Clazziquai Project | |
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![]() Clazziquai Project in 2010 From left to right: DJ Clazzi, Alex, Horan and guest vocalist Christina Chu | |
Background information | |
Origin | South Korea |
Genres | Electropop |
Years active | 2001–present |
Labels | Fluxus Music |
Members |
Clazziquai Project (Korean: 클래지콰이), also known asClazziquai, is a South Koreanelectropop band that combines several genres includingelectronic music,acid jazz andhouse. 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 albumInstant Pig in 2004, selling over 80,000 copies. Since then, their music has been used in shows, commercials, and films.[1]
Clazziquai is known for their songs, "Be My Love" and "She Is", which were featured on theKorean dramaMy 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 artistsFantastic Plastic Machine andM-Flo.
DJ Clazzi, described as "a magician at synthesizing different sounds in music into creating one unique [sic] new genre".[2] graduated fromCapilano 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 siblingsAlex and Christina Chu were initially acquaintances with DJ Clazzi and participated vocally on the first three short and experimental albums released online, namedgray,red, andretro.[4]
Christina Chu left the official line up andHoran stepped in to fill her spot. Chu occasionally contributes her vocals to the band, although she is often an uncredited guest artist.[4]
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 albumZbam was released in November 2004, and was later used as a song in a television commercial featuringDavid 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 entitledPinch Your Soul was released early the following year.[10]
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 thePlayStation Portable featuring many Clazziquai songs titledDJ Max Portable Clazziquai Edition was released. These songs were later released as part of the special albumMetrotronics.[13]
In July 2009, Clazziquai released their fourth album,Mucho Punk, featuring the single "Wizard of OZ" which had been featured in anLG commercial that year.[14] In concordance toMucho 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 asMucho Beat.[16]
In December 2012, Clazziquai released the single, "Can't Go On My Own", as part of theCan We Get Married? OST.[17] In February 2013, the band released their fifth album,Blessed, making it into the top ten ofGaon'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]
On September 10, 2019, the band released a brand new single calledWhat 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] Throughout 2023, seven new singles were released, summing up theCZQ album out on May 17, 2024. All songs feature guests on vocals, a first since the group's inception.[26]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
KOR RIAK [28] | KOR Gaon [29] | JPN [30] | |||
Instant Pig |
Track listing
| 13 | — | — |
|
Color Your Soul |
Track listing
| 8 | 94 |
| |
Love Child of the Century |
Track listing
| 1 | 72 |
| |
Mucho Punk |
Track listing
| — | — | ||
Blessed |
Track listing
| 8 | — |
| |
Blink |
Track listing
| 16 | — |
| |
Travellers |
Track listing
| 16 | — |
| |
CZQ |
Track listing
| — | — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Title | Album details |
---|---|
Zbam |
Track listing
|
Pinch Your Soul |
Track listing
|
Robotica |
Track listing
|
Mucho Beat |
Track listing
|
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
JPN [30] | ||||
Love Mode |
| 112 | ||
Beat in Love |
| 188 | ||
Metrotronics withDJMAX |
| — | ||
Mucho Musica |
| 158 | ||
Mucho Mix |
| — | ||
Taiwan Special Best Of Album 2013 |
| — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album |
---|---|---|---|---|
KOR [37] | ||||
"Sweety" | 2004 | — | — | Instant Pig |
"Come to Me" | Zbam | |||
"Fill This Night" | 2005 | Color Your Soul | ||
"Hold Your Tears"(춤) | ||||
"Love Mode" feat.Tablo | 2006 | Pinch Your Soul | ||
"Lover Boy" | 2007 | Love Child of the Century | ||
"Robotica" | Robotica | |||
"Flea" | 2008 | Metrotronics | ||
"Wizard Of OZ" | 2009 | Mucho Punk | ||
"Love Again" | ||||
"Ping"(핑) | Mucho Beat | |||
"Can't Go On My Own"(함께라면) feat.Kim Jin-pyo | 2012 | 36 |
| Blessed |
"Sweetest Name" | 2013 | 38 |
| |
"Love Recipe"(러브 레시피) | 24 |
| ||
"Love Satellite" | 2014 | 52 |
| Blink |
"Madly" | 84 |
| ||
"Still I'm by Your Side"(내게 돌아와) | — |
| ||
"I'm Curious"(#궁금해) | 2016 | — | — | Travellers |
"Speak of Love"(걱정남녀) | — | |||
"What If"(feat. 김수영) | 2019 | — | — | |
"Take Back"(feat. 홍다혜) | — | |||
"Beautiful Thing"(feat. Jaeyeon and Kim Suyoung) | 2023 | — | ||
"Baby"(feat. 재연 and 임세주) | — | |||
"Static"(feat. JAEMAN and Kei) | — | |||
"Lost Highway"(feat. 윌콕스 and 진효정) | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Year | Title | Album |
---|---|---|
2003 | "Play Girl" | Good People OST |
2004 | "Nova Bossa" | Chocolate Post Office OST |
"By The Sea"(바다로) | Heong-bu Hurt His Head OST | |
2005 | "Be My Love" | My Lovely Sam Soon OST |
"She Is" | ||
"Stepping Out" | April Snow OST | |
2009 | "Wizard of OZ" | LGT 'OZ' CF |
2010 | "Lazy Sunday Morning" | Le Petit Nicolas OST |
2012 | "Can't Go On My Own"(함께라면) | Can We Get Married? OST |
Years | Awards |
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2005 |
|
Year | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Best New Group Video | "Sweety"[44] | Nominated |
2005 | Best Mixed Group | "Fill This Night"[45] | Nominated |
Best OST | "She Is..." (My Lovely Sam Soon)[46] | Won | |
2007 | Best House & Electronic | "Lover Boy"[47] | Won |
Best Mixed Group | Won | ||
2009 | Best House & Electronic | "Love Again"[48] | Nominated |
Best Mixed Gender Group | Nominated |