Malrang stepping into the international spotlight by taking his mask off for the first time on camera.
“Like Christina Taught Me” has a bouncy, R&B-pop beat to back the trio’s range of vocals delivering encouraging words and finding comfort in the music of larger-than-life superstars that so many queer kids do. Referencing two of Xtina’s singles from her defining Stripped album from 2002, they sing on the chorus: “Know that you’re ‘Beautiful,’ like Christina taught me in that song / Trust ‘The Voice Within’” followed by an Aguilera-esque growl.
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With the mix of English and Korean lyrics, LIONESSES also pay tribute to Mariah Carey (“Yes, MC, I believe within my soul, hold on tight I won’t let go’ / I can ‘Make It Happen’”), Whitney Houston (”Learning to love yourself,’ like Whitney taught me in that song / ‘The Greatest Love of All’”), and Michael Jackson (“Yes, MJ, I’mma start to love that man/ That ‘Man in the Mirror”).
Inspired by the band members’ actual experiences, the accompanying music video depicts the LIONESSES members in a classic Korean school setting, navigating bullies and ridicule from their classmates but finding secret solace in a smiling partner and coming closer to their true selves — like Kanghan showcasing her drag persona and Malrang removing his mask in the final seconds of the video in a beautiful moment of public courageousness.
Despite wins like successfully repealing bans from Korean-television broadcasters for their music, LIONESSES and their associates also deal with an onslaught of abuse from religious zealots in South Korea. Whether or not LIONESSES tops the charts, the representation and stories that Damjun, Kanghan and Malrang bring in a public setting are important steps in creating a greater music industry and world where all are accepted regardless of sexuality, gender identity or the other aspects that make each human precious.
Watch the “Like Christina Taught Me” music video below and read on for an extensive interview with LIONESSES members.
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Congratulations on your new single, LIONESSES! What does the song mean to you all personally?
Kanghan: “Like Christina Taught Me” is about inner beauty and embracing it. As the title indicates, it’s a collection of artistic energy that brings together musicians talking about “beauty.” I needed time to accept myself, especially during my career in LIONESSES and taking off my mask and showing my drag queen ego to the public. But that’s when I got courage and hope from watching the drag queens who were already active in Korea. It’s the same for music, for drag, for dancing: being able to fill that courage indirectly to someone who needs it, which inspired me to bring that into my life. In particular, I know that this song was inspired by the lyrics “You are beautiful, no matter what they say” from Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” I remember Damjun introducing us to this song about all our beauty.
Lee Malrang: It seems to be the hardest song to sing live out of all the songs released so far, but since it’s named after the diva we admire the most, I’m always practicing hard to sing more perfectly. [Laughs]
Damjun: I made this song to give back to my fans the courage that all the great musicians cited in this music, including Christina. So I went back to Young Damjun from my childhood era in this music video, and even appeared in the video wearing my school uniform! [Laughs]
Even after I debuted in LIONESSES, I still work as a vocal coach at some art high schools because I can’t just send my students off to another coach so easily. I thought just having one actor playing the role of my friends was not enough, so I brought my students to the set and asked for their help. It was a special experience for me to act in the same uniform next to my students — but my students will still laugh when we talk about it.
“Beautiful” and “The Voice Within,” Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” Mariah Carey’s “Make It Happen,” Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” Korea’s legendary diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You,” and BTS‘ “Answer: Love Myself” — the message that all these songs have given me is, “It’s OK.” No matter how much you are loved by others, I think accepting yourself is the beginning of all courage. I want to remind anyone who will listen to this song that all this music has told me and that if you feel OK about yourself, everything’s going to be OK.”
Damjun, you wrote, co-produced and vocal directed “Like Christina Taught Me.” Can you tell me about creating the song?
Damjun: “Like Christina Taught Me” is a song that I made to return the comfort given by Christina Aguilera, our great diva, and to our fans DEN. Almost three years have passed since my debut, time flies so fast but Christina is an artist who is almost everything to me. I’m sure my fans have often seen me say in live streams and Instagram posts, “80% of what raised me was Christina Aguilera.” That’s how much she’s incorporated into my singing skill — I’m still way short of her but I’m trying to do my best. Sometimes just humming her songs that I sing to fans on live streams such as “I Turn to You”, “Beautiful,” “The Voice Within,” “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Hurt,” and her version of [James Brown‘s] “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” in her whistle register. [Laughs]
I’ve been dreaming of becoming a K-pop idol ever since I was a little boy and I’ve had a lot of opportunities come my way — come to think of it, I auditioned singing “The Voice Within” when I was in high school — but when I thought about if I was ever caught being bisexual, I thought Korean society, back then, would destroy my music career and all my loved ones. So, I gave up opportunities every time. For a long time, I worked as a singer in advertisements, a wedding singer and vocal coach but with my debut with LIONESSES, I accepted a lot of things. I accepted by myself. I thought, “I can make my story into music and tell it to people” and a lot of stories that I had suppressed have been made into music.
