Tag: sunmi

1MILLION Dance Studio Cofounder Lia Kim Shares the Secrets of Her Success

November 9, 2022

As the cofounder of 1MILLION Dance Studio, Lia Kim is one of the most influential choreographers in the world. Lia’s dance routines have been foundational to the success of the studio, which continues to attract the best dancers and collaborate with the hottest brands and artists. 

But another key component of 1MILLION Dance Studio is the worldwide fan base of millions that it has cultivated through its YouTube videos. And earlier this year, the studio took another step forward with the launch of its official Spotify profile, which features tracks from its most popular videos along with curated playlists from its top instructors. 

For Lia—who has danced professionally since she was 12 and has personally choreographed performance routines for the likes of BoA, Girls’ Generation, and SUNMI—building community and making dance accessible for everyone is the part of 1MILLION Dance Studio that she values the most. It’s also why she and 1MILLION Dance Studio have set out across the world to host classes and workshops for dancers of all skill levels.

For the Record sat down with Lia to discuss what inspires her creatively, the power of community, and what she envisions for the future of dance.

Which Spotify feature interests you the most?

The social listening feature. The fact that listeners can share their music tastes through social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, is aligned with our mission. Allowing listeners to communicate with one another and enjoy songs together in real time is something I find very interesting. 

Dance trends seem to change over time. What is the new dance trend for 2022, and how is 1MILLION adopting this trend? 

In the past, I think that people preferred new songs. Right now, there’s a range of dance trends, like how retro songs are trendier than newer songs. Lately, we’ve been choreographing to songs from the ’80s and ’90s, or even the ’50s and ’60s. 

What do you think differentiates 1MILLION Dance Studio from other dance studios? 

We are not only a space for top dancers but also a space where we seek to popularize and globalize dance. Right now, 70% of our students are from other countries. Even at dance workshops that are held abroad, people see the 1MILLION brand and come to us. We’ve visited over 20 countries—including the United States, China, Japan, and France—and we dance with about 500 people during any given workshop. It’s really amazing to see people of different cultures who are speaking different languages all come together to communicate and heal through dance.

If you were to pick a music genre that embodies 1MILLION Dance Studio’s identity, what would it be?

Definitely hip-hop! Hip-hop sets new trends! 

What is your ultimate goal as the cofounder of 1MILLION Dance Studio? 

It’s very simple: We want to enrich lives through dance. I hope 1MILLION will become a space where people can just come by freely to dance in the way they would go out for a drink after work. It’s good to learn how to dance, but it’s even better if you can truly enjoy dancing. There’s no such thing as a bad dancer.  

Do you have anything you want to say to those who like dance but are afraid to try it?

Don’t be shy; just dance! I completely understand those who want to dance but are hesitant to. But just listen to your heart and body, and go for it!

Is there something special about K-Dance? 

Perfect synchronization. There’s no other country that can outperform Korea in terms of skill, technique, quality, or training. There is not a single mistake. I think that’s what makes K-Dance special. 

Are there any criteria for selecting songs to dance to?

I usually look for songs that have good beats, vocals, and melodies. I like artists such as Bruno Mars and The Weeknd. 

Do you have your own philosophy on dance?

Dance is all about confidence. Dancing isn’t difficult. It’s all about feeling the rhythm, immersing yourself in the song, and moving your body however you want. 

Where do you get your inspiration? Do you have a specific process when you prepare to choreograph?

I watch various videos—including movies—to get inspiration. I also study videos of other choreographers, and I sometimes watch the videos of 1MILLION’s beginner-level students and get new ideas from them.

I try not to put too much pressure on myself because choreographing a dance is something that needs to come from my inner self. I also listen to songs repeatedly to try and understand the songwriter’s message or intention, as well as carefully observe the artist’s habits and characteristics. When all of these things are integrated into the choreography, it feels much more natural to both the audience and dancers. 

Discover more from 1MILLION Dance Studio on its official Spotify profile, which includes Yoojung Lee’s Mystery Party playlist: 

 

Choreographer Bailey Sok Brings Her K-Pop-Inspired Dance Routines to Roblox’s Spotify Island

September 8, 2022

Back in May, we debuted Spotify Island on Roblox to connect fans and artists in an otherworldly digital destination. Then came K-Park—which celebrates the K-Pop genre, the launch, and the culture it inspires as the first of several themed islands unveiled on Roblox. Now, we’re bringing professional K-Pop choreographer Bailey Sok into the mix. 

