Stay up to date with our latest artist interviews, press coverages, news, and more.
Interview: A Glimpse Into Rhea Raj’s ‘HUNTER’ Era
Twenty twenty-four has been quite a remarkable year for Indian-American rising pop sensation Rhea Raj. With the release of her debut album HUNTER in May and its expanded version, HUNTER (Tamed Edition), in September, the singer-songwriter, dancer, and producer is certainly at the top of her game with a penchant for curating music that seamlessly blends modern dance pop and her cultural roots.
Interview: Gina Alice Pursues Pop Dreams with Republic Records While Staying True to Her Classical Piano Roots
“To have those, music-wise, big contrasts inside of me, and to have at least two different music hearts beating inside of me was always who I am,” said Gina Alice, virtuosic German-Korean classical pianist and singer-songwriter. She made her pop debut with Republic Records in July 2024, transitioning from an impressive career in Classical piano to a fresh start in pop music with the release of her single, “Slo-Mo.” HALSUG had the opportunity to interview Gina about her new releases and desire to pursue one’s dreams.
Interview: YS BLOCK Brings in a New & Fun Atmosphere with His Latest Album ‘YONGSAN’
A rising star of the K-Hip-Hop scene, YS Block has grown a name for himself with a sound heavily influenced by Southern American music; the enjoyable and energetic tunes create party-based music with the aim of appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds. YS Block, a musician from Yongsan, South Korea, is well-known in the hip-hop community, particularly in the alternative hip-hop spaces. The “YS” in his name pays homage to Yongsan, the district where he lives, and his involvement in local events, such as Yongsan Citizen's Day — organized by the Yongsan District Office — further solidifying his deep connection to his roots.
Interview: Lee Young Ji Gives Her All on the First Night of Her Debut US Tour
Preceding the release of her debut EP, 16 Fantasy, and the success of her first #1 charting song, “Small Girl,” the world has seen 22-year-old Lee Young Ji become a prominent figure in the K-Hip Hop scene. And when asked about how she keeps herself grounded while navigating the industry, she mentioned it hasn’t been easy. She describes her journey and mind, as she continues to find her place in the industry, to be very “messy” and “unstable,” and she isn’t one to stay humble. She understands and appreciates her successes and makes sure that there are even times to be chaotic and “all over the place” since that is what life is all about. Later, when asked about the inspiration behind her EP, she mentioned how the album is a representation of the brave and reckless 16-year-old Young Ji, and how she continues to inspire herself to be as courageous as her younger self despite learning and growing more as not only a person but an artist. She proceeded to mention how the song “Unknown Guy” is her favorite song off the EP.
Interview: AleXa Decodes Latest Single ‘distraction’ and Insights From U.S. Tour
Fresh off of her U.S. tour, K-Pop singer-songwriter AleXa dished out some real advice on situationships with her latest track “distraction,” released on June 28. Exploring more avenues within her discography, the fast-tempo pop-punk track stands as a reminder of one's self-worth when it comes to dealing with someone who may not at all be reciprocating the effort and your feelings. The fans had a first glimpse of it on her sick of you U.S. Tour, which spanned across six cities from March to April.
Interview: Freshly Debuted K-Pop Group Big Ocean Talks Music and Journey So Far
Full of charm, passion, and explosive energy, the rising K-Pop trio Big Ocean is steadily making waves as the first-ever hard-of-hearing group in K-Pop. Having debuted under PARASTAR Entertainment on April 20 2024, which officially marked the National Day of Persons with Disabilities in Korea, the members HYUNJIN, CHANYEON, and JISEOK are a true force of nature to be reckoned with. Their debut single “Glow” sets a precedent for the group's vision and mission—evoking a sense of “hope and togetherness” at times of hardship for all.
Interview: Nikitaa Opens Up About Their Journey as a Musician, Being Queer, and More
Music has long been a medium for spreading awareness, bringing joy, and sharing stories. It has served as a powerful tool for those whose voices need to be heard far and wide. Consequently, many queer artists have turned to music to make their presence felt, using their art to advocate for visibility, acceptance, and social progress. Nikitaa is one such musician. They are Indian-born and raised musician currently dwelling in Los Angeles. Their music is an attempt to reaffirm feminism and bring a positive change to the fore. Employing addictive tunes of R&B, trance, electronica and borrowing inspiration from their Indian roots, Nikitaa has created a genre of music called ‘Goddess Pop.’ This genre is a class act on its own.
Interview: K-R&B Artist SAAY Gets Candid About Her New Single “DOMINO,” Journey as a Musician, & More
SAAY is one of the most promising K-R&B artists on the block. She started her journey as a K-Pop idol and soon ventured on a solo path in 2017 to carve a place for herself in the music industry — forging a path of self-expression, discovery, and resilience.
Interview: Dive Deeper into K-Pop Star Hanbyeol’s Artistry With This Exclusive Interview
South Korean singer-songwriter Hanbyeol released a new pop single last month, titled “몽환 (Wish).” The song is a resplendent rendition, echoing the vibrance of summer and spring. The lyrics focus on delivering a message of loving oneself and starting afresh. This song is Hanbyeol’s second release of 2024, the first one being “Sweet Dreamz” which was released in January.
