GLOBAL POP SENSATIONS MONSTA X & STEVE AOKI RELEASE ENGLISH VERSION OF HIT SINGLE “PLAY IT COOL” TODAY
STREAM “PLAY IT COOL” ENGLISH VERSION HERE
Today, global superstars, Monsta X, and two-time Grammy nominated DJ and Producer, Steve Aoki, release the English version of their collaborative hit “Play it Cool.” On the heels of releasing the Korean version last month, the Aoki-Monsta force keeps fans on their feet with this new English language track. Aoki composed, arranged, and produced this track, alongside co-writer and Monsta X rapper, I.M.
The bouncy piano keys and punchy beat provide the foundation for Aoki’s iconic electro-pop sound, paired with Aoki’s use of Monsta X’s voices, to create texture and build the track as a whole. The initial chorus proclaims “And when you’re dancin’ in my face, I just play it cool,” followed by the lyrics “I love the way that you came over here” repeated over and over again in an edited sped-up hook that is impossible to get out of your head. Steve says, “their [Monsta X] voices dive into your soul”, so it’s no surprise that he would utilize their singing as a fundamental motif and driving force, outside of the vocal leads.
“Monsta X is one of those powerhouse groups that sets the bar very high,” stated Aoki. “Their voices stay with you long after the song is over, and on this track they sang so profoundly that all we had to do was focus on the story we were telling. I really believe in today’s world that we have redefined what love and relationships look like, so I think that this song is one that many people can relate to.”
“It was such an honor to work with Steve Aoki. He is truly an amazing artist and producer. We love how “Play It Cool” turned out at the end so much that we included it in our recent album – Take 2 ‘We Are Here’!” said Monsta X. “After the great success of the Korean version, we can’t wait to see the responses to the English version from all over the world. This collab is a gift from us to our ‘monbebe’ , for always taking care of us and keeping it cool. Thank you.”
Outside of this new collab with Steve, Monsta X have also announced a nineteen-date world tour beginning in April, ending with six U.S. dates. The band will be traveling all the way from South Korea to California throughout the course of their performances, ending at the historic Staples Center. Tickets are on sale Friday March 29th, 4:00PM local; follow the link here for more information. The band’s latest album, Take.2 ‘We Are Here,’ debuted at #5 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart for the week of March 2, 2019; and has been causing an unstoppable wave of interest with notable mentions in Complex, Idolator, Billboard, Cosmopolitan, and NME stating that the album “features some giant leaps forward for the band.” On top of that, the band is currently set to perform as the first K-pop group at the iHeartRadio Music Festival out in Las Vegas on September 21st, 2019.
MONSTA X U.S. TOUR INFO| TICKETING INFO HERE
July 25 Dallas, TX Verizon Theatre
July 27 Houston, TX Smart Financial Centre
July 30 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
August 3 New York, NY Hulu Theater
August 6 Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
August 10 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
ABOUT MONSTA X
Monsta X has been causing an unstoppable wave of interest here, with their history making performances at iHeartRadio Jingle Ball last December. Variety raved that Monsta X “was especially impressive, getting down with the acrobatics the group displayed on their hyped up, historic appearances as the first K Pop act to grace the Jingle Ball stage.” The Boston Globe referred to them as the “night’s most fascinating act” and MTV stated that they “had The Forum shaking and rattling.” Instyle stated; “If we were giving out an award for “Best Dancer” at the Jingle Ball, it would go to Monsta X, hands down. The K-pop band opened the whole shebang, and while their vocals were also great, they stole the show with their moves.”
In addition to that, the band continues to garner stellar reviews from media such as: MTV, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Allure, Idolator, Billboard, Dazed, Rolling Stone India, Popcrush “Monsta X is a group that cannot be overlooked.” They even made the cut for Pandora’s 2019 Artist’s To Watch, as the only K-Pop group included.
ABOUT STEVE AOKI
Steve Aoki, the two-time Grammy-nominated producer/DJ is one of today’s most successful American cross-genre artists, collectively counting 1.5 billion music streams on Spotify, with an additional 2 billion music streams on YouTube. As the founder of the trendsetting record label, events/lifestyle company, and apparel line Dim Mak Records, which he founded in 1996, Aoki has helped launch the careers of global acts like The Chainsmokers, Bloc Party, The Bloody Beetroots, The Gossip, and The Kills, among many others. Dim Mak today counts more than 1,000 official releases from the biggest acts and most buzzing newcomers across EDM, indie rock, hip-hop, and beyond over its two-decades-plus discography.
As a solo artist, Aoki boasts a lauded discography that includes: Wonderland (2012), his debut solo album, which garnered him his first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album; the Neon Future series, which includes Neon Future I (2014, certified gold by the RIAA), Neon Future II (2015), Neon Future III (November 2018), and Neon Future IV (spring 2019); and the hip-hop centric Steve Aoki Presents Kolony (2017). His genre-defying collaborations also include original songs with A-listers like Lil Yachty and Migos (“Night Call” from Kolony, 2017); One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson on the global hit “Just Hold On” (2016), which debuted at #1 in more than 40 countries and has since gone gold or platinum in 18 countries; K-Pop idols BTS on the hit track “Waste It on Me” (2018) which amassed praise domestically and internationally, debuting at #1 in more than 60 countries with 4 million streams in the first 24 hours, as well as the #1 worldwide trend on Twitter with 1k+ retweets per minute; and Daddy Yankee, Play-N-Skillz, and Elvis Crespo on the Spanish-language track “Azukita” (2018).
In 2016, Aoki released the Netflix Originals documentary film I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead, which earned him his second Grammy nomination for Best Music Film and globally released in more than 190 countries. Recognized by Forbes as one of the top 5 world’s highest paid DJ’s and the world’s hardest working DJ, Aoki is “one of the most in-demand entertainers in the world” (Billboard), counting more than 250 tour dates per year, with past performances at nearly every top festival around the world including Coachella, Ultra Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock Festival, Tomorrowland, Electric Daisy Carnival, and more. As a fashion designer/entrepreneur, Aoki has collaborated with major fashion and lifestyle brands like Converse and Bathing Ape and serves as a global ambassador for several international brands including ASICS and Diesel. In 2016, he also debuted his very own Dim Mak Collection streetwear line, which he later presented at New York Fashion Week in 2017. In 2012, Aoki founded THE AOKI FOUNDATION, which primarily supports organizations in the brain science and research areas and has donated more than $500,000 to date. www.steveaoki.com
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