In each America and South Korea, June marks Pride Month, with the 2024 celebration seeing one particular of K-pop‘s uncommon representatives provide a universal anthem honoring international pop icons.

The initially-ever LGBTQ+ boy band to come from the K-pop scene, LIONESSES has been bravely pushing for representation in Korea and reaching the globe with its constant string of all-inclusive anthems like “It’s OK to Be Me” and “Show Me Your Pride” considering that debuting in 2021. Minus the group’s leader and music producer Damjun, LIONESSES’ countertenor Kanghan, vocalist Lee Malrang, as effectively as its former member and rapper Foxman who exited in late 2022, all execute in masks to conceal their identities in the socially conservative South Korea exactly where LGBTQ+ individuals face prejudice, discrimination, and social stigmas with handful of protections compared to other created democracies. But the music video to LIONESSES’ most current single “Like Christina Taught Me” not only shines a spotlight on a variety of pop icons — which includes the titular Christina Aguilera — but sees Malrang stepping into the international spotlight by taking his mask off for the initially time on camera.

“Like Christina Taught Me” has a bouncy, R&ampB-pop beat to back the trio’s variety of vocals delivering encouraging words and discovering comfort in the music of bigger-than-life superstars that so several queer children do. Referencing two of Xtina’s singles from her defining Stripped album from 2002, they sing on the chorus: “Know that you’re ‘Beautiful,’ like Christina taught me in that song / Trust ‘The Voice Within’” followed by an Aguilera-esque growl.

With the mix of English and Korean lyrics, LIONESSES also spend tribute to Mariah Carey (“Yes, MC, I believe within my soul, hold on tight I won’t let go’ / I can ‘Make It Happen’”), Whitney Houston (”Learning to like your self,’ like Whitney taught me in that song / ‘The Greatest Love of All’”), and Michael Jackson (“Yes, MJ, I’mma start to love that man/ That ‘Man in the Mirror”).

Inspired by the band members’ actual experiences, the accompanying music video depicts the LIONESSES members in a classic Korean college setting, navigating bullies and ridicule from their classmates but discovering secret solace in a smiling companion and coming closer to their correct selves — like Kanghan showcasing her drag persona and Malrang removing his mask in the final seconds of the video in a lovely moment of public courageousness.

Despite wins like effectively repealing bans from Korean-tv broadcasters for their music, LIONESSES and their associates also deal with an onslaught of abuse from religious zealots in South Korea. Whether or not LIONESSES tops the charts, the representation and stories that Damjun, Kanghan and Malrang bring in a public setting are critical measures in building a higher music market and globe exactly where all are accepted regardless of sexuality, gender identity or the other elements that make every single human valuable.

Watch the “Like Christina Taught Me” music video beneath and study on for an in depth interview with LIONESSES members.

Congratulations on your new single, LIONESSES! What does the song imply to you all personally?

Kanghan: “Like Christina Taught Me” is about inner beauty and embracing it. As the title indicates, it is a collection of artistic power that brings with each other musicians speaking about “beauty.” I required time to accept myself, in particular in the course of my profession in LIONESSES and taking off my mask and displaying my drag queen ego to the public. But that is when I got courage and hope from watching the drag queens who had been currently active in Korea. It’s the identical for music, for drag, for dancing: becoming capable to fill that courage indirectly to somebody who demands it, which inspired me to bring that into my life. In certain, I know that this song was inspired by the lyrics “You are beautiful, no matter what they say” from Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” I don’t forget Damjun introducing us to this song about all our beauty.

Lee Malrang: It appears to be the hardest song to sing reside out of all the songs released so far, but considering that it is named immediately after the diva we admire the most, I’m often practicing tough to sing much more completely. [Laughs]

Damjun: I produced this song to give back to my fans the courage that all the good musicians cited in this music, which includes Christina. So I went back to Young Damjun from my childhood era in this music video, and even appeared in the video wearing my college uniform! [Laughs]

Even immediately after I debuted in LIONESSES, I nevertheless operate as a vocal coach at some art higher schools since I can not just send my students off to an additional coach so very easily. I believed just getting one particular actor playing the part of my close friends was not sufficient, so I brought my students to the set and asked for their support. It was a unique practical experience for me to act in the identical uniform subsequent to my students — but my students will nevertheless laugh when we speak about it.