Just like how [Christina] helped me not to let go of my dreams, singing “You are beautiful, no matter what they say,” I want to give courage to my younger fans: “Know that you’re beautiful, like she taught me.”
Why did LIONESSES want to honor Christina Aguilera not just in the lyrics, but also in the title?
Kanghan: Because we all love Christina! [Laughs] She is an icon of our generation. Especially for me as a drag queen, she is an important figure who taught me how to be a diva.
Damjun: For me, Christina has been the vocal teacher I’ve never met for the past 20 years. When I have to sing a new song that I made, rather than cover someone else’s song, there are times when I just don’t know how am I supposed to sing it. Every time I face that kind of pinch, I find an answer thinking, “What would Christina do?”
When I first auditioned to become a singer in 2007, I was a little gay boy in ninth grade. Before that, I had opera singing training, but I wanted to be a pop star just like her. That’s when Christina came to do a concert in Korea — it was a world tour when the Back to Basics album was released and tens of thousands of people flocked to Seoul’s Olympic Stadium to see her. She appeared in a white suit — oh, all of a sudden, I feel like a ninth-grade boy talking about this! [Laughs] — but I wanted to go to that show so my mother paid me an advance for almost a year’s worth of allowance, I borrowed money from my friends, and managed to buy a ticket. And yes, she took the stage with her baby bump and touched tens of thousands of people.
I fell in love with her Back to Basics character of “Baby Jane” with songs called “Candyman” and “Ain’t No Other Man.” She introduced to me retro-vibe music when she released that album and that’s when I first started searching for and listening to music from earlier generations of musicians such as Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown. Recently, I participated in CUMA 2024, a joint concert of Korean and Japanese LGBTQ+ jazz musicians…it was also Christina who first introduced the jazz music I sang in this performance!
I will love her music forever. You know, if you have someone you love, you want to share it with them when you watch a good movie or eat something delicious, right? I wanted to share the music that I love with my beloved DENs, just like that. And if there is anyone who is a little boy like younger me who is torn between dreams, talents, and fears, I want to tell him this: “It’s OK to chase a dream,” as Christina told me through her music.
You’ve shared a couple songs already, but what is everyone’s favorite Xtina songs and videos?
Malrang: Oh god…I really feel like I’m a teen-girl fan of Christina. I like “What a Girl Wants”, “Come on Over (All I Want Is You)” and “Genie in a Bottle.” Of course we discuss, “Who’s going to be Christina’s part when we sing ‘Lady Marmalade?’” every time we meet. [Laughs]
Kanghan: Actually, I didn’t know much about pop music before I was an opera singer, but I mainly liked Christina Aguilera’s most popular ballads then. Now, I love her boldness and I’m turning into a big fan, but “Like Christina Taught Me” in particular gave me a chance to reflect on “Beautiful” and think again about the huge comfort it gave us. My favorite song right now is “Dirrty.”
The music video of “Beautiful” has many outsiders wandering, not feeling positive about themselves, being bullied by many people, but eventually finding their true selves. That’s what I’ve been through in my life too so I think this song has the most special meaning to all LGBTQ+ people of my generation.
Damjun: I especially like all the songs in the Back to Basics album, I guess I can’t forget the first time I actually saw her at a concert. My biggest goal in high school was to sing “Candyman” perfectly once…it’s still hard to sing! I also remember practicing notes one by one, while performing the intro line of “Ain’t No Other Man,” playing it a halfspeed. I also like her version of “Climb Every Mountain” [from The Sound of Music] and “Do What U Want” with Lady Gaga. Actually, I like her music from start to finish, so this answer is just a list of her songs that come to mind right now.
I also liked the recently remade version of the “Beautiful” music video. Is it OK to call the entire animation Mulan as the music video for “Reflection”? [Laughs] Her music was also used as a theme song in the movie…I liked the red background of “Loyal Brave True” and the background production using Chinese characters because it felt like modern art. My favorite, though, is definitely “Candyman.” Everything about it makes me feel like I’m an American Navy [SEAL] from another era.
Malang: I like “Candyman,” too! I once dreamed of being an American pin-up girl. I wanted to be a pin-up girl to make guys stand up — just kidding!
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You also honor Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson in the song. Can you share how these artists are inspirations too?
Kanghan: Michael Jackson is the “King of Pop” that all earthlings know, right? I remember when I was young I would play along with his dances. As a performer, I respect him so much for being a sensation that will go down in history. One of my role models, Korean gospel singer Sohyang, specifically mentioned that the singer she respect the most is Whitney Houston so I listened to all of her music. Sohyang and Whitney are the singers who inspired me a lot in my life.
