- 2 days ago
DAYOUNG joins us in our Los Angeles studios to talk about her solo debut, and her new single, “What’s a girl to do,” discussing balance, her creative identity, and the path for K-Pop’s success around the globe during a conversation with Brooke Morrison.
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00:02All right, Dayoung, welcome to the Odyssey Studios here in L.A. What's going on?
00:06Thank you for having me. Hi, guys.
00:08Hello.
00:10How's L.A. been so far?
00:12It's been amazing, and I had a lot of experience in here, and the food is amazing, and people are
00:21really lovely.
00:23Yeah, I really love here.
00:24Nice. Well, congratulations on everything so far. It's been so fun to watch.
00:28Oh, thank you so much. Thank you for saying that.
00:31Of course. I mean, your solo debut, Gonna Love Me Right, of course, has been out, and it really seemed
00:35to connect with fans from all over the world, and it's been a moment.
00:39You know, like Korea, the U.S., everybody's talking about it. What really, you know, about body do you think
00:44resonated with so many people?
00:47It's just my opinion, personal opinion. Maybe people are, like, missed about 2000s sound.
00:54Like, 2000s, like, that feeling and vibes and the, like, some, like, styling and music.
01:05So, and many people are talking to me, oh, your body song, song Body, like, reminds me of 2000.
01:14Right. True.
01:15So, maybe that's the reason they're loving my body song.
01:19Definitely. And I think the choreo, right, was the viral moment. We saw it all over TikTok, which was really
01:25cool.
01:25It was really connecting with people around the world for that, too, alone, like, just for the choreo.
01:29I mean, how fun was watching that moment unfold?
01:32At that moment, I, like, every day when I wake up, and I check my phone, and I scrolling down,
01:40like, and I saw the whole, like, dance challenge video filmed from my fans.
01:48Yeah.
01:48And it was really fun, and I was really appreciated to everybody. And then some of fans are, like, like,
01:58wear my same clothes.
02:02Yeah. Oh, yeah.
02:03Like, yeah, same clothes. Like, when I wear a red outfit, they're wearing a red outfit, and they're, like, dancing
02:10like me.
02:11Yeah.
02:11It was really cute. Yeah.
02:13Nice.
02:14I really appreciate it.
02:15So do I. It was really cool to watch. Congrats on that. It's not easy to do. Like, getting something
02:20to, like, pop on TikTok, it's not easy.
02:22Right.
02:23So congrats. But when you're preparing this new track, which, you know, you have new music on the way.
02:27Yes.
02:27When you're preparing stuff, what usually comes first? Is it the sound? Is it the choreo in, like, a weird
02:33way? You know, like, do you start with a move? Or is it the story that you want to tell?
02:36Yes. Okay. I already have this song, What's a Girl to Do, this song, like, since I was preparing Body.
02:47Oh, wow.
02:47Okay.
02:47Yeah, it was an old song.
02:49Nice.
02:49And suddenly, I, um, just a, like, random day, I went home, during Go Home, and I just played What
03:00I've Got, and that What's a Girl to Do song just, like, like, like, how do I say it, like,
03:08yeah, popped up in my mind.
03:09Got it. Okay.
03:10I immediately decided, oh, my God, it was going to be a next song. And then right after, I called
03:17my director, hey, we should make choreo. Like, crazy.
03:23And right away, I called my music video director, let's film the music video in LA. And everything was going
03:30really fast.
03:31Yeah, that's amazing. It sounds like you've had it on lock ever since. I mean, going into record vocals. I
03:36mean, you've been doing this for a long time, you know.
03:38Do you start with a sound that you already have? Like, you know what you're going for? Do you kind
03:42of experiment when you get in the booth?
03:45Yes. Yes. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Because, um, honestly, I have a lot of, like, a lot of
03:55voice. I have a lot of voice. Like, I can, I can pretend like somebody.
04:01Like, yeah, like, yeah, like, yeah, like, I have money. I have a lot of different person in my voice.
04:08Because I was in a group for 10 years. So I had to make my sounds more pop. Like, pop
04:17up.
04:17Like, yeah. Because we have, like, 10 girls. Right, right, right. With a group. So I had to pop up.
04:26Yeah, stand out. Right. I need to stand out. So I can make my voice more, like, yes, thick, thick.
04:34Nice. So, yeah. So, like, and even though I, I was preparing my new single and body gonna love me,
04:42right?
