Our #AOTW is the first Korean singer ever to have won the Billboard Music Awards in 2012 even though, his career started a decade before his biggest hit that earned him a Guinness World Record being the first to hit over one billion views on YouTube. Call him Psycho! In case you don’t know PSY, he was in the news in May for leaving his previous label YG Entertainment, eight (8) years after signing with the label. The same label that saw his through the success of this mega hit “Gangnam Style” among other topnotch tracks.
PSY is the South Korean singer and rapper known as a controversial and satirical hip-hop artist in Korea! PSY was born Park Jae-Sang on 31st December, 1977 (will be 41 next month) in Seoul, South Korea. He developed interest in music as a teenager. Aged 15, Park Jae-Sang would watch footage of artists at concerts and his passion for music ignited thereon. Psy enrolled for the United States in 1996 to study English. He later put in for business studies at Boston University in 1997. Due to early class times, he left for Berklee College of Music also in Boston after a semester in university. He returned to South Korea in 2000 (without a degree) to pursue his music career He once disclosed in an interview that school was never his thing actually
PSY learned about songwriting in the college. He bought his musical instruments and made his debut as a hip-hop artist in 2001 with the album Psy from the Psycho World; a-19 track album said to contain inappropriate content that led to him receiving a fine. The album that drew controversy in South Korea due to raw lyrics, dance moves and even his appearance. The title of the album refers to his stage name -PSY. In 2002, the following year, after an arrest and brief detention for marijuana possession spending 25 days in jail PSY released his 2nd album of 16 tracks titled– Ssa 2 (“Cheap 2”) – another controversial content. Basically, the two albums were restricted to adults due to the “vulgarity of the lyrics. His 3rd album -3 Mai released in September of the same year and was met with some positive reactions. It was a success due to the hype from the World Cup games held in Seoul that year.
No 4 “Right Now”
Despite this lead single being banned for “obscene” lyrics” by South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Psy received awards during the 2011 Melon Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards as well as winning honors at the 2006 SBS Music Awards for this the lead single off his 4th album (Sa Jib) of 2006.
After the release of his 4th album– Sa Jib, he won national awards as well as prizes in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, he had to observe some moments at the South Korea’s mandatory military because reports had it that he neglected his duties while in the military. So he was required to serve another term between December 2007 and July 2009. That happened at the time he had started gaining popularity on TV among other platforms.
By the time he was out of the stint, he wasted no time putting out his own records. First with his father’s large Korean manufacturer DI Corporation. Later, due to financial difficulty, he had to sign to the YG Entertainment label and release his 5th album- PSY Five – predictably-named album PSY 6 (Six Rules (as well as Part 1) in 2012 with the world hit Gangnam Style. This album came with another “obscene” lead track “Right Now” restricted to adults only by authorities of Korea. Guess what, the album won more awards though!
No 3: Gentleman
Released in April 2013 as a follow up on Gangnam Style follow-up. Attracted several nominations such as Mnet Asian Music Award for Song of the Year. It also won few awards such as Golden Disc Award Song of the Year
No 2: “I Luv It,” featuring Taeyang of BigBang.
In PSY released another album – 6th/7th album – 4X2=8 on 10th May, 2017 with lead singles: “I Luv It,” “New Face” and “Love,” featuring Taeyang of BigBang.
No 1 Gangnam Style (English Translation available according to research)
Gangnam Style appeared in the Daily Express and CNN shortly after its release on July 15 and a viral sensation begins. Gangnam Style reached number one in YouTube’s most-viewed monthly chart, overtaking Justin Bieber and summer sensation Carly Rae Jepson, and tops the iTunes music video chart the same day.
What a fantastic breakthrough to worldwide fame in 2012 due to the music video of “Gangnam Style”. Interestingly, prior to the release of “Gangnam Style”, Psy had topped domestic music charts half a dozen times throughout his 12-year career, according to Billboard but won about 15 more awards for Gangnam Style only between 2012 and 2014:
Gangnam StyleAwards between 2012 & 2014
Mnet Asian Music Award for Song of the Year, Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Music Video, MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video, NRJ Music Award for International Song of the Year Melon Music Awards Song Of The Year, Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Dance Performance – Solo (2012). Golden Disc Award Song Division, Golden Disc Award Song of the Year, NRJ Music Award for Video of the Year, Billboard Music Award for Top Streaming Song (Video), Korean Music Awards for Song Of The Year (2013) and World Music Award for World’s Best Song (2014 )
This is a song describes as a tribute to the ladies of the wealthy district. Gangnam is a territory in Seoul, Korea. I describe it as noble at the daytime and going crazy at the night time. I compare ladies to the territory. So — noble at the daytime, going crazy at the night time — and the lyric says I am the right guy for the lady who is like that.”
In case you are lost on the word “Oppa,” it means “older brother.” The catchy chorus is supposed to be the equivalent of your guy having “Gangnam Style.” The song and its music video went viral in August 2012 and have influenced popular culture worldwide.
Awards & Nomination
PSY has won over 30 awards (39), He’s been nominated over 70 times (73) Music program awards won 51. No Grammys yet.
CONCLUSION
PSY taking the stage name PSY is a reference to his concept of himself – “psycho”. It’s interesting it’s no more a big deal for an international act that speaks in a different language to break into an English-speaking market this century. Research even pointed out that the music business between Asia America back in the day wasn’t that robust. In 2011, there was a BBC report on the dark side of South Korean pop music and all.
Now, Asian artists have been hitting the big time. In December 2017, different Asian acts reportedly shooting to global stardom while big Korean acts wrapped up the year 2017 achieved milestones in their music career, gaining recognition home and abroad.
