Psy in Chinese
“Gangnam Style” star Psy plans to release Chinese versions of more of his songs to reach out to his new Chinese-language fans, according to his management agency.
YG Entertainment announced last Thursday that tracks on Psy's new album, including “Paradise” and “The End,” are projected to appeal to a wider Chinese audience with their melody and lyrics, unlike his global rock style seen in his songs “Gangnam Style” and “Gentleman.” “Gangnam Style,” known for its catchy tune and distinctive dance, converted the Korean singer into a meteoric success worldwide when it went viral on YouTube in 2012, becoming the first video on the site to hit one billion views. Now the Korean rapper has a large following in China, with more than 24 million fans on the Chinese social network service Weibo.
The South Korean rapper recently topped the first place on Chinese online music site QQ with a Chinese-language version of his song “Father.” On March 25, the Chinese QQ Music Awards show recognized him with the Most Globally Influential Star award. The winners are solely chosen by an online voting process on the QQ Music site, which is based on the changes in the number of streams on QQ. At the event he performed his song “Father” on a special stage, along with piano arrangements featured by the renowned Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang. The two previously collaborated last September at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
The original version of “Father” was popular in Korea years ago for its heartfelt lyrics illustrating a father's devotional support for his family. The music video had a cartoony yet poignant portrayal of fatherhood. On the Chinese music service, the “Father” music video attracted 1.01 million views. In the song, a son expresses his growing feeling of thankfulness for his aging father after reflecting on his defiant teen years and ungrateful attitude.