Latest news with #Firstman
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EXO's Kai on Diving Deeper Into Himself on New EP ‘Wait on Me' and Meeting Fans After Two Years
K-Pop star Kai wants you to dive deep into his mind. The 31-year-old artist, a member of popular boy group EXO, is back with a new solo EP, Wait on Me. The seven-track album, released Monday, marks Kai's first release in over two years following the completion of his military service. More from The Hollywood Reporter Irish Band Kneecap Displays Anti-Israel Messages During Coachella Weekend 2 Set 'Blindsiding' Festival Organizers Jordan Firstman Is Sharing All Your 'Secrets' Joel Katz, Longtime Music Industry Attorney, Dies at 80 Kai's pre-release track 'Adult Swim' sets the stage for the album's refreshingly catchy pop sound. ''Adult Swim' is a very meaningful track to me,' the K-Pop star tells The Hollywood Reporter on a Zoom from his agency SM Entertainment's Seoul headquarters. 'If I was the Kai [of a few years ago], I might not have chosen this track.' While 'Adult Swim' is a great fit for a day at the pool, Wait on Me's lead single of the same name is perfect for a night out with friends. The Afrobeats infused pop track builds on Kai's popular singles of the past like 'Rover' or 'Peaches' to find a sound that feels right at home in his discography. Below, the global star speaks with THR about performing again after his enlistment, how excited he is to see fans face-to-face again and the pressures that come with being the king of the dance challenge. What was it like making ? Do you have any favorite moments? I was really excited, but at the same time it was a bit tough because I wanted to meet my fans so quickly. They've been waiting, and that's why we had a tight schedule for production. I actually felt the pressure of making an album after two years. This pressure that I felt came because of the concern and thoughts that I should need to show new sides of myself to the audience. Throughout these two years, what I've learned actually made me overcome the concerns. It was tough throughout the production of the album, but that sort of feeling actually let me release those concerns and really get on board for the production. Hearing you say you wanted to get back to fans quickly; obviously while you were enlisted you weren't making music, so that's a very quick turnaround time. How are you feeling about fans getting to hear the album? Are you excited? Are you nervous, or are you just really ready for them to hear it? I feel all these emotions at the same time right now. I feel like there's butterflies and excitement just like I was debuting, but at the same time very nervous. As much as the success and all the records that we'll gain from this album are important, for me the most important thing is whether I will be able to fulfill the expectations of the fans. This time I wanted to actually aim [for] that with the challenges that I'll be showing them, so I'm very excited for that. 'Wait on Me' and 'Adult Swim' feel a bit different from songs you've released before, while also feeling very much like a song you'd release. What was it like trying something new and did you feel you fit with it? 'Adult Swim' is a very meaningful track to me. If I was the Kai [of a few years ago], I might not have chosen this track. Because of these two years away, and the experience from that time, that became the factor that made me choose this song. As you can hear, the verse and the chorus, the atmosphere is very different. From the verse, you can feel the cool [and] refreshing beats and the vibes, feeling like you're swimming. When it becomes to the chorus, you go deep into the sea, you're diving into the sea, and you can have those deeper beats and sounds coming up. I think this actually shows my mindset throughout those two years. The reason I chose this as a pre-release song is that it's a great introductory to the album and also because of the verse. You start with a light, high greeting and then when you go into the chorus, you can really dive deep into my inner-self and emotions. Then you go deeper and deeper down and that's where you can meet 'Wait on Me.' You're known to be an incredible dancer, and I think it's pretty safe to say you might hold the title of king of the dance challenge. Do you ever feel pressure around that or feel like you have to continue to better yourself in that way? First of all, for 'Adult Swim,' I actually didn't consider the challenge for this song because the choreography itself is very difficult, as you can see, but rather I focused on showing what I'm good at. I tried to get rid of this self-doubt because I chose this song as a lighter introduction, so that was what I was aiming for with this. For 'Wait on Me,' you actually need to see the music video, but it will be some