MUSIC
ZICO and Lilas Release Collaborative Single 'DUET': A Perfect Tiki-Taka Project
Singer and producer ZICO has teamed up with renowned Japanese musician Lilas (Ikura from YOASOBI) to release their collaborative single 'DUET' at midnight on the 19th. This track marks a significant collaboration between ZICO, a representative figure in Korean hip-hop, and Lilas, a symbol of Japanese band music. The song originates from the imaginative thought, "What if we did a duet with an ideal partner?"
'DUET' captivates listeners with its bright and lively melody, blending Korean and Japanese lyrics, and the distinctive vocal tones of ZICO and Lilas. The lyrics, written by ZICO and Lilas in their respective languages, flow seamlessly without any sense of discord. The production team, who previously worked with ZICO on 'SPOT! (feat. JENNIE)', also contributed to this track, enhancing its overall quality.
ZICO and Lilas, showcasing a unique synergy with 'DUET', shared their thoughts through a Q&A session via KOZ Entertainment.
ZICO: I'm delighted to bring music that those who have waited for my work can nod along to. I hope people enjoy this song in their daily lives.
Lilas: This song was created over about a year of communication with ZICO. We went through trial and error to perfectly blend our musical strengths. It's a unique and charming song, so I hope everyone enjoys it.
Q. Why did you choose Lilas as your collaborator for 'DUET'?
ZICO: I've always enjoyed listening to YOASOBI's music and Lilas's solo tracks. When you listen to music you love, you sometimes think, "I really want to work with this person." After listening to Lilas's songs a lot, I naturally felt it was time to collaborate. While writing 'DUET', I needed a vocalist who could handle high notes and deliver a fast-paced part that blurs the line between rap and singing. I thought Lilas was the perfect artist for this.
Q. What do you consider most important in a collaboration?
ZICO: I think it's important to create a feeling of "This works!" when collaborating. Creating a space where two seemingly mismatched people can coexist is a producer's skill. In that sense, this project found a genre where Lilas and I could freely play and make it work.
Q. Describe your collaboration with Lilas in one word.
ZICO: Salted caramel. I believe listeners who enjoy a particular artist's music have distinct tastes. This collaboration created a new flavor where people with different tastes could come together, making it feel like 'salted caramel'.
Lilas: Although I enjoyed listening to ZICO's music, I never imagined receiving such a proposal. I was surprised and thrilled. From the moment I first heard 'DUET', I naturally caught the rhythm thanks to its fantastic vibe, and I was excited and eager to add my voice to this track.
Q. What message did you want to convey through the lyrics?
Lilas: When I asked ZICO about the theme of the song, he explained, "Two people in different places are connected through music to perform a 'DUET'." I found the idea of being connected through music, even when in different spaces, to be very cool. Since it's a duet with ZICO, I wanted to connect our respective places, like Seoul and Tokyo. We discussed words and Japanese ad-libs to find the optimal form.
Q. How was the chemistry between musicians from different genres?
ZICO: It felt special to have a unique sparkle that wasn't in my music before. The chemistry was so good that it was hard to believe it was our first collaboration. It was a perfect tiki-taka project in every way.
Lilas: Since our musical styles are different, the melody ZICO wrote with my color in mind was even more precious. In this cross-border collaboration, I worked on expressing my true self. Our differences made the chemistry stand out more, allowing us to create a very fresh song.
Q. What did you pay special attention to while preparing 'DUET'?
ZICO: The song might feel very friendly. Although it seems simple, there's a lot of hidden detail in each sound, making it enjoyable to listen to.
Lilas: You can feel ZICO's unique playfulness throughout. I tried to embrace that vibe while bringing out my voice, lyrics, and nuances of the language.
Q. What was memorable during the production process?
ZICO & Lilas: The demo version of 'DUET' was a completely different genre from what it is now. After several revisions, the current 'DUET' was born. We had many discussions about the chorus lyrics while recording together. We remember pondering how to sing it to best capture the song's vibe. Mixing our languages to create a smooth song was a valuable experience from this collaboration.
Q. What reactions do you hope to receive for 'DUET'?
ZICO & Lilas: We hope it's a song people want to add to their playlists. We want listeners to enjoy the fresh chemistry that emerged from us, artists from different regions, coming together for 'DUET'.
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter one@tenasia.co.kr
