EXCLUSIVE | Rapper Mirani talks about her career ahead of collab with Mamamoo Moonbyul
Mirani made her debut in 2020, while the world was grappling with the global pandemic; but despite having very limited fan interaction, Mirani has established herself well in the industry. With her appearance on survival show ‘Show Me The Money 9’ (SMTM), Mirani made a name for herself after she was a part of the Top 5 contestants.
Her SMTM single ‘VVS’ became one of the biggest hit tracks from the show and also topped Korean charts a total of 57 times.
Mirani’s fans fell in love with ‘VVS’ where she delivered positive energy blessing her life. Not only that, ‘VVS’ topped the Billboard K-pop 100 chart and even surpassed BTS’s hit single ‘Dynamite’ on the same chart.
Mirani stayed on top of the chart for three straight weeks, and her live clip earned 1 million views in less than an hour of its release. Now that Mirani has made a name for herself, she last released her debut mini-album ‘Uptown Girl’ that featured artists like GOT7’s Jay B, Lil Boi, Skinny Brown, Uneducated Kid, Paul Blanco, and Ash Island.
Mirani is also ready to soon make heads turn as she is soon going to feature in a pre-release single ‘G999’ with Mamamoo’s Moonbyul ahead of Moonbyul’s heated comeback. The single ‘G999’ featuring Mirani will be released on December 11 at 12 am KST (10 am ET). Read ahead to see Mirani chat with MEAWW in an exclusive interview as she discusses her journey in the Korean Hip-Hop industry so far.
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MEAWW: Congratulations on your successful debut in the middle of a global pandemic. You have had a steady rise to the top of Billboard charts beating international artists!
Mirani: Thank you so much! I’m so sad that I cannot meet many fans in person, but I’m looking forward to the day I get to see them!
MEAWW: Your debut single, ‘The Detective’, is loved by so many fans. What was the journey from your debut single to this new album ‘Uptown Girl’ like?
Mirani: It was like a cartoon film - with me as the protagonist, haha. There were many aching moments as well as happy ones. Life is indeed bittersweet. I hope it leads to a happy ending though.
MEAWW: How was your experience on ‘Show Me The Money Season 9’? How did you feel being one of the Top 5 Contestants on the show?
Mirani: It was crazy! I was unbearably thankful for everything. Every week went by so fast, and I wished I could stop time. I felt like I was flying in the sky. If I could go back, I would enjoy that experience even more.
MEAWW: What was your first reaction when you were told that your single ‘VVS’ had surpassed huge artists like BTS’ ‘Dynamite’ on charts and been nominated for MelOn Music Awards 2021?
Mirani: I was surprised, and even felt sorry. VVS brought me so many amazing things.
MEAWW: Can you give us some insight about your much-loved song ‘VVS’? What inspired you to make the song?
Mirani: I was inspired by my life itself. All the lyrics are my true story. I’m so happy that the song about my life is being loved by so many people. It feels like being finally recognized by the world that used to distress me.
MEAWW: Your single ‘VVS’ has topped international and Korean music charts making it one of your best works so far. Did you find the song’s success intimidating while making songs for your upcoming album, ‘Uptown Girl’?
Mirani: I did have such pressure while working on this album. However, I don’t want to be an artist with only one song to be remembered. I’m an artist who sings forever. So I consoled myself to let go of this type of burden and pressure.
MEAWW: You have worked with rapper pH-1 in the past for your hit single ‘Daisy’ while ‘Uptown Girl’ features artists like IIlBOI, UNEDUCATED KID, Paul Blanco, and ASH ISLAND. Are there any other artists you want to collaborate with?
Mirani: Nowadays, I want to collaborate with AKMU. I really liked their recent album. They have their own unique color, which makes me wonder what music we could make together.
MEAWW: Your then competition on SMTM9, IIIBOI is part of your title track ‘Tikita’. Are you still in touch with the other artists from the show? Is there any TMI you could tell us while you were on SMTM9?
Mirani: I’m in touch with artists from SMTM! I message them when they release new tracks, or upload something funny on their SNS. I came out on SMTM 10 for featuring, and there I met many artists from SMTM 9. It was a pleasant reunion!
MEAWW: Out of the seven tracks on your upcoming album, have you worked on any with GroovyRoom, your CEO?
Mirani: ‘Uptown Girl’, ‘P.S.’ and ‘Daisy Remix’! We went through a lot of revision, haha.
MEAWW: How would you describe this album ‘Uptown Girl’? How are the songs different from your past hit releases?
Mirani: In this album, Mirani has adapted to the unfamiliar world, and become more mature, rather than bright. I think the songs would make listeners more curious about my future releases.
MEAWW: Which is your personal favorite track from ‘Uptown Girl’?
Mirani: I like ‘I Wanna Be’ the most. It conveys the thoughts I’ve had for the last year, after SMTM 9. I did not want this track to sound polished at all. I just wanted to deliver my true story.
MEAWW: Any goals or aspirations for the near future you would like to achieve?
Mirani: I want to release another single soon. I’ve heard enough of this album, so I want to come up with some new sound with different vibes.
MEAWW: Finally, any last words for your fans?
Mirani: Thank you so much for loving my music. You guys are my strength! I hope the pandemic gets over soon and I get to perform in front of you. Please stay healthy, and wish you luck for the upcoming 2022! Love you!