sort of a challenge, as in the meaning itself. You'll actually see what I mean when you look at the music video. I want the audience to get that impression, as it was actually a challenge itself. Since you came into this world of mine with 'Adult Swim,' you came deep inside [the world]. I wanted to present a new set of challenges for myself with 'Wait on Me.' Can you share any behind-the-scenes tidbits of shooting the music videos? Was there anything you found easier this time around? Anything more difficult? I had to shoot the music video a month after my service. It was a challenge itself. It was pretty difficult. Actually, in the last two years, I gained a lot of muscles. I bulked up a little, so it was a challenge for me because these two songs, 'Adult Swim' and 'Wait On Me,' I felt like that type of shape was not fitting to the songs too much, so losing weight and getting fit again was a challenge itself. During the music video for 'Wait on Me,' there's a lot of props on the floor. I had to run through the alleys, and there's a hallway that I had to run [down]. There were a lot of obstacles, which was very challenging, but at the same time very, very fun. This actually helped me get back into to my life as an artist. As you start promoting on music shows with this album, you're going to see fans again for the first time in a really long time. How are you feeling about that? Since my comeback, I've been doing a lot of schedules where the fans could see me through videos and live [streams], but I hadn't had a opportunity where I could meet the fans. I'm very excited for that, and that's why it doesn't feel like a real comeback yet, so I'm very excited. I'm trying to make more opportunities [for fans], as much as I can through these music shows and [my] upcoming tour. When I actually do meet them, then I'll feel like I have a fully recharged battery. Speaking of touring, you're to get to meet international fans soon during SMTOWN Live.v How are you're feeling about getting to do that again? I feel like we're just starting now, like [it's the] official start. I actually feel like my love towards the fans is bigger than their [love] towards me. I miss them more, and I actually want to do a battle – whose heart is bigger? How do you hope to be viewed as an artist? Whether that be as a member of EXO or as a solo artist. Since my debut I always wanted to be better, and I wanted to be good at what I was doing. I was wondering where my the peak could be. At the same time, I wasn't very curious about others' perspectives or thoughts too much. As a EXO member, with 'Tempo' and 'Love Shot,' and as a solo artist with 'Rover' or 'Peaches,' I feel like everyone sees me in a different light and as a different artist through all these different tracks. What I hope [is] that I could at least wiggle into a tiny room of their hearts. Is there anything you want to add? Throughout my time with SuperM, that memory is very deeply impressed in my heart because I had such fun at that time. My biggest goal actually is that through this album, I'm hoping to meet my international fans, also my American fans. I just wanted to say I'm still here, guys. I have an album out, and I'm actually going to be there soon to see you all, so please look forward to it. 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Los Angeles Times
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Jordan Firstman
Making a comedy-music album based on secrets shared by internet strangers might not seem like an obvious step for Jordan Firstman, who stars in FX's 'English Teacher' and Rachel Sennott's new HBO show that's being called the 'It' pilot of the season. But there is nothing about Firstman's career that feels textbook Hollywood — and that's what makes him such a compelling figure. That, and all the jokes. The actor-writer-director became 'internet famous' (his words) during the COVID-19 pandemic when he started doing impressions on social media of unsuspecting subjects such as an iPhone charger not made by Apple, a man who is 5'11' and banana bread's publicist ('They're trying to get me to represent pumpkin pie right now. I'm like, b—, come back to me in four months'). Since then, he's taken on projects that feel varied and fresh, including playing the lead role in the dark comedy 'Rotting in the Sun,' which premiered at Sundance in 2023. Firstman's debut album, 'Secrets,' released this month, was born out of the pandemic moments when he'd ask his followers to submit their secrets to him via Instagram Stories, and he'd share them anonymously. He eventually turned several of the confessions into hilarious and highly impressive songs (many of which have salacious titles that cannot be published here). 'The coolest thing is making art out of life,' says Firstman of the genre-defying album. 