“Beautiful” and “The Voice Within,” Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” Mariah Carey’s “Make It Happen,” Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All,” Korea’s legendary diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You,” and BTS‘ “Answer: Love Myself” — the message that all these songs have given me is, “It’s OK.” No matter how a great deal you are loved by other individuals, I consider accepting your self is the starting of all courage. I want to remind any person who will listen to this song that all this music has told me and that if you really feel OK about your self, everything’s going to be OK.”

Damjun, you wrote, co-made and vocal directed “Like Christina Taught Me.” Can you inform me about building the song?

Damjun: “Like Christina Taught Me” is a song that I produced to return the comfort provided by Christina Aguilera, our good diva, and to our fans DEN. Almost 3 years have passed considering that my debut, time flies so rapidly but Christina is an artist who is nearly anything to me. I’m certain my fans have normally observed me say in reside streams and Instagram posts, “80% of what raised me was Christina Aguilera.” That’s how a great deal she’s incorporated into my singing ability — I’m nevertheless way quick of her but I’m attempting to do my very best. Sometimes just humming her songs that I sing to fans on reside streams such as “I Turn to You”, “Beautiful,” “The Voice Within,” “Ain’t No Other Man,” “Hurt,” and her version of [James Brown‘s] “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” in her whistle register. [Laughs]

I’ve been dreaming of becoming a K-pop idol ever considering that I was a tiny boy and I’ve had a lot of possibilities come my way — come to consider of it, I auditioned singing “The Voice Within” when I was in higher college — but when I believed about if I was ever caught becoming bisexual, I believed Korean society, back then, would destroy my music profession and all my loved ones. So, I gave up possibilities each and every time. For a lengthy time, I worked as a singer in ads, a wedding singer and vocal coach but with my debut with LIONESSES, I accepted a lot of issues. I accepted by myself. I believed, “I can make my story into music and tell it to people” and a lot of stories that I had suppressed have been produced into music.

Just like how [Christina] helped me not to let go of my dreams, singing “You are beautiful, no matter what they say,” I want to give courage to my younger fans: “Know that you’re beautiful, like she taught me.”

Why did LIONESSES want to honor Christina Aguilera not just in the lyrics, but also in the title?

Kanghan: Because we all like Christina! [Laughs] She is an icon of our generation. Especially for me as a drag queen, she is an critical figure who taught me how to be a diva.

Damjun: For me, Christina has been the vocal teacher I’ve under no circumstances met for the previous 20 years. When I have to sing a new song that I produced, rather than cover somebody else’s song, there are instances when I just do not know how am I supposed to sing it. Every time I face that sort of pinch, I uncover an answer pondering, “What would Christina do?”

When I initially auditioned to come to be a singer in 2007, I was a tiny gay boy in ninth grade. Before that, I had opera singing education, but I wanted to be a pop star just like her. That’s when Christina came to do a concert in Korea — it was a globe tour when the Back to Basics album was released and tens of thousands of individuals flocked to Seoul’s Olympic Stadium to see her. She appeared in a white suit — oh, all of a sudden, I really feel like a ninth-grade boy speaking about this! [Laughs] — but I wanted to go to that show so my mother paid me an advance for nearly a year’s worth of allowance, I borrowed income from my close friends, and managed to obtain a ticket. And yes, she took the stage with her infant bump and touched tens of thousands of individuals.

I fell in like with her Back to Basics character of “Baby Jane” with songs called  “Candyman” and “Ain’t No Other Man.” She introduced to me retro-vibe music when she released that album and that is when I initially began browsing for and listening to music from earlier generations of musicians such as Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown. Recently, I participated in CUMA 2024, a joint concert of Korean and Japanese LGBTQ+ jazz musicians…it was also Christina who initially introduced the jazz music I sang in this overall performance!

I will like her music forever. You know, if you have somebody you like, you want to share it with them when you watch a fantastic film or consume a thing scrumptious, appropriate? I wanted to share the music that I like with my beloved DENs, just like that. And if there is any person who is a tiny boy like younger me who is torn in between dreams, talents, and fears, I want to inform him this: “It’s OK to chase a dream,” as Christina told me by way of her music.

You’ve shared a couple songs currently, but what is everyone’s favored Xtina songs and videos?