Interview: “Just Live Your Life!” Says Asian American Musician damnboy! as He Gets Candid on His New Album, Process & More
Speaking to a musician always leaves you with new bits of information each time. Like loads of song samples and demos stored on their devices, their brain holds a lot of ideas that are always great to chat over. A songwriter is no less than a philosopher who has ventured on a path to uncover mysteries of the world and the mind. While a song is an extension of an artist himself, once it is out in the world, it finds its place amongst other kindred spirits.
Interview: Roman Kayz Talks Debut EP, Inspiration, and His Writing Process
California based singer-songwriter Roman Kayz recently elevated his music with the release of “the trilogy” — three singles that tell an overarching story. The trilogy, made up of “like you said you would,” “how do i make you stay,” and “i can’t afford to love you” tell the story of a bad break up and the struggle of moving on.
Interview: Hemanth Jois Gets Candid About His Music, His Journey in the Kannada Film Industry and His New Single “Paralysed”
The South Indian film industry is known to produce banger tracks with almost every film. With the onset of viral reels on social media, the craze for these film scores has reached far and wide. After blockbuster hit films like KGF and Kantara, the Kannada film industry has slowly risen in the limelight. We had the chance to speak to one of the music composers from the Kannada music industry.
Interview: Indian Musician Gravero Shares a Heart-to-Heart About Success, Failures, and His Future Goals
We are no strangers to Passenger’s song “Let Her Go,” and those who find themselves indulging in indie music from India would agree when I say that Anuv Jain’s “HUSN” is a beautifully written track. If you have been active enough on social media, you might just find yourself crooning to a catchy mashup of these two songs. The maker of that viral mashup is none other than Gravero. The mashup has garnered over 15 million views on Instagram alone!
Interview: AleXa’s American Debut Single ‘sick,’ Authentic Exploration of Her Music, and Reflection on Career
AleXa, the first singer to win NBC’s American Song Contest in the United States with her song “Wonderland” and the first solo Korean artist to perform at iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball in December, is now making another mark in the music scene with her highly anticipated single “sick.”
Interview: With ‘Korean Mariah Carey,’ Sohyang: From Wanting to Give Up Music to a Six-Time ‘King of Mask Singer’ Winner
Sohyang, affectionately dubbed the "Korean Mariah Carey," recently released her track “BLESSING” ft. YDG. The song is inspired by the scene in the American movie Amadeus where Mozart creates the Requiem. Sohyang sat down for an interview with HALSUG to discuss her song, her journey, and more.
She first expressed gratitude for the comparison to the legendary vocalist. Despite acknowledging the vast difference in vocal prowess, Sohyang, who grew up on Mariah Carey’s music, said the title held an honorable place in her heart. "Her [Mariah Carey] vocal skills are the greatest in pop history," she admitted. “My skills are nowhere comparable to hers, but I tried my best to improve to be as skilled as her. I’m just too thankful.”
Interview: Weeekly Talks New Single “Stranger,” Global Expansion, and Fan Love
In an exclusive interview with HALSUG, the members of Weeekly provided insights into their upcoming single "Stranger," their growth as artists, and their plans for connecting with a global audience.
Interview: Dani Saldo Releases 'lost & found' and Shares Her Love for Writing, Healing Journey, and Future in Music
Living in Guelph, a few minutes from Toronto, pop singer-songwriter and disability and mental health activist Dani Saldo released her new single “lost & found” on January 20. This new single was written when Saldo was struggling, as she has undergone many life-changing experiences over the pandemic, including a car accident that led her to have post-concussion syndrome.
VANNER’s TAEHWAN and GON Get Candid About Their Christmas Special Single
K-Pop group VANNER’s TAEHWAN and GON released their Christmas special single “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on December 16, 2023. The song is a remake of Mariah Carey’s hit song of the same name. It features TAEHWAN’s smooth vocals with GON’s original rap verses. Following the song’s release the duo spoke to HALSUG about their single, inspiration, and shared a message to VVS!
K-Pop Boy Group 82Major Gets Candid About Their Debut
82MAJOR is one of the latest boy groups to debut in the second half of 2023. 82MAJOR is also Great M Entertainment’s first K-Pop boy group comprised of Nam Seong Mo, Park Seok Joon, Yoon Ye Chan, Cho Seong Il, Hwang Seong Bin and Kim Do Gyun.
![Interview: E’LAST Unveils a New Identity with ‘[iDENTIFICATION]’ and Gears Up for a Latin America Tour](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/62724add27ccc61bca95c92c/1701715495406-OI752ZZAONYQTKM0QEBU/elast.png)
Interview: E’LAST Unveils a New Identity with ‘[iDENTIFICATION]’ and Gears Up for a Latin America Tour
In the ever-evolving world of K-Pop, E’LAST continues to carve their unique path, and their latest release, the 4th mini album [iDENTIFICATION], is a testament to their commitment to growth and exploration. HALSUG had the opportunity to interview the members, and they shared insights into the making of the album, memorable moments from the "Kiss me baby" music video shoot, and their excitement for the upcoming Latin America tour!