Ten years after Gangnam Style became a global phenomenon, South Korean rapper Psy is living his best life - proud of his greatest trophy and free from the pressure of repeating that unprecedented success.<\/p>\n
Uploaded to YouTube on July 15, 2012, the songs wacky music video became a runaway megahit, with its trademark horse-riding dance spawning thousands of imitations, spoofs and spinoffs.<\/p>\n
It was the first YouTube video to reach one billion views, and with it Psy attained what K-pop acts before him could not: global recognition.<\/p>\n
At the peak of the songs popularity, he was everywhere sharing the stage with Madonna, leading a flash mob in front of the Eiffel Tower, and performing before then US president Barack Obama.<\/p>\n
But the success of Gangnam Style was a double-edged sword - with fame came pressure to deliver another huge hit. Psy once described it as one of the most difficult periods of his life.<\/p>\n
Things became heavier and harder because every time I (had) to have that kind of strong song, Psy told AFP in an interview last week at his companys headquarters in Gangnam - the posh Seoul district he poked fun at in the track.<\/p>\n
I had a huge dependency (on) the song But you know, its 10 years ago, so right now Im really free.<\/p>\n
Gangnam Style transformed not only Psys career but the music industry too, demonstrating how an artist not performing in a dominant language such as English could reach international audiences through the internet.<\/p>\n
It also prompted a change in how music charts were compiled, making Billboard take YouTube views and streams into account.<\/p>\n
K-pop acts are very huge on YouTube, they are getting a lot of views, Psy said.<\/p>\n
If Billboard didnt change, it (wouldnt) be that easy, the 44-year-old added.<\/p>\n
Psys groundbreaking role has been acknowledged by some of the biggest names in K-pop.<\/p>\n
Hes always someone I was grateful for, Suga, a member of hugely popular group BTS, said in a video last month.<\/p>\n
With Gangnam Style, he paved the way for K-pop in the United States We were able to follow his footsteps with ease.<\/p>\n
Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, was a superstar in South Korea well before Gangnam Style.<\/p>\n
He cites Queen as his earliest inspiration - while in middle school, he watched a video of the British bands famous 1986 concert at Wembley.<\/p>\n
I thought: I want to be a frontman like him (Freddie Mercury), Psy told AFP.<\/p>\n
At that moment, I was not that good at music, not that good a singer I was just a funny dancer.<\/p>\n
While attending university in the United States in the late 1990s, he was exposed to what many have described as one of the golden ages of hip-hop, including the music of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.<\/p>\n
I literally heard hip-hop every day on the radio, Psy said. I thought: Oh, if I cannot sing that well, I gotta rap. Then I can be the frontman.<\/p>\n
Debuting in 2001, he quickly made a name for himself with humorous and explosive stage performances and won multiple awards.<\/p>\n
Unusually controversial for a Korean pop star, several of his earlier songs and music videos were given adult ratings because of what state censors deemed bad language.<\/p>\n
Since the explosive success of Gangnam Style, Psy has put out three albums.<\/p>\n
The latest, Psy 9th, was released in April by P NATION - the record label and artist agency he founded in 2019.<\/p>\n
Psy insists he is far from done, dividing his time between his own music and concerts and working with P NATION acts. And Gangnam Style remains a huge source of pride.<\/p>\n
Its the biggest and greatest trophy of my life, Psy told AFP. When I do (a) show, it is my strongest weapon.<\/p>\n
This was demonstrated at a performance at Korea University in Seoul last week, when a heaving crowd sang along to every word during a high-energy set that included songs from his first album more than two decades ago, as well as his latest one.<\/p>\n
The fact that the young audience knows all the words to songs that were released before many of them were even born is not lost on Psy.<\/p>\n
These days, (I say to myself): Wow, dude, you are very popular. They love you!<\/p>\n
How lucky I am as an artist. Im happier than ever these days.<\/p>\n
by Qasim Nauman and Kang Jin-kyu<\/p>\n
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Read more here:<\/p>\n
10 years after 'Gangnam Style', Psy is happier than ever - Macau Business<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ten years after Gangnam Style became a global phenomenon, South Korean rapper Psy is living his best life - proud of his greatest trophy and free from the pressure of repeating that unprecedented success. Uploaded to YouTube on July 15, 2012, the songs wacky music video became a runaway megahit, with its trademark horse-riding dance spawning thousands of imitations, spoofs and spinoffs. Continue reading