We’ve been posting quite a lot about our friends from the other East coast in the past month. From Megan Fox having the hots for South Korean actor/singer Rain to the Wonder Girls and their tour with the Jonas Brothers — as well as their English rendition of mega-hit “Nobody,” now sold on iTunes. Today, we keep chugging along on the Asian-Pop Express with an exclusive premiere of BoA’s new video, “Energetic,” and a Q&A with its star.
BoA, one of Asia’s top-selling pop singers, recently dropped her self-titled American debut album, BoA, back in March; below, the 22-year-old talks to EW about living Stateside, working with Britney, and crushing on American heartthrobs. Click after the jump for a first look at “Energetic,” and a full Q&A:
EW: Hello BoA, you’ve been a hugely successful pop star in Asia for nearly a decade, but you’re living in Los Angeles now, right? How is that?
BoA: I go to restaurants, to Koreatown, to the beach to get some tan, go bowling… And I just watched the Hangover. It’s a crazy movie! I loved it. I’m doing English lessons since I’ve been here, I think I’m slowly getting better. But I don’t have car in L.A., so it’s pretty hard to go anywhere. I tried to get my driver’s license but I failed — I didn’t study well. I didn’t know that the test was so hard. Actually, I failed twice last year, but don’t tell anyone!
EW: I wanted to talk about your transition to the United States. You’ve worked with a lot of different producers; what can we expect with the new album?
BoA: Well, I went to Atlanta last year and recorded “I Did It For Love” with Sean Garett [the man behind hits for Beyonce, Usher, Ciara, and Chris Brown] and one more song is coming out for my repackaged album released in September — it’s the same as the first album but with added new songs. I also have one with Flo Rida, he was featured in my “Eat You Up” song.
EW: Can we expect more writing from you? I know you had a song a long time ago you wrote, “Dear My Love,” you wrote that song.
BoA: I don’t have any talent for writing, so no.
EW: I actually liked that song, you should write more.
BoA: Really? Maybe I can make more songs!
EW: I know that one of your songs was co-written by Britney Spears, “Look Who’s Talking.” What happened with that? Did she give it to you?
BoA: When we picked that song, we didn’t know she was the writer. When we saw the credit, we saw B. Spears we were like, who’s B. Spears…as in Britney Spears? They told me that she wrote that song, so I was like ‘Oh, okay!’ She was really cool, really nice.
EW: A lot of your songs you created did become semi-popular in the U.S., though you didn’t technically release it here. Like your Japanese single, “Merry Chri” — Weezer remade that song. What did you feel?
BoA: I’m so grateful. Of course I feel honored. They’re huge in America!
EW: Let’s talk about your last single, “I Did It For Love.” Have you had a lot of relationships in your life? What kind of guy are you looking for?
BoA:You know what? It’s really hard. I thought when I came to America maybe I can meet some cute guys. Japan, Korea and then come back here. But [I’m looking for]someone like…who’s that guy going out with Jennifer Aniston?
EW: Bradley Cooper?
BoA: Yeah…he’s so hot! Zac Efron too. Everyone has girlfriends, though! I’m so bad…
EW: Do you feel like you will have success in the U.S.?
BoA: Hopefully, that’s why I’m here. If it’s not going that way, I think I got a lot of good stuff from relationships, met other producers, doing choreography with really great dancers. If it goes well, I’ll be happy, but I don’t care.
More from EW’s Music Mix:
Florence and the Machine, Kasabian lead Mercury Prize shortlist
New Coldplay video for “Strawberry Swing”: Watch it here!
New Moon soundtrack: Will Thom Yorke and Kings of Leon contribute? And who else should?
Summer ‘09 playlist: Refresh!
Comments (1-30) of 368 Add your comment
Hey, EW, thanks for giving BoA some attention! I think she’s great and I wish her success. I like her original flavor better though. There’s too much digitalization on her new album and it doesn’t showcase her amazing vocal talents. If she continues her run in the states (I hope she will) I would love to see her get back to her roots.
YES!! Thank you so so much for posting her new video! It’s so hott! I loved the interview too! I hope you guys/ladies post more stuff of BoA!
The music video was off the chain. Im glad they didn’t go overboard. shes so hottttt! love this
omg i LOOOOVE IT!
and i just cant wait until the repackaged album comes out!
wow Go BoA! that’s one amazing MV
BoA looks amazing in that video.
All the best to BoA!
Awesome music video! We’re supporting BoA all the way!
hot ish, im feelin it
BoA you are AMAZING!!!!!! I love you and I have already bought 3 copies of your album because I keep it in my cd player all the time and they get burned out lol. Keep it up and I can’t wait to hear even more from you.
the mv looks amazing! go BoA!!!!!
I love this video and I really love BoA’s new hair!
OMG. Finally !!!!!!!
AWESOME AWESOME!!!!!!
I love her MOVE!!!!!!
this video is effin amazing
BoA FTW!!!!!
OMG ANOTHER GREAT MUSIC VIDEO FROM THE BEST!!! BOA!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL THE WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Did you rerecord your NEXT single ‘energetic’? Where can i get NEW version?
OH! and i heard you gonna release repackaged ALBUM in september!!!!!
ALSO! your gonna be a HUGE popsensation in the STATE!!!!
GO BoA!!..
you can do it!!..
and..
you are always the NO.1!!..
^_^
Video is amazing. I really hope you continue to do great things in America.
Heard this song on your myspace page, glad this was the next MV you did because I loved it. Keep up the great work chica. ^^
not a bad video but compared to everything boa has done this video is just so basic and nothing special. what do they take boa for!!!
go go BoA, brazil loves you.
i this this MV is ok, nothing over this, but is ok. awesome choreography, you were beautiful BoA *0*
I love the MV, BoA is undoubtedly the best female dancing artist and this is one of my favorite songs from the album so I’m happy they made an MV for it. I just wished that BoA’s management/label promote her better and get her more exposure rather than keep pushing out MVs. There’s so point to keep releasing MVs and re-releasing the Album if most people don’t even know who BoA is. It saddens me to see BoA works so hard to have her US career go nowhere. I’m going to support BoA no matter what but her management really needs to step up their game.
OMG! BoA is AMAZING! AWESOME! I love this video! Go BoA!!!
wow, good..
Yay BoA HWAITING~~~~~~!
BoA I love your music this video is amazing you have awsome dance skills Beat of Angel… Best of Asia…. Bring on America……. BoA
Loved it!
You rock BoA!
wow, awesome ! Awesome MV BoA ! keep working at it, you are almost there ! hopefully you will be the Best in America ^^
omg that was soooo great!!! i loved it!!!
Enegertic’s MV really really Gooood….OMG. I love it so much. And love You more than yesterday…
Wow! BoA! you’re amazing!!
This MV is wonderful!
GO Asian pop star BoA!
I think you will become one of the greatest. You have so much power its great to see a Star like you that is not so like other Stars you are better like Madonna hehe (ohhh I play with the fire XXD). Sometimes you will finde a great person, then you are great too. I think that person that will be on your side will be absolutly happy and you are not bad. keep up working hard but not to hard take care of your health thats one of the most important thinks. That’s sounds strange but I’am a little bit worried about you that you will collapse sometimes, but I think I’am worry to much about other people XD
Eat you up is great but I like more Meri Kuri, No1 and Dear My Love is a great song. The most important thing about music is that what you feel and not that what you understand, thats my thinking, keep up writing songs.
with friendly regards Michael from Germany
p.s.:sry for my bad english^^