KUN claims China with “Afterglow” for the 'Global No. 1s' series. He duo shares how “Afterglow” came to life, shares his view on performances, and more!
Billboard is launching its inaugural 'Global No. 1s' series, an initiative to spotlight top-charting artists from around the world. Billboard has partnered with its ten-plus global editions to showcase distinct voices topping their local charts around the world in exclusive interviews. Stay tuned throughout the week to discover who's No. 1 in the UK, Brazil, Korea, and more!
Billboard is launching its inaugural 'Global No. 1s' series, an initiative to spotlight top-charting artists from around the world. Billboard has partnered with its ten-plus global editions to showcase distinct voices topping their local charts around the world in exclusive interviews. Stay tuned throughout the week to discover who's No. 1 in the UK, Brazil, Korea, and more!
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MusicTranscript
00:00Hello everyone, I am Cai Xukun.
00:15I feel very honored.
00:16First of all, I am very grateful to all the people who like this song.
00:19In fact, it is more of an incentive for me.
00:21It makes me want to work harder to do the next work.
00:25Be able to make a better work to give back to everyone.
00:31In fact, at the beginning,
00:34I wanted to use time, space, art and fashion to make a connection.
00:40So I thought for a long time,
00:42what kind of word can represent such an image, such a scene.
00:47Finally, the word Afterglow appeared in my mind.
00:50It is also because we are in the process of flying, traveling,
00:55including the process of driving,
00:57there is often such a scene.
00:59In fact, it also represents a feeling of a moment.
01:04So in fact, I used this theme in the end.
01:06Then I combined it with the models in my mind.
01:09There is a show, there is a light that is constantly flashing.
01:12Time is changing, people are changing.
01:16Such a feeling of my own imagination.
01:20So I created this song.
01:22In fact, the process is quite interesting and fast.
01:25We first chose this theme.
01:27Then freestyle for a while.
01:29This concept came out quite quickly.
01:38In fact, this song Afterglow,
01:40I have already started to use some soul elements in my life.
01:45Make a rock element.
01:47For production, we use more modern and classic elements.
01:54So basically this song is a start of a way of creating that I very much recognize.
02:00Then basically everyone will see my many works.
02:04It may be a combination of timeless and modern.
02:08Including my vocal, everyone will slowly find a pattern.
02:13This is a way I will make songs in the future.
02:15Remedy is a type of song that I listen to a lot in private.
02:20Because I listen to a lot of classic songs.
02:23When I'm quiet, I like this kind of state and style.
02:27The feeling of being able to talk to myself at a moment when I stop.
02:31Ride or Die actually took a long time to make.
02:35Because the concept of Afterglow has been in my heart for a long time.
02:41I have always wanted to turn it into a real work and a real song.
02:46Until I had the opportunity of Ride or Die.
02:48Because I want to show everyone a change that is not the same as before.
02:54So Ride or Die was actually a signal and a message that I conveyed.
02:59Because in the past, many works were warm and love songs.
03:03Everyone has heard it.
03:05So Ride or Die is actually a style that has never appeared in previous works.
03:10It's also something I've always wanted to do but haven't done.
03:13It took a lot of time to change.
03:15Because I want to show him as much as possible.
03:19The first thing I want in my mind.
03:22It took a lot of time to change a lot of versions in the middle.
03:30I think this concept will continue.
03:33But maybe there will be new concepts.
03:36It's also something we've been preparing for a long time.
03:40It should be said that there will be some upgrades to this concept.
03:42So everyone can look forward to it.
03:46Online, it's more like a work that you need to keep.
03:52After a while, look back.
03:54Look at your growth, change, and state every year.
03:58It will always stay there.
04:00Online, for me, it's more about the feeling of energy with everyone at the moment.
04:06I can feel them.
04:08They can also see you for real.
04:11Then interact with you.
04:13So I think this is the charm of offline.
04:15It's hard to replace online.
04:20I think for an artist, every detail is very important.
04:24Small is probably the emotions and your state in the process.
04:29Big is probably the final result.
04:31Did it meet your original expectations?
04:33And the whole planning process.
04:36Are you really enjoying it?
04:38Or are you just finishing a job?
04:41I think this is completely different.
04:43So I think the process of enjoying it is very critical.
04:46As a result, sometimes it will have a lot of chemical reactions.
04:54This year, it's accumulated.
04:56In the process of flying a lot,
04:59with different artists,
05:01we have a lot of discussions and clashes.
05:05So for my thoughts, for a lot of things in aesthetics,
05:08there is actually a big change.
05:10Today may be the time to show these things.
05:15Because this year is more of an accumulation and preparation stage.
05:23It's hard to say it in one word.
05:25Because after saying it, it may be spoilers.
05:27It's also hard to use one word to summarize all the music and things to be presented next.
05:33I think I can leave it to time.
05:35Leave it to next year to summarize this word.
05:37Next time when you interview me,
05:40I'll give you this word.
05:45I think it's better than language.
05:47It's also better than hell.
05:50It's better than a lot of things.
05:52I think it's more of an exchange.
05:54We also hope that more people can hear our own music.
05:59This is something I have been working hard to do.
06:02It's better to present more good works to them than to say anything.
06:07Keep working hard.