BLACKSWAN has made their anticipated comeback with their first mini-album "Roll Up" and title track of the same name. The members, Fatou, NVee, Gabi, and Sriya premiered a new sound and style this time around with a western, cowboy-core aesthetic.
The essence and lyrics of the title track reflects the vibe of their comeback. With lyrics like "Roll up/ If you want, kick it with my team,” “follow my Baddie energy," and “all my ladies tough” the members radiate confidence throughout the song both vocally and performance-wise.
Glow recently spoke with BLACKSWAN via Zoom about their comeback preparations and future goals.
GLOW: “Roll Up” gave you all your first number one on iTunes Dance Album Charts, including USA, Vietnam and Turkey. How does that feel?
FATOU: It's truly unreal, because, speaking for myself, personally, I did not expect that at all. But I'm very grateful and thankful for the people who have been showing interest in our EP and for liking it. We will work harder to bring even better music in the future but for now thank you so much for loving it.
GLOW: I did go on Twitter and asked Luminas what questions they wanted to ask you all so some of my questions are from Luminas themselves. I watched you guys behind the scenes experience of, you know, filming the MV and all that. Tell me a little bit about how that went and how it felt.
SRIYA: So the filming was actually quite interesting. First we filmed in Korea, and then when we went to waterbomb--at that time--after we finished our water bomb performance, we got to film our roll up music video.
FATOU: Where?
SRIYA: Dubai! Oh sorry, I didn’t say Dubai? *laughs* Sorry, my mistake! Okay, it was in Dubai, and it was really, really fun, because Dubai is so so pretty. But it was very hot, so hot, like we were dripping in sweat. But still, it was so fun.
GABI: When we were shooting it was like 42 degrees, 42 Celsius.
FATOU: We could barely open our eyes. We had to act cool but *laughs*
SRIYA: The wind was so strong that we were trying to keep our hats on like this, but it kept going away.
FATOU: We had, like, a scene where we had to walk in a cool way, but because it's sand, obviously it's not solid. So we kept sinking *laughs*
GABI: And our high heels were also like
GLOW: Digging into the sand?
GABI AND SRIYA: Yes! *laughs*
GLOW: Dubai is a really pretty place. My parents went and they left me here so *laughs*
FATOU: I'll take you with us next time!
"Roll Up" Music Video
GABI: For this comeback, we really, really wanted to give Lumina the best of us and, of course, show a different and also a better version, since Karma. So we all practiced a lot. I think since karma, we got way more closer. The chemistry helped a lot for the preparation of this comeback.
GLOW: Let's talk a little bit about choreography. Love it, love it, love it. You guys worked with Kany for this choreography. I know she's worked with artists like Beyonce, Viviz, Shinee, Bad Villain and more. So I wanted to ask you guys, how was it like working with her? How was it like learning the choreography? How did you feel when you first saw it?
NVEE: When she first sent us the demo choreography for it, I was still awake and it was like 5am in the morning when she sent it, and I just got really excited. So I watched it, and I think we all felt the same when we first watched it, like, it's such a great choreography. And Kany is such a great teacher. When we started, you know, practicing with her, we all learned so much from her and gained so much confidence. She's just an amazing person who's very supportive and very passionate in her job and everything that she does. So she really, like, brought us all to another level. She's amazing.
GLOW: What are you guys most excited for during this era? I know that promotions have just started and you all have performed on several music shows already. What else are you guys looking forward to for this whole promotion period?
FATOU: Completely honest, for me personally, I'm just looking forward to the stage, I just need the stage. And please, if you can have fan meetings! Please, I want to meet Lumina.
GLOW: A lot of the questions from Lumina were, when is the fan meeting? So a lot of them are definitely waiting to meet you guys as well. The B-sides on this album are great! Can you guys tell me which one is your favorite?
SRIYA: My favorite is La Boum! I really love Roll Up. But personally, I really like how La Boum was made. Because I think I am a person who listens to those types of songs, like generally, every day. So when we first got the demo, I was like, ooh, that's a nice song. And actually it's sung by three of us. It's kind of like vocal unit. Yeah, it's a vocal unit. So I was very, very thankful. And unnie [Fatou] chose the parts for us. So thanks to her! She knows how each member's vocal colors are.
