Super Junior has a new award to add to their list of achievements!
On August 18th, it was announced that Super Junior won “Feat Favorita” (Best Collaboration) for their hit track “Lo Siento” featuring Leslie Grace at the Kids’ Choice Awards Mexico 2018. The group also worked with producer duo Play-N-Skillz on the song, who also shared their excitement over the win on Twitter.
Super Junior has always had an extremely strong fanbase in Latin America, so it seemed only natural when the Kpop legends decided to switch up their sound in pursuit of a Latin pop vibe. They invited Leslie Grace, a Dominican-American pop singer, to collaborate with them on the track. They also invited Play-N-Skillz to join in as well, an American duo made up of brothers of an Argentinean and Venezuelan background. The international collaboration made for a unique, fun song that sent “Lo Siento” to the top of charts. However, what came as a surprise was not their normal rankings on Korean charts or success among international Kpop fans. Where the song saw such immense success was with non-Kpop fans in Spanish-speaking countries. In fact, WTK was in Mexico just recently and heard “Lo Siento” playing on many mainstream radio stations in taxis and shops.
Both Leslie and Play-N-Skillz have worked with numerous famous artists, including Lil Jon, Daddy Yankee, Wisin, Pitbull, Snoop Dogg, Lil Jon, Steve Aoki, and Elvis Crespo. As such, it seems only natural that a collaboration with a Kpop artist should also be included in their repetoire.
As the first large-scale collaboration between Latin and Kpop artists, it seems like it has already opened a path that others are interested in following. What set the standard for collaborations to come, however, is the fact that working with genuine Latin pop artists gave the collaboration an air of authenticity that has been somewhat lacking before in Kpop’s view of international music. There was no cultural appropriation involved or unfortunate mix of cartoonish stereotypes. Instead, it was a true blending of cultures, genres, and music that made the song the hit it is today.
With a strong community of Kpop fans in Spanish-speaking countries, we can only guess how Super Junior’s success will inspire more Latin pop songs in Kpop, as well as collaborations with international artists.
Congratulations to Super Junior, Leslie Grace, and Play-N-Skillz!
If you haven’t seen their song yet, make sure to check out the video below.
Media: SMTOWN