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FTTS Interview in american newspaper
Compare Us to Kc & Jojo
The R&B duo ¡°Fly to the Sky¡± may get caught for their flying speed since the release of their third album ¡°Sea of Love.¡± The duo is enjoying huge popularity, and their title track, ¡°Sea of Love,¡± is now at the top of the music charts.
How would you describe your title song ¡°Sea of Love¡±?
Brian: The song is a step away from our usual R&B style.
Fany: Yeah, he¡¯s right. It¡¯s more popish. When we first came out, our style was a little different from other Korean singers. It was mostly R&B and had more of a black feel to it. I guess in this album we¡¯re trying to go more in the direction of what our fans like. The album is like a pop R&B type deal.
You featured a track called ¡°Condition of My Heart,¡± composed by Brian McKnight. Did you get to work with this famous R&B vocalist?
Brian: No, but hopefully we will in the future. It would be great if he could actually sing on an album with us. I¡¯ve always wanted to sing with him.
Who are your major influences?
Fany: The American duo KC & Jojo. That group is our role model for becoming great R&B singers. We feel really inspired whenever we listen to their music.
Brian: I like their album, X, released in 2000. It¡¯s a smooth R&B album and all of the songs on it have their own special appeal. Their hits ¡°Crazy,¡± ¡°Get Back¡± and ¡°All the Things I Should Have Known¡± are perfect love songs. Their warm lyrics and soulful vocals are cool.
I see. You basically grew up in opposite parts of the world. Brian grew up in New Jersey as a Korean-American, while Fany was born and raised in Seoul. Have there been any clashes between you two because of your different backgrounds?
Brian: From the way we think to what we eat, we are different. However, this has not caused any serious problems between us, except when we go out to eat.
Fany: Yeah, usually I want to eat Korean food, but he wants western food. So, we often compromise and end up eating Kimbap. Heehee.
It maybe an embarrassing question because you¡¯re already famous singers. But, I¡¯m so curious, how did you guys start out?
Fany: Don¡¯t be afraid to ask anything. We welcome all your questions. To become a singer, I participated in many auditions. And fortunately, I was singled out at an audition held at my high school. Only people who do their best get the chance to make their dreams come true.
Brian: I had a different kind of journey toward stardom. When I lived in the U.S., my friend signed me up for an audition on an Internet web site. It led to an all-expenses paid trip here to try out for SM Entertainment.
There are numerous online fan clubs for ¡°Fly to the Sky.¡± Have you ever visited your online fan clubs and left anything on the message boards?
Fany: Yeah, we frequently check them to know fans¡¯ opinions before making decisions, like what songs to perform.
Brian: I post messages on some of our fan sites, and even chat on the Internet with fans. But, you know what? When I say that I¡¯m Brian, nobody believes me. Haha.
These days you two are so busy, it must be pretty stressful. How do you relieve your stress?
Fany: Except for fatigue from our tight schedule, there¡¯s nothing to stress us. So, getting enough rest is the best way to get rid of stress. When we are together, we usually listen to the music of other artists, especially R&B singers like Brian McKnight, Usher and Boys ¥± Men. It calms us.
Brian: Listening to the music of Linkin Park and Eminem also makes me feel good. Sometimes, we also try to find time for other interests like watching movies.
Speaking of movies, I heard that you guys are movie buffs. Who are your favorite movie stars?
Brian: Ashley Judd, Edward Norton and Bruce Willis are my favorite stars. Especially, Ashley Judd. She is such an attractive actress. I¡¯ve seen all of her movies, from her debut movie ¡°Sisters¡± to her most recent one ¡°Bread and Roses.¡± Her beautiful smile makes my heart throb. Haha. Oh, Bruce Willis is also a great actor. I liked ¡°Die Hard¡± and ¡°Sixth Sense.¡± His movies never let me down.
Fany: I admire Jung Woo-sung. He¡¯s a good actor for all kinds of movies, from romantic comedies to action movies. His eyes are full of charisma and he has the power to move people.
If you got the chance to act in a movie, would you go for it?
Fany: Of course, why not. I actually majored in drama at Kukmin University to become an actor. In the future, I¡¯d like to be on the big screen, especially in big time action movies.
Brian: I want to go to Hollywood and show that Asians aren¡¯t just martial artists. Haha.
Besides a successful acting career, is there anything else you¡¯d wish for?
Fany: Yep. I¡¯d like to compose music. But, right now our focus is on our activities as Fly to the Sky.
Brian: Well, we¡¯ve been doing this for about three and a half years now. So for another couple of years, we want to just go with it.
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08-17-2002 07:49 AM
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