Crossing over is hard to do, but when your name is Se7en, luck is on your side. The Korean pop star makes his debut in the States with his Lil’ Kim-assisted single “Girls” from his first English album. Relaxing with his manager in a Midtown office overlooking New York City’s Times Square, Se7en dishes to staging-rapup.kinsta.cloud about getting up close with the Queen Bee, his craziest fan encounter, hobbies, and which girls he adores.
1. Your first single is called “Girls.” Who are the three hottest girls in the music biz right now? Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna
2. What was it like having Lil’ Kim seduce you in the video? It was cool; it was an honor for me. I like her music and her style.
3. What’s the hardest part about learning English? Actually, there are a lot of problems with Korean and English. The grammar is so different. Pronunciation and accents are the hardest things.
4. What are your favorite American foods? I love all kinds of food. We just ordered pizza. I love everything!
5. Why has it been difficult for Asian pop stars to cross over into the U.S.? I don’t know; I never thought about that ’cause there’s like one or two who tried before. They did it like five or 10 years ago. If you try hard with the right team and the right promotion, it’s gonna happen.
6. What do you like to do when you’re not working? I like to play golf, video games, poker…and sleep! [Laughs]
7. What has been your craziest fan encounter? When I was staying in China, I booked a room at the hotel. Somehow some fans got the room right next door, so when I went out, they followed me for 24 hours. I was kind of afraid, especially when I took showers [laughs]. It was crazy!
–Nadia Chanté