From BTS and Halsey to Dua Lipa and Hwasa: Western and K-pop collaborations on the increase

As K-pop continues to take over the world, international pop stars are increasingly looking for crossover collaborations

The Korean stars are singing and rapping in their own language on English language songs

Reading Time:2 minutes

Dua Lipa has collaborated with Blackpink and, more recently, Hwasa from Mamamoo.

Published: 11:45pm, 24 Mar 2020Updated: 11:45pm, 24 Mar 2020

In a remix of British pop star Dua Lipa’s latest track, Physical, released earlier this week, K-pop artist Hwasa opens up the sensual synth-pop number with her signature raspy Korean vocals.

The remix featuring Hwasa adds increased colour to the original version, which peaked at No 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart last month.

The collaboration between Dua Lipa and Hwasa, a member of K-pop girl band Mamamoo, is the latest in a recent string of collaborations between international pop artists and K-pop stars singing and rapping in their native language.

With the global rise of K-pop, many South Korean stars have collaborated with global pop icons. Now, pop artists are putting Korean lyrics in their songs, injecting musical and cultural diversity into an international pop scene built almost exclusively on the English language.

K-pop star Hwasa sang in Korean on Dua Lipa’s single Kiss and Make Up.

Physical is not Dua Lipa’s first collaboration with a South Korean artist. K-pop girl band Blackpink sang in Korean on the British musician’s song Kiss and Make Up from her 2018 album, Dua Lipa: Complete Edition.