Malrang: I especially really like MJ’s “You Are Not Alone.” I used to cry a lot when I first heard it when I was little and I actually listen to it every time I had to endure something by myself. This song always gives me a lot of strength.
Damjun: Before our comeback in the second half of last year, I talked to my fans about sponsoring a UNICEF campaign together. I said, “All pop musicians, including K-pop artists, are like Michael Jackson’s children. Everyone inherited his great legacy and is making their own music. So, I wanted to do ‘Heal the World’ with DENs just like Michael did to the world.” The same goes for Whitney Houston’s voice. Perhaps Christina, whom I keep referring to as an icon, is also considered to be the greatest diva to have inherited her legacy. My entire life has been a practice process to sing like them.
The quote from “Make It Happen” by Mariah Carey was a little more significant to me. My other two members are Christians, but I have no religion. However, after releasing “It’s OK to Be Me” in 2022, I became strongly opposed to religion in my mind when the song was banned from broadcasting on the grounds of “homosexuality” by MBC. When fans around the world protested, the broadcaster reversed it and I was attacked a lot by Christians in Korea for the reversal. Pastors incited the congregation by praying that “We should call [broadcasters] as a group to get those gay singers out of the entertainment industry.” Thousands of them went to the broadcasting companies and protested to get us out of the K-pop industry. Since Han and Malrang are Christians, so I don’t know how they would feel, but I was at the height of my aversion toward Christianity at the time — I had death threats messages from Christians in Korea and malicious complaints where they systematically attacked me. From that, I hated a lot of music, including “Make It Happen,” which had a Christian message.
However, I couldn’t deny the consolation and courage Mariah gave me. It’s the homophobics that attacked me that are bad, but not all religion and religious music is bad. Eventually I even listened to the great gospel songs that Mariah released — her music comforted me so much that I felt so stupid in the moments when I turned a blind eye to it because it had a religious message. So, I quoted “Make It Happen” in our [new] song, as opposed to any of her countless other songs, intending to forgive everything I suffered and give a hand of reconciliation to Christianity. The Korean diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You” quoted in this song also had a religious message but I thought that ultimately, her willingness to be a comfort and joy as a voice for everyone was more important.
And as I’ve mentioned since my debut, as an ARMY — an old ARMY [Laughs] — I wanted to include the message that BTS gave me. They’re the idols of all idols now, but when I was working as a vocal coach and rejecting debut offers before I debuted as LIONESSES, I was unhappy and pessimistic about everything in the world. When BTS first came out with the message “Love Yourself,” I thought to myself, “It’s easy for you guys because you’re straight.” Then, I came to know about the hardships they’ve been through, saw their efforts, and fell in love with their music. I felt so ashamed of myself for not accepting the messages that BTS had conveyed simply because they hadn’t had experiences as LGBTQ+ and that’s how special all the songs in the album Love Yourself: Answer are to me. When I listened to their music and sincerity in the past, I felt so grateful for the messages that told me to overcome. Everyone has their own struggles, and we’ve concluded that the way to overcome them is to “love yourselves,” as all the great musicians mentioned in this song have said.
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Thank you for sharing all your stories. Have you dealt had any comments or bans with “Like Christina Taught Me”?
Damjun: [LIONESSES’ 2021 single] “Christmas Miracle” was banned by the Korean broadcaster CBS [The Christian Broadcasting System] on the “charge” of being LGBTQ — or, to be more precise, “a singer who harms the Christian spirit.” Exactly a year after that, “It’s OK to Be Me” went through the same thing at MBC, Korea’s largest broadcasting station, but MBC resolved the misunderstanding when the director called our company directly and apologized after complaints from fans and the media. The deliberations corrected it as a broadcast-approved song, but as a result the aforementioned attacks persisted for months. There were Christians who filed complaints with the school and education office where I worked as a coach and begged me to fire them. But now that I think about it, not everyone has the experience of being worshipped by pastors, right? [Laughs] So, I think I’ll have fun accepting it even if it happens in the future? “Like Christina Taught Me” has not faced any problems yet, but even in the face of discrimination, I want to sing this song firmly and convey more of the message to the world.
Malrang: Actually, “Like Christina Taught Me” has scenes revealing bits and pieces of my school years. My actual high school years were hell. They’d call me “lady” and “transgender” as insults, and I was sexually harassed a lot by them. I cursed and swore a lot so I wouldn’t get beat up by the bad guys, and even now, I still end up saying things that aren’t very refined, so my boss and Damjun used to be concerned about me. [All laugh] But even when a celebrity with LGBTQ+ image appeared on TV, bullies rushed to hit me. One day when news of a queer celebrity’s suicide was reported, they said, “This is your future; you won’t die comfortably.” But now it’s all in the past — I like how much happier I am after overcoming all of this in the music video.
