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EXCLUSIVE: KANGDANIEL on collab with Jessi, Stranger Things inspiration, Street Woman Fighter gig & more
Solo powerhouse, KANGDANIEL spoke to Pinkvilla exclusively, following the release of his first full length album ‘The Story’.
A zealous juggernaut. A jack of all trades. A young icon. KANGDANIEL beholds multiple titles to his name with just over 5 years since setting foot in the industry. The 25 year old has however been in the business for a long time now. With the aim to build his self-esteem, KANGDANIEL pursued dancing that soon became his forte after years of b-boying. Debuting in mid-2017, he had trained under dire conditions with a will to succeed one day. And succeed he did, winning first place on Mnet’s ‘Produce 101’ season 2 with a whopping 1,578,837 votes. What followed, has been mystical in a way, as he continues to receive mounds of love from his fans around the globe, who proudly call themselves DANITY.
With EP, ‘Color on Me’ in July 2019, began his solo endeavors that saw a boost in charting and sales numbers soon after their release, proving the audiences’ love for him was constant as ever.
KANGDANIEL's career has embarked on an upward trajectory that has seen him establish his own talent company Konnect Entertainment making him the youngest CEO in the history of K-pop where artists like Chancellor and former GFRIEND member Yuju as well as 2NE1 leader CL find home.
He added another feather to his hat becoming an MC on Mnet's first-ever female dance crew show ‘Street Woman Fighter’. With his ambitious tendencies, KANGDANIEL has dipped toes into acting, debuting with Disney+ Star’s ‘Rookie Cops’ as a lead and now wishes to continue exploring other fields of the widespread entertainment industry. Having performed at the Recording Academy's ‘Press Play At Home’ series, his future holds the power to burst with more. Just how much? Only KANGDANIEL can tell.
Read KANGDANIEL’s exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla below.
Congratulations on the release of your first full-length album. Enlighten us about the process of bringing this record together, the concept, and your aim for the album.
KANGDANIEL: I’d been preparing for a long time since I started planning for the album right after the ‘Magenta’ album. I thought it was a great time to now open up these stories as a full-length album. The right timing just came naturally. There is no particular concept, but instead, I brought stories that other people can relate to as a storyteller. As for my goal, I just want my fans to enjoy my album. This album means a lot to me, so I also want to enjoy it together.
Following the end of your color trilogy, with what mindset did you embark on the journey of ‘The Story’?
KANGDANIEL: I think I could enjoy working on the album more comfortably. Everyone on my team was satisfied and enjoyed working on the album. I’ve come to think about how grateful I am to people around me again.
With four features on ‘The Story’, how did you zero in on the artists? Are there any funny anecdotes from the recording process that you can share with us?
KANGDANIEL: I worked on the album naturally with artists for each track. Rather than it being a funny story, working on ‘Don’t Tell’ with Jessi was the most memorable. I think it’s more meaningful since it was the last video we filmed and the last project we proceeded with as a final stage. I’m grateful to everyone, but I hope to show lots of gratitude, especially to Jessi & sokodomo who appeared in the music videos.
The title track for the album, ‘Upside Down’ is being talked about for its unique and eye-catching upturned stages. How did you decide on the theme?
KANGDANIEL: Actually, the Netflix series ‘Stranger Things’ came into my mind as the main theme, and I wanted to release the song in my style. I wanted to put the stories that everyone could relate to in this album. I would like to talk about the situation of the days not going well more endearingly and excitingly.
Mental health has been a crucial aspect of your self-discovery. You’ve been vocal, curious, accepting, and hopeful with your takes. How do you think an understanding of someone’s mind can aid them? How have you incorporated that into your music?
KANGDANIEL: I think it can be helpful even if there is only one person who can listen and sympathize with your story. It would be meaningful if I could be the kind of person for someone including my fans. I tried to open up my personal stories through music in the previous album, and I focused on telling the story that many people can relate to rather than my own this time.
Your venture into hosting as the MC for ‘Street Woman Fighter’ was immensely appreciated, where not just your leading skills but your mannerisms were also highlighted. What did you take away from that experience? When can we see you back as an MC?
KANGDANIEL: It was a really great experience to introduce street culture, which was a part of my life. It was the biggest privilege as a host to feel that many people enjoyed street dance through this opportunity. I’m really into dance, so I tend to care about the dance line when I’m on stage. For this show, I learned aspects of performance a lot as well. It’s my wish, but I hope to be invited for the upcoming new series ‘Street Man Fighter’ this time as well.
From singing to acting, the change is monumental and definitive. How differently did you approach this debut as an actor in ‘Rookie Cops’? How do you think having acting added to your plate has affected you as an artist?
KANGDANIEL: I think there are more similarities. However, it was a new challenge for me, so I asked for advice from an acquaintance at a police university to be more absorbed in the actual role. That helped give me the inspiration to become more natural with my character and have more fun with acting. The same goes for singers, but acting requires the management of the conditions with situational changes, such as lines or the weather change on the spot in a flexible way.
From standing first place during ‘Produce 101’ to heading your own talent company to now acing the MC and acting fronts as well. What would you say has been the toughest field to forge into? How did you decide to keep going in any moments of self-doubt?
I usually tend to enjoy the things that I feel are difficult
-KANGDANIEL
KANGDANIEL: I usually tend to enjoy the things that I feel are difficult, so there are not many difficulties. However, most of all, I felt that I have more responsibility as I had more family members on the label. I try to be involved in everything with more responsibility.
What message do you have for DANITYs that continue to support you and shower you with immense love?
KANGDANIEL: I appreciate you for loving my music more than anything else, and I hope to make music that can cheer you up. I hope to get more opportunities to interact with you in a fun way. I always thank you and love you!
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