BLACKSWAN’s “Savage” Response During CNN Interview Goes Viral

The K-Pop girl group BLACKSWAN has been gaining public interest recently after its comeback with the single “That Karma.” The current lineup of the group is growing steadily, already bagging brand deals and appearing at events like the 2023 Waterbomb Seoul Festival.

(From left to right) BLACKSWAN members Gabi, Nvee, Fatou, and Sriya

Though the group’s recent releases, including “Karma” and “Cat & Mouse,” have already created a lot of buzz around them. Yet, their strongest appeal, at least to the media, seems to be their current all-foreigner lineup. The group has gone through multiple member changes in the past few years, and right now, it consists of members Fatou (Senegalese-Belgian), Nvee (American), Gabi (Brazillian), and Sriya (Indian).

| @blackswan___official/Instagram

In the past, non-Korean groups have tried to break into the K-Pop market, but the results have never been in their favor. Interestingly though, BLACKSWAN is currently at their career peak, which they accelerated toward only after the current lineup. Their growing success, even in the domestic market, is an anomaly that the media seems to be picking up on swiftly.

A recent clip from the group’s interview with CNN is going viral on social media for showcasing the group’s maturity. The interviewer questioned the authenticity of BLACKSWAN’s “K-Pop” tag, saying that there is “no Korean” in the group. This is not the first time this particular argument has been raised to contest the group’s K-Pop identity, but they have never addressed the topic in a face-to-face interview before.

You’re a K-Pop group, but there’s no ‘K.’ There’s no Korean. Does it matter?

— Paula Hancocks, CNN Interviewer

In response, both Gabi and Fatou corrected the interviewer, pointing out that the “K” factor in their group is their music itself. Fatou elaborated saying, “There is ‘K’ because we sing in Korean. And K-Pop is Korean Pop. So as long as the language is there, it is still K-Pop.”

Fatou Clocked her real quick with that question sriya face like holdup there is k duh.. pic.twitter.com/96j0yEJ8TS

— Blackswanday1 ⪩ ⪨ (@blackswanday1_) August 25, 2023

Fans expressed their disappointment at how BLACKSWAN seems to be getting a lot of pushback for having a non-Korean lineup when this phenomenon is becoming more and more common in the industry. They also praised how the members handled the tricky question, setting the record straight for once and all, about their “K-Pop” identity.

interesting considering the overwhelming acceptance of the idea that xg is kpop despite having no korean members and not singing in korean like hmmmm https://t.co/cZeUFkkzH5

— ???? ???? ???? ???? ✩ ⁷ (@Y2KVNT) August 26, 2023

xg don’t get this pushback, i know why but ppl gonna throw shoes at me! https://t.co/ODYMAhnJzF

— bee (@MANlCHAZE) August 26, 2023

Many forget behind Blackswan there's a whole Korean company and team. The girls work in Korea for Korean (and sometimes international audiences) following a kpop sound. https://t.co/UcHO0Zy2Jo

— ⪩pilito⪨ (@pinpapolito) August 26, 2023

But also Blackswan did in fact start out with Korean members… and at the end of the day if the Korean entertainment industry (not just the k-pop scene) is gonna start really making their push for a more global look then no it shouldn't matter…t https://t.co/0zRhVWKG34

— JAY saw Beyoncé | This Bird App Is JAYphobic (@Quxn_Jay) August 26, 2023

Fatou did not hesitate to set the record straight

— peach girl ⪩ ⪨ (@Nikie9door) August 25, 2023