04:42Yeah. I cut my vocals, like, maybe, like, 10 more times. Wow. Okay.
04:50And we all compared which version is great. Mm, okay. Yeah. You do kind of experiment.
04:55Like, you have a sound, but you like to see which one is best and which fits really well.
05:00I like that a lot. For you personally, speaking of you, you know, finally being a solo artist.
05:04Yes. What really sounds like a Taeyoung song? What makes it a you song?
05:08Oh, my song. Yeah. I would say it's gonna be, uh, the lyric-wise, I would say number one rock
05:19star.
05:20Oh, okay. That's the vibe. Yeah. That's what I want to say to people.
05:26Oh, okay. Number one rock star. Yeah, number one rock star.
05:30Nice. Nice. And I mean, speaking of you having been in this industry for a long time, how has your
05:35personal relationship with music changed from the very beginning to who you are now?
05:39Um, before I debut, I was, I was, like, I'm just, like, who really liked music? Like, just a little,
05:52little young girl.
05:53Right. Yeah. And I could start, I could debut. Yeah. And after that, after that, I really liked the journey.
06:03Mm-hmm. Yeah. Like, like, go on a stage and meet, like, fans all over the world.
06:12Mm-hmm. And do some promotions. Right.
06:14Yeah. And do an interview. Yeah. Yeah. And I had a lot of happy memories with my 10 girls. Right.
06:24Yeah. And after that, I'm becoming a solo. Now I can, like, I can sing a song, like, for three
06:35minutes on my voice.
06:38Right.
06:38Right. Yes. Myself.
06:39It's all you now.
06:40Yeah. Yeah. It's all me.
06:42Yeah.
06:42So it feels more, like, bigger for me.
06:47Yeah. And...
06:48I can see that.
06:49Yeah.
06:49Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, this solo direction has also been you tapping further into the U.S. market and
06:55connecting with fans, you know, through your English language releases.
06:58What have you learned so far about introducing yourself to a wider global audience?
07:04Oh, yes, I have. The confidence.
07:06Mm-hmm. Okay.
07:07Yeah, confidence.
07:08Confident.
07:08Confident.
07:09And they're really...
07:13And also, they're really sweet.
07:16Yeah, they're really sweet.
07:18Nice.
07:18And I learned from U.S. fans.
07:22Mm-hmm.
07:22They're really confident and they're always looking, find some really good things for, like, people.
07:32Mm-hmm.
07:32And they're really positive.
07:35So, yeah, I learned a lot of things from them.
07:39Nice. I love that.
07:40You know, at the time of this interview, too, you're here in L.A.
07:43Yes.
07:43So, welcome back to L.A., of course, shooting the music video for What's a Girl to Do.
07:47Yes.
07:47Now that your second digital single is out, because at the time of this release, it is out.
07:52Congrats.
07:52But, you know, how is that building on what fans have seen from you already?
07:57Oh, okay.
07:59My latest album, Gonna Love Me Right, and called Body, song was more 2000 and more dance, dance track.
08:10Right.
08:10And was more summer vibe.
08:12Okay.
08:13Yeah, it's giving summer.
08:14It was giving summer.
08:15Yes, yes.
08:16And I, and, but, like, this time, I wanted to giving some, like, how do I say it, college party
08:25energy?
08:26Like, like.
08:27Ooh, college party.
08:29Fun, energetic, and then some vibe vibe.
08:32You know what I mean?
08:33Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
08:34I really want to release some, like, 좀 불 다 끄고 노래 들을 수 있는 cool dark.
08:40Ah, dark songs.
08:42Yeah, dark songs.
08:43Hell yeah.
08:43Yes, yes.
08:44So, like, it's more fit, like, at the night.
08:47Because body is more fit, more daytime.
08:51Okay, right.
08:51Yeah, so, I thought, like, maybe we need some, like, night, night song.
08:57Yeah.
08:57So, like, okay, I want to make people listen to my song all day.
09:03Right, right, right.
09:04Whole day, so, like.
09:0624-7.
09:07Yes, 24-7.
09:08So, I already have, like, daytime song.
09:11Yep.
09:11Now, I need to make night song.
09:14Okay.
09:14So, I decided, like, what's a girl to do?
09:17Yeah, okay.
09:18It's kind of giving some night mood.
09:20Yeah, so, it's, like, night party now.
