[Exclusive Interview] PSY "Gentleman" Will It Become Another International Hit? "Doesn't Matter"

International singer Psy has returned as a "Gentleman".

April 13, Psy's concert "HAPPENING" began at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul. Right before the start of the concert, Psy appeared at the official press conference for his concert where he revealed the pressure he felt during the process of making his comeback.

Psy appeared at the press conference with Scooter Braun and revealed that Scooter had told him, "Don't be pressured." Psy continued, "But I got even more stressed from trying not to be pressured" and revealed that he wrote the song under a lot of pressure. He then added, "There were a lot of people who liked the song and people who didn't. However, it was the best I could do. Even though there are a lot of mixed feelings about the song, I've been receiving a lot of good feedback so far so I am happy."

** The Following Shows the Questions and Answers from the Interview at the Press Conference

Q: Please tells us about the new choreography

A: It is called the "arrogance dance". People may ask, "why didn't you make up a new dance?" However, it is the same "arrogance dance" as the dance that is part of the choreography for "Abracadabra" by the Brown Eyed Girls. I modified it a bit to fit my body since my body is different than theirs. It is the "arrogance dance" this time. I'm planning to remake certain Korean songs and dances. After working abroad, I've realized that there is no other market that places as much significance on choreography as Koreans do. I want to work on catchy choreography and songs that are truly great.

Q: What is the reason the dress code is white for Psy's concert?

A: The thought came from the "Korean people of white clothes", who used to all wear white as a symbolism for unity. Later, I thought that if the crowd wore white clothing, the lights from the stage would be more vivid when it is reflected off of their clothes. There are a few things foreigners are shocked about when they watch videos of my performances. It is people acting together. From dress code, singing to dancing, people in the crowd all do it together.

Q: Is there a reason you chose "Gentleman"?

A: Of the two songs I told you about at the airport a while back, there is a reason why I chose "Gentleman." I knew there would be a very defined split between those who like it and those who do. A Korean singer has never been on the news for preparing their comeback. I am constantly grateful and honored for all of this undeserving attention. Naturally, I began to feel the pressure and my music started to get tense. Whenever I was overwhelmed, I tried to find the closest thing that was close to the real me. The other song was something that would have gotten attention from the world. I was thinking about going with it but then I decided to go with the cheaper feeling song instead.

Q: Please explain the lyrics of "Gentleman"

A: People constantly ask me this wherever I am. They ask me what the phrase "mother, father, gentleman" means. Whatever you interpret it as, that is it. All the definitions are correct. When Scooter sings "Gangnam Style" he pronounces the lyrics like a real Korean. "Style" is a word that anybody in the word can easily pronounce. I was looking for a word like that when I landed on the word "gentleman". I worked really hard to find Korean words that are easy to pronounce.

Q: Do you have a message for Kim Jung Eun in North Korea?

A: I want to focus on my job. My job is to bring happiness to people. Division is a tragic reality. I want to be able to spread my love to all nations in the world. I want my music video to see them as well.

Q: People abroad think you are a comedian

A: Some people in Korea see me as a comedian as well. I don't mind. A lot of people say that. They say things like, "You're successful because you're funny, your dance is funny and you're famous for your music video." Others tell me they worry about me and say that they believe my 5 minutes of fame will end here. I am a mainstream singer and a mainstream product. People label what I am. If they think I am a comedian, it is something to be grateful for. I don't care what I am labeled as.

Q: There seems to be a big gap between what mainstream wants and what you want.

A: What I want is to make music that mainstream listeners want. I feel happy when I see other people happy. It's the same for music. When someone feels happy from listening to my music, I become happy as well. To be honest, I am trying to listen to the mainstream listeners to put it in a good way and to put it in a bad way I am chasing the mainstream listeners.

Psy also explained that since he became a global overnight celebrity, he has had to go on 17 to 20 plane rides in only a month. He is grateful for everything and is enjoying all the experiences but at times he feels as though things are way too big for him to handle. It is the reason why all the support from his fans helped him get through tremendously.

At the end of his first performance of the song "Gentleman" during his "Happening" concert, he mentioned how hard he worked with Yang Hyun Suk and asked for unchanging support from the fans.

Tags
Psy
Happening Concert
Gentleman
Gangnam Style
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