Bailey Sok’s K-Park avatar

We’ve partnered with Bailey to create her official Roblox avatar, and from September 8 through September 19, fans globally will be able to visit K-Park and join her for a virtual dance session. In addition to dancing alongside Bailey herself, players will also be able to engage with her avatar.

Bailey’s dance career took off at a young age when multiple videos of hers on YouTube went viral. Since then, she’s been dancing professionally, teaching young dancers, and choreographing routines for K-Pop groups like Red Velvet and SHINee. 

In celebration of Bailey’s arrival to K-Park, we invited some of her biggest fans to Spotify’s downtown LA campus where they had the opportunity to connect with Bailey in person and learn a dance routine fit for a K-Pop star. 

The class was part of a K-Park-themed event that captured the magic of this new island almost precisely as it blurred the lines of reality and the metaverse. Guests mingled on K-Park cafe’s checkerboard flooring and admired the Korean Hangul signs, bright crystals, and larger-than-life foliage that seemed to be plucked directly from the digital experience. They also enjoyed traditional Korean foods while taking a virtual trip to Spotify Island on a Roblox gaming station. Then it was time to get in a formation with Bailey, who taught guests a routine set to SUNMI’s “Gashina.” 

Take a Tour of Spotify Island’s New K-Park on Roblox

May 24, 2022

K-Park on Spotify Island on Roblox

Just a few short weeks ago, we unveiled Spotify Island on Roblox and invited fans to explore our new, otherworldly digital destination for audio. Today, we’re taking the allure of Spotify Island to the next level with K-Park, a whimsical wonderland dedicated to the vibrant world of K-Pop. 

Now, players can portal from Spotify Island mainland to discover the brand-new destination inspired by the genre. It’s the first of a variety of themed islands that will pop up around Spotify Island in the coming months—and the first in a long line of opportunities for artists and fans to connect in the digital world. By starting with Spotify Island’s K-Park on Roblox, we’re continuing our focus, commitment, and celebration of the global genre. 

K-Pop has a widespread global appeal, dedicated fan following, and unique set of cultural elements that reach far beyond music. It’s a genre that started with music but has become a movement—encompassing an entire world of standom, fashion, community, and more. In fact, since 2018, K-Pop streams on Spotify have increased by 107% in the United States and 230% globally, resulting in almost 8 billion streams per month around the world. The U.S., Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Malaysia, Canada, Singapore, and the U.K. top the list for streams of K-Pop. 

Ready for a tour?

To begin, you’ll have to find the mysterious portal on the Spotify Island mainland. But once you do, you’ll be transported to a whimsical wonderland where you can discover exclusive K-Pop experiences, interactions, and quests. 

Portal to K-Park from Spotify Island on Roblox

First stop at the K-Pop cafe for a special Korean treat, like Dalgona Coffee, Patbingsu (Korean shaved ice with toppings), or Boong Uh Bbang (Korean fish-shaped bread).

Spotify Kicks Off International Women’s Day With Love Letters, Playlists From Gender Equity Advocacy Organizations, and New Music Created Exclusively by Women

March 8, 2022

Today, Spotify is celebrating International Women’s Day by sharing the music and stories of women creators, artists, activists, and nonprofits around the world. The music, lyrics, and voices coming from women in the industry and beyond are complex and vibrant—something we’re amplifying for our listeners this month through the creation of platform initiatives, release of new music created entirely by women, and off-platform support of nonprofits. 

New playlists and a refreshed EQUAL hub

Spotify is starting off International Women’s Day With Love, a podcast playlist series created in partnership with social impact agency Invisible Hand with production support by Pod People. With Love celebrates and honors 24 women who share “love letters” to their past selves or to a key supporter who changed their lives during a pivotal moment in time. There will be three playlists: one for Artists, one for Storytellers, and one for Changemakers. Artists like Fefe Dobson and Pyra, songwriters like Jennifer Decilveo and Kuinvi, creators like Munroe Bergdorf and Rintik Sedu, and activists like Dominique Morgan and Lauren Wasser all share their stories in the collection playlists. These personal anecdotes of wisdom, gratitude, and compassion spotlight the vast landscape of what it means to be a woman and the outsized impact that women have in the world.

Spotify is also highlighting five global nonprofits focused on gender equity by amplifying each nonprofit’s own curated playlist themed around the voices of the communities they serve. Organizations include:

In addition to spotlighting these organizations on the platform, Spotify will be giving donations to each of them to support their critical work.