09:22Yes.
09:22Like, house party versus, like, Coachella.
09:24Yeah, house party.
09:24It's, like, body.
09:25Yes.
09:25Okay, okay, I love that.
09:27Yeah, gonna love me right.
09:28I mean, that was kind of an outward question towards somebody else, your debut project.
09:32And then, what's a girl to do?
09:33It turns that question inward, and it's kind of, you know, speaking to yourself.
09:36Yeah.
09:36So, what inspired you to explore that more self-reflective side of love?
09:41Okay, what's a girl to do is, like, self-question.
09:44So, gonna love me right was, like, asking to somebody.
09:49Yeah.
09:49And, um, I, I, I decided the album title from the, what's a girl to do is my title track.
10:00Right.
10:00I brought the name from my whole lyrics for the, what's a girl to do, the album.
10:07Yeah.
10:08Like, and the, what's a girl to do, name is all about the love.
10:13Mm.
10:14Like, lyric is all about the love story.
10:17Yeah.
10:17And, you know, like, when people, like, falling into the love, they're doing some awkward things.
10:24Or they're being, like, some very weird.
10:27And, like, they're doing, like, yeah, out of the character.
10:31Yeah.
10:31Yes, out of the character.
10:33So, like, I found, like, that could be so cute.
10:37Right.
10:37And really honest.
10:38And we're all human.
10:39So, we all do the things.
10:41Mm-hmm.
10:41So, yeah, maybe we could write about this, uh, uh, we could writing a song about this story.
10:50Right.
10:51Yeah.
10:51Very true.
10:51And I really want to tell everybody, it's okay.
10:55Mm-hmm.
10:56It's, it's all we do.
10:57And you can be more confident of that.
11:00So, yeah.
11:02Is this more from, like, personal experience?
11:04Like, things that you've experienced?
11:05Oh, well.
11:06Acting out a character for love?
11:07You know, we all do it.
11:08Yeah.
11:09We all have.
11:10Yeah.
11:10We all have.
11:11Right, right, right.
11:11Yes.
11:12For sure.
11:12For sure.
11:12And you actually helped write both of these songs with artists that we already know.
11:15Like, Eric Nam.
11:16Yes.
11:16Who I'm sure, you know, many of us watching this know.
11:19Yes.
11:19What part of the songwriting process felt the most personal for you this time around?
11:22And what was it like working with him?
11:24Ooh, okay.
11:26He is, he is incredible.
11:29Mm-hmm.
11:29And amazing.
11:30Yeah.
11:31He is the best.
11:32With the capital.
11:33Mm-hmm.
11:33Yeah.
11:33He is the best.
11:35And I really appreciate that, him.
11:39Yeah.
11:40And, like, Eric is super busy these days.
11:48Yeah.
11:48Yes.
11:48Super busy.
11:49You can see that.
11:50And even though, like, I didn't see him, like, he is not busy.
11:55Mm-hmm.
11:55Yeah.
11:55He is always busy, and he's everywhere, and he's always traveling.
12:00So, it's really hard to reach out to him.
12:02But, like, three years ago, I really wanted to make music, my own music, and suddenly, in
12:14my mind, Eric Nam's name was, like, came up.
12:17Yeah.
12:18So, I reached out to Eric, and, hey, Eric, hey, it's Taeyoung, and, like, how are you?
12:24And, like, he said, yeah, for what?
12:27Why are you calling me?
12:28Okay.
12:29And, like, I just...
12:30Dang, Eric.
12:30Yeah.
12:31Yeah.
12:31And then, I was just, like...
12:32Friendship.
12:33Hey, Eric Nam, can you help me with my solo project?
12:37And then, he said, he screamed, and, like, oh, my God, yes!
12:41Yes, yes, yes.
12:42And then, like, right after he asked me, can you come to L.A. next week?
12:48Come right now.
12:48Come right now.
12:49Let's do it right now.
12:49Cool.
12:50Yeah, come right now.
12:50And I said, yes, absolutely yes.
12:53Yeah.
12:53And then, I packed everything, and I moved, and I fly to L.A.
12:59Yeah.
13:00And then, Eric made me, like, a bunch of sessions, like, at least 30 more.
13:07Wow, okay.
13:08Yeah.
13:08Nice.
13:08And then, we write everything.
13:11We wrote everything, and we made all together.
