South Korean entertainment has been a hot topic around the world for quite some time. From films, series, and dramas to music, concerts, and talk shows, there is a lot that South Korea has to offer. However, “K-pop” is the word we associate with while talking about South Korean entertainment.
Over the years, k-pop or Korean-pop songs have been a popular topic. Some of the most viewed videos right now on YouTube are kpop music videos. The kpop “idols,” who are celebrities and can be part of a group or even solo artists, have some of the biggest fan bases all over the world.
They have become representatives of Asia, with so many of them being global ambassadors of high-end brands like Chanel, Cartier, Bvlgari, and many more. What’s more, individuals from everywhere around the world can become Kpop idols. But throughout the years, there has never been a South Asian Kpop idol. But it looks like that has changed recently.
Shreya Lenka becomes the first Indian to be part of a Korean Kpop girl group BlackSwan. Let’s learn more about her and her journey.
Who is She Shreya Lenka?
Born in Rourkela, Odisha, 18-year-old Shreya is a trained “Odissi” dancer. She goes by the stage name “Sriya” and will be a part of the girl group along with Gabi, a Brazilian girl, and the four original members. Sriya and Gabi will become the 5th and 6th “members” of the group, respectively.
After her family learned about her kpop ventures, her grandmother introduced her to Indian classical music to give her an advantage in the world of music.
Entering the “Kpop world”
Sriya was introduced to Kpop by a school friend a few years back. Being a trained dancer, she became interested in the appealing choreographies seen in the music videos. She also got hooked on the unique music styles, which are signatures of the industry. Boy-band EXO was the first group the teen got introduced to and subsequently became a fan of BTS, Stray Kids, and The Boyz.
During the pandemic, many kpop record label companies hosted online auditions, but Sriya lost no time and auditioned for the one held by D. R. Music.
Participation in Global audition
D.R. Music, the record label Blackswan is under, held a six-month-long global audition to recruit new members after Hyeme left the girl group. The director, Philip Y. J. Yoon, appreciated Sriya and Gabi’s performance and ability to work together.
He added, “They showed us very positive energy when sticking together and achieving each of the assignments they needed to overcome. It was one of the reasons we decided not to separate them”.
K-pop Training
Kpop training programs are infamous for their hard and rigid training regimens. While tough, it ensures that the best “idols” are introduced to the audience. During their training period, they had to do rigorous training in perfecting their Korean language skills, dance, and vocal skills.
Like the rest of the world, many dreams of being a Kpop idol. With Sriya’s entry, it will be great to see young Indians get inspired and join the ever-increasing Kpop industry.
Editing By – Riya Agrahari
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