Jay Park wants to collaborate with Charice

By Patricia Esteves (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - South Korean pop star Jay Park expressed his desire to one day collaborate with Charice who is making a big splash in the US right now.

Park, a former leader of the popular South Korean boy band 2PM, is impressed at the talents of the petite singer.
“I would like to collaborate with Charice, I’d be glad to collaborate with her, ” Park told reporters during a press conference at the Dusit Hotel last Wednesday.

Park is in the country for a concert and a fan meet dubbed Jay Park the Fan Meet 2010 at the SMX Convention Center tonight.
He also revealed his ambition to break through the American music scene and like Charice, penetrate the mainstream music industry through sheer talent and hard work.

Park would like to break down barriers, build cultural bridges and be added to the list of Asian pop stars who succeed in America.
“I do have a lot of interest in breaking out in the American music scene. I do like music a lot and one day hopefully, I can break that barrier, I know Charice right now is doing a big thing over there and she’s much loved over there,” Park said.

Park’s impressive dancing, rapping and singing skills have really not gone unnoticed. He did a collaboration with T-Pain and Snoop Dog and starred in a Hollywood movie Hype Nation after going solo.

He has been compared to South Korean superstar Rain who like him can effortlessly gyrate, leap and somersault in the air.
As for his dance inspirations, Park cites his crew and his Filipino choreographer Andrew Baterina.

He said he is in awe of the talents of Filipinos whether in singing or dancing and supports them. In fact, three members of his crew AOM or Art of Movement are Filipino-Americans, his friends from Seattle from way, way back.

Park takes them with him in his Asian tour.

Aside from Baterina, the other Fil-Ams in Jay’s crew are Daniel Jerome and Chase “Cha-Cha” Malone, an Afro-American-Filipino whose grandparents originally hail from Cebu. They were present at the press conference.

Baterina and Chase expressed excitement about going to the Philippines for the first time while Jerome said he lived in the country briefly when he was very young but is just as excited to set foot in the country again.

“I feel very excited, especially because my parents talk about the Philippines very much and say, I’m gonna go home, gonna go home. I’m 25 now and I’ve never been here so it’s really exciting,” Baterina said.

Chase, on the other hand, also shared his happiness of finally visiting his mom’s motherland.

“My mother has never been here, so it’s my great grandparents who lived here and they’re from Cebu. Actually, I’m happy to be here,” Chase said.

During the presscon reporters noticed Park’s affection for his crew members.

He said what makes the Asian tour joyful is because he is dancing with them.

Park shared that he had his name’s crew AOM tattooed at the back of his right ear. Park said he eats Filipino food like lumpia and adobo, meals that Chase’s mother prepares for them.

“I’ve known them since 2002, 2003, like seven years already but Jerome, I’ve known him since he was in his diapers,” Park joked.
He enthused that his talented crew inspires him and particularly admires Baterina’s expert dance moves.
“As far as dancing is concerned, I get a lot of inspiration from my crew, particularly Andrew, that’s why I asked him to choreograph my songs,” Park said.

When asked if he feels lonely now that he has gone solo, Park said he tries to think positive.
“You know, it doesn’t get really lonely, I bring these guys with me now,” he said.

During their spare time, Park said he bonds with them by playing Starcraft and breakdancing, which they don’t really consider work.
“We do it for fun, it brings a lot of joy to us, but aside from that, we eat at restaurants or come together to play Starcraft,” he said.
On the part of the crew members, they’ve nothing but respect for Park adding that fame has not changed him at all.
 “He stayed the same when we met him before,” they said.

Park is also promoting his solo EP (Count on Me) through Warner Music Group Asia Pacific. The EP contains Park’s three versions of the song Nothin’ on You by B.O.B and Bruno Mars.
Why he did choose to cover Nothin’ on You?

“At first, I didn’t really know who the artist was and it wasn’t popular back then. I heard it on the radio a couple of times and it’s just a great song and I fell in love with it. It has really a positive sound to it, that’s why I covered it,” Park said.

Park promised an unforgettable concert and fan meet for his Filipino fans. He said he loves his fans very much and greatly appreciates that they stood by him and continued to support him despite the controversy with 2PM last year which led to his departure from the group.
Last year, articles surfaced on the Internet regarding his posts from 2005 on his personal MySpace account, in which he voiced out his dislike for his life in Korea while still a trainee. This infuriated a lot of Korean netizens. They demanded his ouster from the country and inked a suicide petition that gained up to 3,000 signatures before it was closed down. Park has already issued an apology regarding this matter and eventually left the group 2PM and returned to the US.

He has since gone solo and staged a successful comeback and all these, he credited to his fans who stood by him through thick and thin.
To show his appreciation, he had a tattoo of his fans’ club done on his back a week ago.

“I did it like a week ago. I have a few tattoos and all of them have a special meaning to me, like the one behind my ear is for my crew. The tattoo on my chest, is for my family and the tattoo on my back is for my fans because they supported me so much through everything, I just wanted to show my appreciation to them,” he said.

In the English version of Nothin’ on You, Jay revealed his feelings toward them by singing “the way you show me love helps me chase away my fears.”

When asked to clarify what really happened and why he left 2PM, Park said he doesn’t want to delve on it anymore.
“I can’t really clarify right now. I’ve talked about this before, it’s kind of I want to leave this in the past, I’m just kind of living fast forward now. I am looking forward and want to be positive,” he said.

In the song Nothin’ on You, where he put his own lines and rap, he talked about putting a lid to that experience.
“There’s so much nonsense. It’s on my conscience, but never mind that, we should let it go. Cause we don’t wanna be a TV episode and all the bad thoughts, just let them go,” he said.

He also looks forward to the day when he can be friends again with the rest of the 2PM guys.
“Unfortunately now, I have no communication with them. We haven’t met each other for a long time but I have nothing but love for the guys, I hope all the best for them, and hopefully one day we can be friends and brothers again,” he said.

The most important thing Park learned from the experience was to be good to the people around him and to the fans.

With regards to his future plans and what’s in store in 2011, Park said he really doesn’t know and will just try to go with the flow.

“I don’t know, I wish I could say what’s in store for me but  I’m just trying to keep everything positive and try to bring my friends with me everywhere and have a good time and give back to the fans,” he said.

“After the fan meet, I don’t really know for sure, I was just thinking of going to LA and work out the music,” he added.
“I never really planned on this, I just kind of go where life would take me, like take all these chances and opportunities that pop up,” he said.

With a talent and the right attitude like that, who can ever put Park down?

Lastly a female reporter asked if he thinks he can have a Filipina girlfriend, Park replied “If the right girl came along, it doesn’t matter what the race is.”