REVIEW BY MIKAYLA LAWLESS
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANCING DRAGON MANAGEMENT
A woman in white face paint with intricate blue details decorating her face stares you down as the first beats of the song play. As the shot widens, KUN is revealed, in a regal red outfit that displays a stark contrast to the white environment surrounding him. “Wait, wait, wait.”
KUN’s newest song, “Wait, Wait, Wait” is a stellar new hit in the world of electro-pop. Its soft, almost soothing rhythm is bound to catch the attention of any driver listening to the radio on the way to work. The song combines the two worlds of pop and electronic to create a masterpiece unlike any other. It also combines traditional Chinese culture with today’s music, seamlessly blending and harmonizing the imagery of the music video with the music’s synthetic beats. In one scene, he appears to walk through a Chinese painting. Even at the beginning of the video, the women’s makeup possibly hints towards the age-old tradition of Chinese women covering their faces in white powder, most common during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The art in this music video is simply marvelous.
The music video follows KUN’s character as he finds himself in a multitude of different dimensions; a traditional Chinese painting, a busy city square, or an underwater palace. The graphics of the video are absolutely incredible, animation becoming one with reality. Not only that, but the imagery of the video corresponds with the lyrics in the song gorgeously. In one part of the video, KUN sings, “This love is killing me.” He appears to be stuck in glass box, surrounded by multi-colored neon lights. The box represents how useless and trapped KUN feels by his love for this individual. Throughout the entire video, KUN finds himself in situations where he is overwhelmed and surrounded by people. The little amount of space he finds himself in is similar to his options— wait or move on. Not a lot of options, not a lot of space. He waits and waits and waits for the individual, but they never even give him a crumb of the amount of love he feels for them. There is nothing he can do but wait.
KUN’s desperateness in the song can also be heard throughout the music itself. Its tone is soft and harmonizing with the occasional sharp hum of the synth. KUN’s character’s loss is portrayed in this calmness dotted with spikes of anger and hurt.
Check out our interview with KUN below!
Recently you released your latest music video for your song “Wait, Wait, Wait”. Can you tell us a little about the song and video?
KUN: “‘Wait Wait Wait’ is a very meaningful song for me, and we put a lot of thought and creativity into the music video. We collaborated with top director Dave Meyers for the music video. I have seen many of his previous works, which are always thoughtful and innovative. We also reached a consensus - we wanted to do something new, not what anyone else has done before (or even what we have done before).
So we were very happy to see that this music video is indeed very unique and artistic. We hope it is a work of art that can be handed down and left behind. It adds elements of both China and the West. It has such a sense of integration, in both the clothes and the performances, which are extensions of my own personal stories.”
What was the process like when creating the concept for the video?
KUN: “First, I met with the director and talked about the creation process of the song, listening to his thoughts on it. I also gave him a lot of space to play, without too many restrictions on both sides. Finally, we shot it almost in a green background, relying on my imagination all the way.”
This month you began your debut solo tour in the US and UK. What are you most looking forward to on this run of shows?
KUN: “Introducing everyone to my music! I’ll be showing all the different sides of my music - for example, I’m a DJ, producer, and performer, as well. I hope that through this tour, everyone can get a more comprehensive understanding of me and that they’ll pay attention to my upcoming single, ‘Hard To Get’, which has not yet been released.”
How does it feel to know that this tour is nearly completely sold out?
KUN: “I am very happy and grateful for the support from the fans. They have always been so supportive and active, and I’ll return them the favor by giving my best performance!”
We also hear that you will be releasing new music in late April! Can you give us any insight on the upcoming release?
KUN: “At the end of April, a new song will be released called ‘Hard to Get’. There will also be a music video for this song. I might sing it in advance on my tour - you’ll just have to listen to find out more!”