13:16That was a Gonna Let Me Write.
13:18Nice.
13:19Yeah.
13:20And, you know, he was drawing a shoot for Traitors.
13:25Oh, Traitors.
13:25Yeah, he's been doing Traitors.
13:27Yeah, Traitors.
13:28Yeah.
13:28He was in a random mountain.
13:30Okay.
13:30So, out of the service.
13:32Nice.
13:33Out of the service.
13:34Yeah.
13:34So, like, he only can use paper and pen in analog MP3.
13:39Oh, my gosh.
13:41Yeah, analog.
13:41Wow.
13:42He should plug in the earpods there.
13:45Nice.
13:46Okay.
13:46And then, like, he wrote every feedback on the paper.
13:52Wow.
13:52Yeah.
13:53And then, the Traitors producer took the photo and then sent it to his manager.
13:58Wow.
13:59And then, his manager sent the feedback to me.
14:02Wow.
14:02And then, I received 3-0 paper.
14:07Okay.
14:07Yeah, handwriting paper.
14:09Yeah.
14:10That's how he worked.
14:11Yeah.
14:12I mean, did it make it a little bit more fun for you?
14:14Yes.
14:14Okay.
14:15I mean, that's good.
14:15That's all that matters.
14:16That's good.
14:17You know, I mean, there must be something exciting as well with balancing group stuff
14:20with your solo project, especially with WJSN, Bloom Hour, special 10th anniversary.
14:26That's out now, that release.
14:27How has that moment influenced what you're bringing now into this next solo project for
14:32you?
14:32There's a lot.
14:34There's a lot.
14:34There's a lot of influence because I could learn, like, many things from when I was in
14:43a group because so many opportunities because I was in a group.
14:49Right.
14:49Yeah, because we are all, we all together, the power is, like, 10.
14:56Yeah.
14:56We're, like, big power.
14:58Yeah.
14:58The energy is amazing.
15:00Yeah.
15:00So, we could go everywhere and, like, we could, it was possible, like, we could go the bigger
15:09stage.
15:10Okay.
15:10Yeah.
15:11And we can experience more because I was in a group.
15:17Right.
15:17Yeah.
15:18And, and follow that, I could learn about, I could learn, like, how do I say, like, like,
15:27big stage experiment and, like, meeting each other, like, you know, like, meeting fans all
15:33of the world.
15:35Mm-hmm.
15:35And I could learn many things.
15:38Yeah.
15:38Because I was in a group.
15:39Yeah.
15:39And that influenced me a lot.
15:41And when I prepared my solo project, I was like, okay, this sound might be a little small
15:51because at this stage, this, this instrument, it should be more, yeah, like this.
15:59Right.
15:59Right, right, right.
15:59You have experience.
16:00So, then you're applying it.
16:01Yeah, I have experience.
16:02Yes.
16:02That means, that means it really helped a lot.
16:05Yeah, of course.
16:06I mean, that makes a lot of sense.
16:07I mean, you've been a part of this massive, like, K-pop global wave, you know, for the past,
16:11like, 10, 15 years it's happened.
16:13And how do you see that changing and how do you interact with international fans now
16:17that it's becoming such, like, a global experience?
16:19K-pop has changed so much.
16:21Yes.
16:22First, I'm really appreciated to my 선배님들.
16:26I really respect my, like, other...
16:29Elders.
16:30Yes.
16:30Other artists.
16:31Yeah.
16:31And especially, like, like, BTS.
16:35Right.
16:36Yeah, they, BTS and BLACKPINK, they are, like, made a pathway.
16:42Pathway, pathway, like, to our artists go to overseas.
16:47Right, yeah.
16:47And meet other international fans.
16:50That's really, like, I really appreciate it.
16:53And recent, like, K-pop Demon Hunters.
16:56Mm-hmm, true.
16:56Yeah, I saw that, too.
16:58And I was really related.
17:00Yeah, for sure.
17:01I was really related.
17:02And then, that was so cool.
17:04And, oh, yeah, that's our story.
17:06Yeah, of course.
17:07We love it.
17:09No, so much.
17:09Except the, like, death world.
17:13Oh, like, the demon part of it?
17:15Demon part of it.
17:16Except demon part of it.
17:17And then, like, jump on the plane.
17:19Yeah.
17:20Oh, right.
17:20You don't jump on planes and fight demons?
