sabiz

Global musician Will.i.am appeared on the special edition of 'Dongne Star K' called 'World Star K,' where he actively shared his musical philosophy and even showcased a live performance with ZeroBaseOne.

On the 14th, 'Dongne Star K' aired the special edition featuring Will.i.am along with ZeroBaseOne members Sung Hanbin and Seok Matthew. During the show, Will.i.am captivated viewers by sharing stories about his globally popular songs, his special connection with K-pop, and his thoughts on the AI songwriting trend. He also delivered a live performance of Jungkook's "Standing Next to You" alongside ZeroBaseOne, providing an engaging experience for the audience.

Will.i.am emphasized that he strives to create an environment where people around him feel comfortable sharing their opinions when creating music. To avoid people holding back their honest thoughts because they view him as an expert, he shared that he refrains from displaying his Grammy or Billboard trophies in the studio. His commitment to staying true to his roots and continuously striving toward new goals reflected his genuine approach to music.

He also reminisced about how, back in the early 2010s, he predicted that K-pop would become a global phenomenon, with his collaboration with CL at the 2011 MAMA being the beginning of this movement. This performance was later recognized as the number one international collaboration by MTV Iggy in 2011 and is considered a key moment in the global expansion of K-pop. It also sparked an era of collaborations between K-pop artists and international musicians.

In particular, Will.i.am recalled that, during a time when Japan's music market was larger than Korea's, CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung advised him to collaborate with Korean artists if he wanted to bring music to all of Asia. Acting on her advice, Will.i.am worked with 2NE1, and from that point on, he drew a great deal of inspiration from K-pop.

He also expressed his deep respect for groups like BLACKPINK and BTS, stating, "It's truly amazing that Korean groups are now globally active. Especially, I think 2NE1, who made their debut in the world market, should be really respected. They paved the way, and CL was the pioneer."

Additionally, Will.i.am announced that The Black Eyed Peas would be introducing an AI member, 'Vida,' in 2025 and shared his thoughts on AI-generated music. He explained that AI, with its ability to research trends, could excel in creating popular songs, but stressed that they should not just create music that follows trends. He added that the process of songwriting, fueled by personal life experiences and emotions, is vital—expressing a 'living legend' philosophy.

Finally, Will.i.am expressed his enthusiasm for the experience, saying, "It was fantastic. I had a great time," and suggested that it would be amazing to have artists like Dua Lipa and Travis Scott join the show, offering a special recommendation that only someone like Will.i.am could make.

The episode featuring Will.i.am on 'World Star K' can be found on the 'Dongne Star K' YouTube channel and will also be aired on Mnet at 8 PM on the 17th.