'This feels like the most direct way I can do that.' Always gravitating toward good vibes and more jokes, Firstman packs his Sundays with things that bring him delight. His agenda for a perfect day in L.A. includes a boat party, an ice bath and the most glorious spicy shrimp in town. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Midnight: Sunday officially begins Are we considering midnight the start of the day? If it's midnight, we still have a couple hours starting the day, so we're either at a house party or maybe Chateau [Marmont] till around 2 or 3. I think 3 is the perfect time to go home because it doesn't feel like you're lame and going home at 2 just because you're in L.A. and everyone goes home at 2 in L.A. But you can still sleep till like 10 and have a good night. A lot of my friends push it a little too hard and go till 5 or 6. Not for me. I'm too old for that. 10:30 a.m.: Morning bagels We're immediately going to Courage Bagels. My biggest flex in L.A. is that I get to cut the line at Courage Bagels because they like me. I try to use it no more than twice a year because I don't want to lose the privilege. I'm almost even hesitant saying it because I don't want them to take it away from me. But I do think we have a good DM rapport. If I had my dream, someone would go pick up the bagels for me and bring them to my bed. But I don't have a loved one like that right now. So we'll go to Courage, cut the line, get a Burnt Everything with the salted butter. Then I'll pop over to Sqirl just for drinks. They have a good mocha there, and the lavender lemonade is really good. 11 a.m.: A strategic workout I'll go to Rodeo [Athletic Club], my gym in Silver Lake. Apparently, the secret formula to losing fat is — wait, hold on [pulls out his phone] — the 12-3-30 method. It's 12% incline and 3% speed for 30 minutes on the treadmill. And I watch one episode of either 'Sex and the City,' 'Girls' or 'Entourage,' and that's 30 minutes. The time goes by because you're not running. I hate running. So you're walking, but you still get sweaty and you feel like you're working out. And apparently it's better than running. Like, that's what TikTok tells me, and I believe everything TikTok tells me. Then I'll do a couple of minutes in the ice bath. In the past six months, I've gotten really into it. I did eight minutes one time. It makes you feel so much better emotionally. It's really hard to be in a bad mood after you do it. 12:30 p.m.: Party on a boat My friend John Sharp has a boat parked in Marina del Rey. I'd spend the day there with a bunch of these gay Venice boys. It's a good, wholesome vibe. And, you know, we'll do some mushrooms, drink some natural wine. Usually someone will bring some bread and cheese from Gjelina. Then some friends will have people over to their house after, and they'll order some food. And they'll make everyone Venmo before the food even comes. And sometimes I'm doing the math and I'm like, wait, I don't think you guys are even paying [laughs]. That's the vibe, but we love them for it. And they're opening their house to us, so we can pay for their delivery. It's fine. But that's usually what ends up happening. 3:30 p.m.: Get scrubbed On my way home, I would stop at Century Day & Night Spa. If this is the best day ever, I would do a body scrub. Because sometimes when you're at the gym, you forget to shower. There's some 'bacne' happening, so you really gotta scrub it out. And so we'll have one of those old, nice Korean men scrub it out. 6 p.m.: Assemble the ideal bite of Sichuan food So we're going all the way to San Gabriel Valley now. My favorite Sunday restaurant is Chengdu Taste, and I'm ordering a lot. Hopefully I can get some friends to come. All of my friends are, like, anorexic basically, or have some form of eating disorder, so it's hard to get people to eat fattening food with me. I'm getting the flavored shrimp, the crispy chicken with the chile peppers, the eggplant, the tomato and egg soup, the Chengdu fried rice and the green beans. The perfect bite is the Chengdu fried rice — it is so f— good and the best fried rice I've ever had in my life. That with a bite of the eggplant, which is really soft and almost souplike, and then with one of the shrimps. Oh, my gosh, I'm getting so excited. It's like the most insane bite ever, and you're sweating and it's beautiful. 8 p.m.: Some quick fun If this is my ideal Sunday, a f— buddy or a casual dalliance would come over, and we would have sex. That would be 8 to 8:40. OK, at most, really, 8 to 8:25. Let's be real. And then he would leave, and then I would watch 'The White Lotus.' 10 p.m.: Wind down with a skincare routine I would do skincare after that. Get all my new peptides that I'm taking filled up. Get those syringes filled. A good mask would be nice, just to look fresh for the next day. In bed by 11.