The With Love and nonprofit playlists will all live on the EQUAL Global Hub, which continues to be a one-stop destination for listeners who want to discover music from emerging women artists. 

This month, the hub is getting a new look and feel and will be available in new markets, including those in the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. It will also include an EQUAL Arabia playlist from MENA and EQUAL Pakistan. Both are the latest markets to join EQUAL.

EQUAL x Spotify Singles

In addition to these playlists, listeners can find brand-new music on the EQUAL Global Hub. EQUAL and Spotify Singles, two of Spotify’s innovative music programs, are uniting to bring listeners recordings from an incredible slate of emerging women artists.

EQUAL fosters equity for women in the music and audio space and has helped highlight the careers of women around the world. Spotify Singles, which launched in 2017, gives artists an opportunity to record new versions of their own songs, songs of artists they love, or an original song. Since its launch almost six years ago, tracks from the program have collectively hit over 5 billion streams.

For International Women’s Day, the two programs collaborated to produce three songs created exclusively by women—from the production to the recording to the engineering. 

Ethel Cain, whose music reflects on her upbringing as a backwoods churchgoer in the deep South and who is Spotify’s first-ever transgender EQUAL ambassador, took this moment to cover Britney Spears’s 2003 hit “Everytime.” Produced by Ethel and recorded in Los Angeles, the harmonica-backed cover of the iconic ballad with its haunting, acoustic guitar  puts her wide-ranging, layered vocals at the forefront. 

“I’ve always loved this song and immediately knew I could take Britney’s melodies and make something super dreamy with it,” shared Ethel. “I usually record alone at home, so working in the Spotify studio with all the synths and old vintage gear was a really special and fun experience. I think Britney wrote a very lovely song, and it was an honor to put my spin on it.”

Mexican composer, singer, songwriter, and producer Bruses took to the studio in Monterrey, Mexico, with producer Daniela Mendez to record her own unique spin on Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.” Known for her Latin-inspired indie-pop sound, Bruses brings girl power front and center in this single. 

“For me, the most important thing with this song as a fan was to respect the original essence. It’s one of those hits that last a lifetime; it’s a classic,” explained Bruses. “In this version we add a bit of rock and punk, especially in the chorus. I always imagined that part a little heavier, so we added some electric guitars, and it was from the little we recorded; the rest is sampled. It is very much directed towards electronic music or pop.”

South Korea’s SUNMI gives fans an all-new original track, titled “Oh Sorry Ya.” Created in collaboration with the Los Angeles-based songwriting duo, LYRE, the song kicks off with a swell of new-wave synths in a shadowy minor key before building to bubblegum pop perfection with a huge, infectious chorus that still has hints of darkness beneath. 

“It was a huge honor being part of Spotify’s EQUAL project, and I really hope that fans and listeners worldwide enjoy, get inspired, by this track,” said SUNMI. “Team LYRE and I have put a lot of thought into producing this multidimensional track together. It’s truly ‘created by women’ and hopefully loved by everyone.”

If you want to hear more from SUNMI, check out Spotify’s Mic Check episode, where the K-Pop artist shares more about her new single and opens up to us about the family tragedy that brought her to the music industry. 

EQUAL Collective brings off-platform support

Last year, Spotify launched the EQUAL Collective, bringing together a group of nonprofit organizations from around the world that are focused on furthering gender equity in music. These 14 organizations were given an opportunity to collaborate together on new ideas to help reach more women creators and further their work.

This year, for International Women’s Day, Spotify is excited to announce that we are awarding two teams, composed of four organizations, a grant of $50,000 in order to bring the following concepts to life:

  • Femme Africa and P_ssy Party are helping solve for representation of women creators in Africa by developing a curriculum and online directory to connect creators within the industry.
  • MEWEM (France) and MIM (Spain) partnered together to develop the MEWEM Golden Ticket, a concept that will award eight women entrepreneurs from across Europe free access to international professional festivals to pitch their own projects and new ideas, develop their businesses, and meet future partners within a high-level network.

Year-round, Spotify aims to celebrate the incredible impact that women have on the world. This month, we are excited to bring front and center for listeners new music and new playlists from women.

Celebrate International Women’s Day by listening to songs entirely written, produced, and performed by female songwriters on Spotify’s Created by Women playlist below.