Clazziquai

Clazziquai Project

Clazziquai Project

South Korean electropop band

Clazziquai Project (Korean: 클래지콰이), also known as Clazziquai, is a South Korean electropop band that combines several genres including electronic music, acid jazz and house. The band's first short unofficial albums were released online in 2001, spreading its music through words of "netizens," who positively received the band's music. They remained underground until the release of their first album Instant Pig in 2004, selling over 80,000 copies. Since then, their music has been used in shows, commercials, and films.[1]

Quick Facts Background information, Origin ...

Clazziquai is known for their songs, "Be My Love" and "She Is", which were featured on the Korean drama My Lovely Samsoon, with the former becoming the show's theme song. The band won an award at the MNET KM Music Video Festival for "Best Soundtrack", and has also been the most nominated band at the Korean Popular Music Awards II(2회), winning "Artist of the Year" and "Best Pop". They have contributed to works by Japanese artists Fantastic Plastic Machine and M-Flo.

History

2001: Formation

DJ Clazzi, described as "a magician at synthesizing different sounds in music into creating one unique [sic] new genre".[2] graduated from Capilano College, and continued his study at Centre for Digital Imaging and Sound (CDIS). After his graduation, he worked as a web designer, uploading his music online during his leisure time. DJ Clazzi's music became popular on Korean social media, with the experimental nature of his music being well received by Korean netizens, which is the reason why Clazziquai was initially labeled a "project group".[3]

Korean-Canadian siblings Alex and Christina Chu were initially acquaintances with DJ Clazzi and participated vocally on the first three short and experimental albums released online, named gray, red, and retro.[4]

Christina Chu left the official line up and Horan stepped in to fill her spot. Chu occasionally contributes her vocals to the band, although she is often an uncredited guest artist.[4]

2004–2006: Instant Pig and Color Your Soul

Clazziquai released their first studio album, Instant Pig, in May 2004, with 80,000 copies sold.[5] The album received critical acclaim, which led to more than five songs from the album being used in six television commercials.[6] The remixed English version of the song, "Come To Me", in its remix album Zbam was released in November 2004, and was later used as a song in a television commercial featuring David Beckham. Fantastic Plastic Machine praised Clazziquai as a new band to lead the "Hallyu".[1]

In 2005, Clazziquai's "Be My Love" and "She Is", were featured in the South Korean hit television drama, My Lovely Samsoon. These two major theme songs also raised the ratings of the series up 50%.[7] Clazziquai had hoped then that people's imagination towards their music would not 'decrease as a result of their unexpected popularity'.[8] In September 2005, Clazziquai released their second album, Color Your Soul claiming it had a "raw, funkier feel presenting a combination of electronic music and [an] emphasized acoustic genre".[9] A remix album entitled Pinch Your Soul was released early the following year.[10]

2007–2009: Love Child of the Century and Mucho Punk

In June 2007, Clazziquai's third album, Love Child of the Century, was released.[11] A remix album, Robotica, was released later in the year. After the album's release, the members of Clazziquai grew busy with their own work, which started false rumors that Clazziquai could be disbanding.[12]

In 2008, a video game for the PlayStation Portable featuring many Clazziquai songs titled DJ Max Portable Clazziquai Edition was released. These songs were later released as part of the special album Metrotronics.[13]

In July 2009, Clazziquai released their fourth album, Mucho Punk, featuring the single "Wizard of OZ" which had been featured in an LG commercial that year.[14] In concordance to Mucho Punk, Clazziquai released Japanese album, Mucho Musica, and later released a remix album, Mucho Mix.[15] The remix version of the original album was released in South Korea later in the year as Mucho Beat.[16]

In December 2012, Clazziquai released the single, "Can't Go On My Own", as part of the Can We Get Married? OST.[17] In February 2013, the band released their fifth album, Blessed, making it into the top ten of Gaon's weekly album chart.[18] They later held three 'Be Blessed' concerts throughout May and June.[19]

In September 2014, Clazziquai released their sixth album, Blink.[20] They held a concert shortly after the release to celebrate their tenth anniversary as a band.[21] In mid 2015, they held a concert at the Understage in Seoul.[22]

In September 2016, Clazziquai released their seventh album, Travellers.[23] After the album's release the band held a concert at the Blue Square in Seoul.[24]

2019-present: Recent activities

On September 10, 2019, the band released a brand new single, called What If featuring Kim Soo-young. In the accompanying press release, it was mentioned that Clazziquai will continue the collaboration project with various singers starting with the respective single.[25]

Members

  • DJ Clazzi (DJ 클래지) — Leader, composition, production, vocals
  • Alex (알렉스) — Vocals[26]
  • Horan (호란) — Vocals

Discography

Studio albums

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Remix albums

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Special albums

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Singles

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Soundtrack appearances

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Awards and nominations

More information Years, Awards ...

