 |
| Singer Jessi speaks during an online press conference Wednesday. Courtesy of P Nation |
By Dong Sun-hwa
Despite what most people may have thought, the resounding success of the hip-hop song "Nunu Nana" (2020) laid a heavy burden on singer Jessi ― instead of easing it ― when she was gearing up for her new single "What Type of X." But for the Korean-American singer, who now has more than 15 years of experience under her belt, there were more factors that pressured her this time.
"When I first heard What Type of X, it sounded quite unfamiliar to me," Jessi said during an online press conference held Wednesday, prior to the release of her single. "I also had a limited time ― only about a month ― to arrange the track, write the lyrics and practice choreography. Being a perfectionist, I feel like I am not fully prepared, but will strive to do my best to shine on stage. Still, I am quite content with the single's quality."
After "Nunu Nana" took multiple music streaming charts by storm and helped Jessi carve out a stronger presence on the music scene, numerous people guessed she would return with another hip-hop song. But Jessi didn't. Instead, she put out a pop rock track with trap beats, which includes the lyrics that highlight her confidence and self-respect.
Watch the music video of "What Type of X":
Asked how she maintains her confidence, Jessi said, "I am a woman of strong mentality and for me, loving myself is the most crucial thing. If you do not love yourself, nobody will do so. On top of that, you have to be surrounded by people who give off positive vibes. Many people say I always look self-assured, but I also have some ups and downs. Nonetheless, I can get over the hardships with self-love and the support from my people."
For "What Type of X," Jessi penned the lyrics in cooperation with Psy ― the founder and CEO of her management company P Nation, who rose to global stardom with his smash-hit "Gangnam Style" released in 2012.
"I usually prefer using metaphors in the lyrics, but this time, I made them easy and straightforward," she said. "I am very thankful to Psy for taking part in writing them. He put a lot of effort in translating the lyrics, which were initially written in English. This time, we did not argue as much as we did in the past while working together."
She also revealed how the members of Refund Sisters reacted to her fresh single. Refund Sisters is a project K-pop group launched last year on MBC's reality show "Hangout with Yoo." The act, comprising Jessi, Lee Hyo-ri, Uhm Jung-hwa and Hwasa of K-pop girl band MAMAMOO, made a splash on the music scene with its track "Don't Touch Me."
"Uhm and Hwasa were really fond of my new tune," Jessi said. "Uhm, in particular, said it was great."
Jessi wrapped up the event by disclosing her hopes.
"Through the song, I want to tell people to be more confident and hope they remember that being different is not wrong," she said. "Although it is not exactly about battling the COVID-19 pandemic, I also hope it can cheer people up amid these tough times."
![[RAS KOREA] Preserving memories at Cheongju City Archives](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/53ecc69c116c49af9ba0005288526ab5.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] 'No more part-time jobs': VANNER talks about life after winning 'Peak Time'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/79128864ba1643498f9a49fc7a82f2f1.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