FATOU: Yeah, at first it was supposed to be four, but I was like, I wanted people to enjoy the vocals more this time, and I wanted to give the vocal line a chance to shine more. So I was like, you know, I'll just not participate-- I still participated in it while giving their parts. But yeah, they did a good job on the song!
GLOW: And what about ya’ll, Nvee and Gabi?
GABI: It's hard, because I already said a lot of times that my favorite is La Boum, and it is. But it depends on the moment also, because if I want a song to relax, I will choose La Boum, a song to be in my own world. But if I want a song to like, wake up like, a song to put my confidence up, then it's Roll Up.
NVEE: My favorite would also be La Boum. I love all the songs, but I think La Boum--just like the way we recorded it, and everything that's behind it--it’s just very beautiful song. And I love the feeling I get, like I'm floating in the air. It's just very, very great.
FATOU: Mine is Roll Up, obviously!
GLOW: So what are some other concepts that you guys want to try in the future?
GABI: There are so many, so many. I really like the confidence and this strong image that we have, and I would like to try something more sexy, a hot song, like, yeah, I would love to try something like that.
GLOW: I know that Fatou and Nvee have solo music out there, Fatou with her mixtapes and Nvee with her OSTs. Sriya and Gabby, the fans are wondering if they're going to get some solo projects from you both.
SRIYA: For sure! When the opportunity arises, I would really, really want to do a solo and I think there must be a right time. So that right time, when it arrives, I will definitely do it.
GABI: Yeah, I feel the same. If the opportunity comes and I feel prepared enough to release something, there will be.
FATOU: One thing, I would really like to write a solo song for the members, especially for Sriya. Obviously, for all of them but especially for Sriya if it's possible.
SRIYA: Of course, I'm ready.
GLOW: Last time we spoke, it was for Karma promotions, and it was Sriya, Nvee and Gabi’s debut. So I want to ask you guys, what have you learned now that you've experienced the idol world a little bit more? What would you like to say to the you of back then?
NVEE: I would say, relax. Because I think last year, I was so in my head. And I'm just the type of person who’s always in my head, and I have too many thoughts that I have to back off and let go of. So if I had been more out of my head at the time and relaxed more, I think I could have done a little bit better on my performances. But, you know, we all have to learn and grow, and so I think that’s what I would say.
SRIYA: The same as Nvee. For my personal experience--more of self discipline that I learned and I'm still learning and it can always be better. So every stage, every practice, makes us learn something.
GABI: There are so many things [that I learned], from practicing to recording for the music video, recording for the vocals. But I think that the thing that I learned the most is to try to not be that anxious and think too much about how things are going to be. Because in karma, when we were recording karma, I was always thinking “oh, how is the recording going to be? The schedules is a little bit easy, how’s it going to be?’ And now that I already experienced that once, I learned to not think that much and focus more on other things that are more important.
GLOW: And Fatou, what would you say to the girlies? I mean, you are a little more seasoned in the idol space. So what would you say? How are they doing, give us a Fatou review.
FATOU: I would say I'm actually very proud, because I can see the growth they've had since Karma. So I'm happy that they were working hard behind the scenes, and I'm happy that they could show the hard work they put into themselves on camera.
GLOW: And do you have any further goals that you guys are working towards? Where do you all want to be in the next year or two, whether as a group or individually?
FATOU: World Tour!
GABI: Everyone wants a world tour.
GLOW: Is there any particular place that you guys are itching to perform at?
FATOU: As long as there's a stage, I’m there.
GLOW: Lastly, what would you guys want to say to the Luminas who helped me out for this interview. Those who submitted questions and those who are just constantly, always supporting you all?
FATOU: First of all, thank you so much for your patience. I know it's been a long wait. It was probably difficult for you guys, but thank you so much for waiting. And thank you for believing in us, and thank you so much for the love you've been giving us during this comeback. And thank you, especially, thank you for believing in us to be able to put out a good project. We feel your love, we feel your support, and we want to give back the love you've been giving us a triple times, even more because we really, really, really, have a lot of love for you guys. And I hope this year we can travel a lot so we can meet you personally, get to know you better. You know, have conversations, perform for you guys, and yeah, we just love you. Thank you so much for the support. Thank you.
GLOW: Thank you guys so so much. It's always a pleasure interviewing you!
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Listen to "ROLL UP"
This is my first time hearing about Black Swan, I love their new song! Glo did an amazing job with the questions, they were so thoughtful and evoked answers that were interesting. Great Job to the interviewer.
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