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The video is also significant because Malrang removes his mask for the first time and Kanghan shares her drag persona. Congratulations on this big step! What inspired these decisions?
Malang: Last year, when my grandmother passed away, I had a lot of think about my life. During that time, it occurred to me that I had lived my life lying to my family for 30 years, as if I had put a thin layer on my life. I was wearing a mask and coming out to the fans and the world, and bravely starting my career, but I couldn’t muster the courage to come out to my family. So, there were many conflicts with the label about unmasking. As such, my grandmother’s passing was a turning point for me since I felt I was constantly lying to the public and to my family. I then addressed my concerns to Damjun who, in producing of this wonderful song, gave me the opportunity to come out again to my family and the public. I felt that I no longer wanted to play a deceiving role, but more than anything, I feel relieved to be able to proudly stand in front of my family now.
Damjun: There was a Christian who attacked us before said, “They hide behind the mask because they know they are ashamed of themselves.” But you know, our mask was rather in solidarity with fans anywhere who could not come out immediately. Of course, I’ve shown my face since our debut but they tried to spread the argument that “they’re hiding behind the mask because they’re ashamed of themselves”, and they only captured and watched footage of the other members wearing masks except my face on the Internet.
Kanghan: My alter ego, the drag queen “Rooya,” was also first revealed to the world through LIONESSES’ music videos. In fact, I’ve dressed up in full drag-queen makeup and outfits for Rooya, but pre-LIONESSES I was only dressed up alone in my room and was never seen by people. I’ve been admiring the queens in the musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Kinky Boots and I believe that revealing the drag queen as a LIONESSES member is a way to bring back the inspiration I’ve received from them. I hope that I can continue to show you the new Rooya through LIONESSES.
Malrang, I’ve heard you’re related to another famous singer, Jeon Soyeon of (G)I-DLE! Have you two connected over music?
Malrang: We are cousins, so we met often on holidays. When she and I were very young, I taught her how to play the piano just once and she has already become the best composer in the K-pop industry so I am always proud of her and her talent. If that short memory is a musical connection to her, it can be said that it is a connection, but as you know, family members don’t usually talk about work.
I originally made my debut in 2009 in the past, and Soyeon supported and listened to me a lot. After that, I was growing my world as an indie musician and as Soyeon prepared to become a K-pop idol, I talked with her about her mindset as an artist and attitude on stage. But when my little sister became a successful musician and started (G)I-DLE‘s world tour, I cried a lot when I came back from the concert hall. I was so proud of her and for being able to so perfectly connect with such a large audience.
So, when I released this single, I decided to reveal my bare face to the public and, at the same time, I came out to her. She has given me a warm support and has given me a lot of support for my future as a K-pop artist. If I could say a word to my little sister Soyeon as an older brother, through this interview, I would like to say, “As your older brother, I will always try to be a good, fellow singer that you are not ashamed of.”
Anything else you would like to share with Billboard readers or maybe Xtina herself?
Malrang: Christina unnie! Next time you visit Korea, make sure to have a glass of soju with mala xiang guo [the spicy Chinese spicy dish that’s popular nowadays). And let’s sing a “spicy” song together!
Kanghan: I still vividly remember how you came out on RuPaul’s Drag Race and supported the drag artists. Because you are the goddess of all the drag queens, I am honored to continue to love your music as great as you have given the LGBTQ+ community.
Damjun: Christina, you’ll have no idea how much you are loved by singers who come after you. Especially for LGBTQ+ boys and girls, like me, who got the hope to live by hearing “You are beautiful” from your music…as a singer who wanted to be like Christina, I think the best I can do is to share the courage and comfort I received from you to my fans again. So, I’m still working hard to resemble you. Christina, I believe that beauty comes from love. Everything that is loved becomes beautiful. That’s why I, as a crooked adolescent boy, was able to become as beautiful as I am now based on the love you gave me through music. I was reluctant to love myself, but your music did so I want to make this song that conveys the message to someone, “Oh, this song loves me.” Because if someone’s having a hard time loving yourself, you can be loved by these kinds of songs first. I love you — to “the voice of our generation” from “the boy of your generation.”
And I’m especially grateful to the people who are fans of countless stars, including my dear DEN, and I want you to know that your presence gives us the strength to live and to create. We, all the musicians can be exist because we have fans. Also, my solo songs will be released in the second half of this year or the first half of 2025…I feel I will be able to sing about more personal things in my solo.
Kanghan: My dear DEN, you know we are always together, right? I hope this year’s Pride Month will have happier and more queer days.
Malrang: Our new single needs a lot of attention, right? [Laughs] We always try to read all the comments. We’ll wait for you, we love you!