17:22Yeah, no.
17:23Why not?
17:24No, no.
17:24I mean, honestly.
17:25Yeah, yeah.
17:26I mean, what do you think is the biggest challenge that artists face now?
17:28Not only just K-pop, but also just pop in general and music spanning this global landscape.
17:34You know, creating music that feels authentic, but also trying to be a little bit more on the trendy side.
17:38Because you've gone viral many times, so you already know what that's like.
17:41But how is balancing that now?
17:43I'm just, yeah.
17:45It's kind of, sometimes it feels, like, tricky and difficult for me.
17:52And I'm, and now I found, I think I found, like, right, right to do things?
18:02Maybe, like, I don't know, like, balance.
18:04Balance.
18:05Yeah, balance.
18:05Because I'm just doing, like, be myself.
18:09Yeah.
18:10Yeah, be myself.
18:11And then I'm just trying to show, I'm just trying to just be myself and present just real me.
18:19Yeah.
18:20And I hope, my hope is, like, people are gonna just love me if I be myself.
18:27Yeah, I love that.
18:28I mean, you're very busy lately.
18:30And so when you're unplugging, when you're not working and performing, what do you like to do?
18:35Time off, I just listen to music and dance.
18:42Yeah.
18:42Yeah.
18:43That's all.
18:45Cool.
18:45It's really boring, right?
18:46It's not boring.
18:47Yeah, because you're an artist.
18:48I really love music.
18:50And I really love dancing.
18:52So, like, when I have, like, off day, I always find some, like, good reference or good music.
18:59Of course.
18:59Like, watching other artists' performances, and I inspired a lot from them.
19:06Yeah.
19:06And I always, like, oh, maybe I should do this dance after for my performances, like, like, like this.
19:14Of course.
19:15Yeah.
19:15Yeah, getting inspired all the time.
19:17Yeah, always music and fashion for my new performance clothes.
19:22Okay.
19:22Nice.
19:23Love to see it.
19:24Yeah, boring answer.
19:25Sorry.
19:26It's not boring.
19:26Okay.
19:27Because, again, it's a part of who you are.
19:28That's why you do what you do.
19:29Yes.
19:29But if there's one song on a playlist that fans would not think that you listen to, what
19:34would it be?
19:35Ah.
19:36Oh, my God.
19:37I just, I just, okay, I just forget the title, but it's on my playlist.
19:45Okay.
19:46Like, okay.
19:47Who's the artist?
19:48Okay, like, it's a man.
19:49It's a man.
19:50It was a man.
19:51Yes.
19:51Man music.
19:53Okay.
19:53Should I sing this?
19:55Yeah, sing it.
19:55Come on.
19:56It's by a man, guys.
19:57We need to, we need to keep my low voice.
20:01Low voice.
20:02Okay.
20:02Okay.
20:04And turn the lights down.
20:07Yes.
20:07Oh, what's her?
20:08Yes.
20:08Yes.
20:09That's the, like, I'm from Missouri.
20:11Don't question me about country music.
20:13Yes, I really love that song.
20:14Yeah.
20:15Wow.
20:15People couldn't expect that I am listening to that song, but I'm really obsessed with that
20:21song.
20:22Yeah.
20:22So, like, I listened to that song, like, maybe, like, twice of the day.
20:25Oh, that's a good one.
20:27He's got, he's got some other really, really good ones, too, by the way.
20:29Okay.
20:30Oh, let me know.
20:30I don't know if you've listened, but yeah.
20:32Let me know after this.
20:33I'll show you after this.
20:33They're really good.
20:34Last thing.
20:35For those who do not know anything about your music or who you are as an artist, what do
20:39you hope fans would know when they're getting into Taeyoung?
20:42Oh, she has a really good music.
20:47She has really good music and good vibes.
20:50Maybe she gives to you good energy.
20:55Heck yes.
20:56Yes.
20:56Anything else you want to tell your fans before we close out?
20:59Please make sure to listen to What's a Girl to Do.
21:02Yes.
21:03It's out now.
21:04When this is out, it'll be out already.
21:05So go listen.
21:06Please make sure.
21:07Please.
21:07I need your help.
21:10Awesome.
21:10Well, thank you so much.
21:11Thanks for coming in.
21:12Thank you so much.
21:13Thank you for having me.
21:14Of course.
21:15Always.
21:16Bye, guys.
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