Shreya Lenka has become India’s first K-pop star after she was inducted as the fifth member of girl band Blackswan , triggering excitement among fans who say her selection will bring hope to other South Asian artistes looking to break into South Korea’s music industry. Music agency DR Music announced last Thursday that Lenka, a trained dancer from the eastern state of Orissa, was picked following months-long global auditions that began in 2021 after singer Hyeme left the group. Brazil’s Gabriela Dalcin, who also took part in the contest, was chosen as the band’s sixth member. Blackswan’s other singers include Fatou, Leia, Young-heun and Judy. DR Music welcomed the newcomers in an Instagram post, saying “with their debut, we will be back with the new Blackswan”. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DRmusic (@drenter_official) Elated at her new-found fame, Lenka, 18, said “it was like a dream”, but the path to success was not easy as she was rejected in multiple auditions. “I never gave up as I really wanted to become a K-pop idol,” she told the music label in an interview in February, adding she improvised herself inspired by Koreans who are passionate about their dreams. Lenka said she was introduced to K-pop by a friend a few years ago which piqued her interest in the “beautiful genre”. “Everyone in India tries Bollywood but I wanted to do something for my country, so I decided to pursue the K-pop dream,” she said. The contemporary dancer, who started auditioning for K-pop bands during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, also said she found freestyle dancing difficult in the beginning and tried hard to master it to make a mark in the music scene. Lenka said her life in Seoul, where she is getting trained on the Korean language, western music and dance, is “really good and people are lovely and supportive”. She added she wanted to be a “good idol” and encourage others to pursue their goals. “I want to deliver some messages (through my song and dance) to the world that inspire people not to given up on their dreams.” Lenka also thanked her fans for being warmhearted, saying “because of you guys we are here and I will not let you down”. Indians’ love of K-pop and K-dramas makes them hungry for Korean food “She has the mentality of an idol and her words are very motivating. She has ambition and passion,” wrote a fan on YouTube. Commented another: “This will be a good chance for her to grow big internationally and also will pave the way for other South Asian kids.” DR Music Entertainment Korea director Philip YJ Yoon said Lenka and Brazilian Dalcin worked well together during the audition. “They showed us very positive energy when sticking together and achieving each of the assignments they needed to overcome. It was one of the reasons we decided not to separate them,” news agency PTI quoted Yoon as saying.
