K-Pop Crossover [VIDEO]: Punk Pop Band Nylon Pink Talk About Kpop in EXCLUSIVE Interview; BIGBANG, Girls Generation, Hyuna, 2NE1, Big Bang, 4Minute and f(x) All Named Favorites

K-Pop Crossover: Pop punk band Nylon Pink call themselves the "only all-Asian American female band in the United States." They are certainly the hardest rocking. Nylon Pink dip into their Kpop favorites regularly to pull out nuggets they can make their own.

Nylon Pink recently bashed through a catchy cover of Kpop star BoA's ballad "Every Heart," best known as the song that closes every episode of the hit anime Inuyasha. But "Every Heart" isn't the first Kpop song that Nylon Pink has transformed into their own special brand of guitar-pop. The band also recently put out a music video covering 2NE1's "Lonely" and last year punched up 2NE1's "I Am The Best." The West Coast rockers also tore through beautifully raucous versions of Girls Generation's "Run Devil Run" Hyuna's hit "Ice Cream" and Big Bang's "Blue."

Why? Because Nylon Pink love Kpop. Self-avowed "fan girls" who not only listen to the songs, but dig deep into them, learning all the parts and translating them into power pop treasures.

Nylon Pink has been described as "Hello Kitty on Acid." Nylon Pink is made up of lead singer and former model Kaila Yu, bassist Katt Lee, Kiki Wongo on guitar, and Jamie Scoles on drums. There were formed in 2008 by Kaila Yu and Katt Lee. Remember those names because Kpopstarz.com finally caught up with the busy band and they were happy to spill on their favorite Kpop artists, their approach to songwriting and why they choose the songs they choose.

KPOPSTARZ: You've done a quite a few Kpop covers from Hyuna's Ice Cream to BoA's Every Heart and have done more than one 2NE1 song. How do you choose them?

JAMIE: We all are up to date with what's new since we are also big fans and once it's released, one of us email blasts the songs to the rest of us and we fangirl a little bit...  and reply back with "This is so awesome! Let's do this!"

KATT: We are put fans first and foremost of KPOP, and whatever are into and love we chose from there=)

KPOPSTARZ: How does the Kpop sound influence your originals?

KIKI: We're all fans of KPOP. We absolutely love the music, the cool progressions and catchy melodies, and we love KPOP fans. KPOP fans are the best fans out there since they are so involved with the music and the scene, and they're always supporting their favorite bands! We get inspired by this energy to write our own music with a twist of our own tastes such and dubby electro breakdowns and heavy guitars.

KPOPSTARZ: What is it you most want to capture of their feel?

KIKI: We definitely want to convey the energy from KPOP and the fans. In KPOP music videos, there's so much energy in their performances and dancing, you can almost feel it coming out at you from the screen! We love this energy, and we thrive off of it as an inspiration. We hope we can do the same to our friends and fans through our originals too!

KPOPSTARZ: How do you go about figuring out the songs? Does Kiki work out the chords from listening? Who arranges the sound?

KIKI: Usually we will start out with a direct translation of the lyrics. Then we'll go through the song and change the lyrics so they fit the syncopations. Sometimes, we'll recruit the help of some of our Nylon Pink Ninjas to help write English lyrics for our covers too! We usually will go through some of the progressions with a producer and bounce ideas back and forth in the studio. Then we record! :D

KPOPSTARZ: Who are your favorite Kpop artists?

KAILA: BIGBANG and Girls Generation -- I think that they have the best songs! I love Hyuna too, but mostly because she is HOT!

JAMIE: 2NE1, Big Bang, 4Minute and f(x)!!! If I HAD to choose my top favorites, I'd probably put 2NE1 and F(x) at the top of my list.

KATT: Definitely 2NE1!  They are not like any other KPop artists around.  All their songs are super original and have the best style.  They stand out from the crowd! I feel like they are real artists and not some group that was put together by some big corporate record company (although they were...they seem like a real family and have that bond).

KPOPSTARZ:  Who are the best musicians in Kpop?

KAILA: I heart T.O.P., but I've got to say G-Dragon, because he is also a songwriter -- he writes the best  songs.

JAMIE: I definitely agree with Kaila on G-Dragon. He has his own style and all his songs are always amazing.

KATT: Again 2NE1! Not only do they go hard but they are an amazing dancers, singers, rappers and trendsendsetter, they're a big ball of talent lol!

KPOPSTARZ: What is more fun? Modeling or singing?

JAMIE: Well... I'm pursuing music because I love music so I'd have to say singing. Even if you can't sing, pretending like you can at the top of your lungs in the shower or in the car is always fun!

KIKI: Music all the way! We love to rock out, write music, play together, and inspire each other to keep doing our best!

KPOPSTARZ: Who would you most like to collaborate with or have as a guest musician?

JAMIE: G-Dragon or Amber from F(x) for sure!

KATT: 2NE1 all the way baby! WERRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDD, they bring bada** to KPOP which I love, they're not generic, they have real style and connect with thier audience which I feel like is one of the most important aspect as a performer.

KPOPSTARZ: When you write, what comes first usually? Lyrics, melody, feel?

JAMIE: When I am writing music, it's always the beats that come first! I guess that is expected from a drummer right?

It might be expected from a drummer. But you never know what to expect from Nylon Pink, except that it will be exciting. 

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world news
Nylon Pink
2NE1
girlds generation
HyunA
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