Mnet Asian Music Awards

More information Year, Category ...

References

  1. [1]
    Tak, Jin-hyun. Clazziquai, a new Hallyu Star "Sportainment", March 4, 2006.
  2. [2]
    "푸근하고 정감있게 변신했죠". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
  3. [3]
    "호란은 직진한다" (in Korean). Magazine T.
  4. [4]
    Schmidt, Jeremy A. "Clazziquai Project | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-10-20.
  5. [5]
    "클래지콰이 다채로운 리듬 '감칠맛'" (in Korean). Sports Korea. 4 October 2005.
  6. [6]
    "2집으로 돌아온 클래지콰이)" (in Korean). Seoul Shinmun.
  7. [7]
    ""러브홀릭·클래지콰이 '삼순열풍'에 한 몫"". No Cut News (in Korean).
  8. [8]
    "클래지콰이, 日서 욘사마-삼순이 후광 '톡톡'" (in Korean). Star News. 21 July 2005.
  9. [9]
    "이 가을, 라운지 음악에 젖어보세요" (in Korean). Naver News.
  10. [10]
    "클래지콰이, 두번째 리믹스 앨범" (in Korean). Naver News.
  11. [11]
    "클래지콰이, "불면증 덕에 우울한 현실에 눈떠"" (in Korean). My Daily.
  12. [12]
    "Horan and Alex go solo" (in Korean). Hankooki News. Archived from the original on 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  13. [13]
    ""트릴로지는 PC용 DJMAX의 새로운 시작"" (in Korean). This Is Game. 12 December 2008.
  14. [14]
    "[MUSIC – New Album] 클래지콰이 Mucho Punk 外" (in Korean). Naver News.
  15. [15]
    "Clazziquai will release another Japanese remix album". KoME World.
  16. [16]
    "클래지콰이 프로젝트의 4.5집 '무초비트' 26일 발매" (in Korean). Poli News. 26 November 2009.
  17. [17]
    "러브송의 대명사 클래지콰이, 싱글 발표" (in Korean). Naver.
  18. [18]
    "클래지콰이 프로젝트 5집 '블레스드' 발매" (in Korean). Aju News. 5 February 2013.
  19. [19]
    "몽환적 러브홀릭 '클래지콰이' 천상의 하모니 대전을 울리다" (in Korean). CC Today. 13 May 2013.
  20. [20]
    "클래지콰이 프로젝트, 10년간 활동의 집약체 6집 앨범 'Blink' 발매" (in Korean). Metro Seoul.
  21. [21]
    "클래지콰이 10주년 파티 개최" (in Korean). Ten Asia.
  22. [22]
    "클래지콰이 프로젝트 '현대카드 UNDERSTAGE' 공연 성황리 마무리…역대급 분위기". Sports Donga (in Korean).
  23. [23]
    "On a journey with Clazziquai". The Korea Herald.
  24. [24]
    "클래지콰이 3년 만에 단독콘서트 '완전체 귀환'.. 신곡 발표 동시 본격활동 시작". The Korea Times (in Korean).
  25. [25]
    "Clazziquai Project Announces New Single in 3 Years". Naver.
  26. [26]
    "클래지콰이 프로젝트 프로필" (in Korean). Naver.
  27. [27]
    Recording Industry Association of Korea monthly chart positions:
  28. [28]
    "Gaon Album Chart". Archived from the original on 2015-08-27.
  29. [29]
    "Oricon Chart". 16 June 2009.
  30. [30]
    Cumulative sales of Instant Pig:
  31. [31]
    Cumulative sales of Color Your Soul:
  32. [32]
    Cumulative sales of Love Child of the Century:
  33. [33]
    "2013년 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). p. 2. Archived from the original on 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  34. [34]
    "2014년 09월 Album Chart".
  35. [35]
    "2016년 09월 Album Chart".
  36. [36]
    "Gaon Digital Chart". Archived from the original on 2017-03-09.
  37. [37]
    "2012년 12월 Download Chart".
  38. [38]
    Cumulative sales of "Sweetest Name":
  39. [39]
    Cumulative sales of "Love Recipe":
  40. [40]
    "2014년 07월 Download Chart".
  41. [41]
    Cumulative sales of "Madly":
  42. [42]
    "2014년 39주차 Download Chart".
  43. [43]
    "2004 MKMF part 1" Archived 2014-08-26 at the Wayback Machine. Mwave. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  44. [44]
    "2005 MKMF part 1" Archived 2016-02-01 at the Wayback Machine. Mwave. Retrieved 2014-08-28.
  45. [45]
    "2005 M.net Korean Music Festival Winners list" Archived 2013-02-19 at archive.today. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  46. [46]
    "2007 Winners". Mnet official website. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  47. [47]
    "2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards Part1" Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine. MAMA. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
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