K-Pop In Your Area! The Rise of K-Pop In America

by Raul Mencia

The K-pop genre has proven to be a cult favorite among western listeners for the past decade. Collaborations between artists such as Tinashe’s, Chanyeol’s, Far East Movement’s & Marshmello’s “Freal Luv” or Skrillex’s, Diplo’s, CL’s & G-Dragon’s “Dirty Vibe” have further sparked the convergence of these two drastically different worlds over the last year, providing us with a kaleidoscopic array of songs that we enjoy today.

The past year has seen an exponential growth in the amount of K-pop collaborations, and here are some of the hottest tracks out now:

Dua Lipa & BLACKPINK — “Kiss and Make Up”

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Dua Lipa & the girls of BLACKPINK – composed of members Jennie, Rosé, Lisa & Jisoo – join forces in this feel-good track about an off-and-on relationship. The tropical anthem currently has over 200 MILLION streams on Spotify, peaked at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became the first K-pop girl group to debut in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart at #36. The track had a tremendous impact on the western music scene despite the group never releasing an accompanying music video.

BTS & Halsey — “Boy With Luv”

With its groovy production and catchy chorus, there is no doubt why BTS’ & Halsey’s new collaboration, “Boy With Luv” is the hottest song out now. The lead single from the hit boy bands new album, ‘Map of the Soul: Persona‘ deals with the power of love and showcases growth & maturity from the boys. The collaboration has racked up over 200 MILLION views on YouTube, reached the #8 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and undoubtedly cemented their place in the US music scene.

LOONA (yyxy) & Grimes — “love4eva”

An unlikely match made in heaven, the girls of LOONA connected with eclectic singer/producer Grimes through Instagram DM’s. This resulted in the release of the song for their sub-unit project, ‘yyxy’ composed by members Chuu, Yves, Go Won & Olivia Hye. The track kicks off with Grimes’ iconic high-pitched vocals, preparing listeners for the auditory rollercoaster ride that is experienced throughout each second. This won’t be the only time both artists will work together though, as the girl group is slated to appear on Grimes’ upcoming album, confirmed by a recent Instagram comment. However, this collaboration alone gives us reason enough to stan LOONA.

John Legend & WENDY (from Red Velvet) — “Written In The Stars”

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In this stellar collaboration, Red Velvet’s Wendy & R&B vocalist John Legend pair up to bless listeners with a sultry love song. The track is accompanied with a dreamy visual portraying the Korean pop star and EGOT winner as a lovestruck couple. The ballad is sung completely in English and features a sample of Daniel Ceasar’s & H.E.R.’s “Best Part.” It has to date garnered over 9 MILLION streams on Spotify.

BTS & Nicki Minaj — “IDOL (Remix)”

BTS enlisted the ‘Queen’ rapper on the remix of “IDOL.” Nicki Minaj re-ups the record-breaking track by reciting her iconic “Chun-Li” moniker at the intro of the melody and by interpolating John Mayer’s “Your Body Is A Wonderland” during her verse. The fun and energetic song should’ve have been a contender for Song of the Summer, evident with its vibrant music video which garnered over 56.2 MILLION views on its first day alone on YouTube.

Ellie Goulding, Diplo & Red Velvet — “Close To Me (Remix)”

Rapper Swae Lee hands over the limelight to Red Velvet on the remix of Ellie Goulding’s & Diplo’s radio hit single, “Close To Me.” The girls inject new life into the track, adding Korean verses to the song while effortlessly crooning about a perfect love. The song has earned over 3 MILLION streams on Spotify, and has the potential to become an even bigger hit on the radio airways just like the track’s original version.

What collaborations are you most hopeful to see happen this year?

Let us know at @PopCrave.