Malrang: Oh god…I seriously really feel like I’m a teen-girl fan of Christina. I like “What a Girl Wants”, “Come on Over (All I Want Is You)” and “Genie in a Bottle.” Of course we talk about, “Who’s going to be Christina’s part when we sing ‘Lady Marmalade?’” each and every time we meet. [Laughs]

Kanghan: Actually, I didn’t know a great deal about pop music just before I was an opera singer, but I mostly liked Christina Aguilera’s most common ballads then. Now, I like her boldness and I’m turning into a major fan, but “Like Christina Taught Me” in certain gave me a opportunity to reflect on “Beautiful” and consider once again about the big comfort it gave us. My favored song appropriate now is “Dirrty.”

The music video of “Beautiful” has several outsiders wandering, not feeling good about themselves, becoming bullied by several individuals, but ultimately discovering their correct selves. That’s what I’ve been by way of in my life as well so I consider this song has the most unique which means to all LGBTQ+ individuals of my generation.

Damjun: I in particular like all the songs in the Back to Basics album, I guess I can not overlook the initially time I basically saw her at a concert. My most significant purpose in higher college was to sing “Candyman” completely once…it’s nevertheless tough to sing! I also don’t forget practicing notes one particular by one particular, whilst performing the intro line of “Ain’t No Other Man,” playing it a halfspeed. I also like her version of “Climb Every Mountain” [from The Sound of Music] and “Do What U Want” with Lady Gaga. Actually, I like her music from get started to finish, so this answer is just a list of her songs that come to thoughts appropriate now.

I also liked the lately remade version of the “Beautiful” music video. Is it OK to contact the complete animation Mulan as the music video for “Reflection”? [Laughs] Her music was also utilized as a theme song in the movie…I liked the red background of “Loyal Brave True” and the background production utilizing Chinese characters since it felt like contemporary art. My favored, even though, is absolutely “Candyman.” Everything about it tends to make me really feel like I’m an American Navy [SEAL] from an additional era.

Malang: I like “Candyman,” as well! I when dreamed of becoming an American pin-up girl. I wanted to be a pin-up girl to make guys stand up — just kidding!

You also honor Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson in the song. Can you share how these artists are inspirations as well?

Kanghan: Michael Jackson is the “King of Pop” that all earthlings know, appropriate? I don’t forget when I was young I would play along with his dances. As a performer, I respect him so a great deal for becoming a sensation that will go down in history. One of my part models, Korean gospel singer Sohyang, particularly described that the singer she respect the most is Whitney Houston so I listened to all of her music. Sohyang and Whitney are the singers who inspired me a lot in my life.

Malrang: I in particular seriously like MJ’s “You Are Not Alone.” I utilized to cry a lot when I initially heard it when I was tiny and I basically listen to it each and every time I had to endure a thing by myself. This song often offers me a lot of strength.

Damjun: Before our comeback in the second half of final year, I talked to my fans about sponsoring a UNICEF campaign with each other. I mentioned, “All pop musicians, including K-pop artists, are like Michael Jackson’s children. Everyone inherited his great legacy and is making their own music. So, I wanted to do ‘Heal the World’ with DENs just like Michael did to the world.” The identical goes for Whitney Houston’s voice. Perhaps Christina, whom I maintain referring to as an icon, is also regarded to be the greatest diva to have inherited her legacy. My complete life has been a practice approach to sing like them.  

The quote from “Make It Happen” by Mariah Carey was a tiny much more important to me. My other two members are Christians, but I have no religion. However, immediately after releasing “It’s OK to Be Me” in 2022, I became strongly opposed to religion in my thoughts when the song was banned from broadcasting on the grounds of “homosexuality” by MBC. When fans about the globe protested, the broadcaster reversed it and I was attacked a lot by Christians in Korea for the reversal. Pastors incited the congregation by praying that “We should call [broadcasters] as a group to get those gay singers out of the entertainment industry.” Thousands of them went to the broadcasting corporations and protested to get us out of the K-pop market. Since Han and Malrang are Christians, so I do not know how they would really feel, but I was at the height of my aversion toward Christianity at the time — I had death threats messages from Christians in Korea and malicious complaints exactly where they systematically attacked me. From that, I hated a lot of music, which includes “Make It Happen,” which had a Christian message. 

However, I couldn’t deny the consolation and courage Mariah gave me. It’s the homophobics that attacked me that are terrible, but not all religion and religious music is terrible. Eventually I even listened to the good gospel songs that Mariah released — her music comforted me so a great deal that I felt so stupid in the moments when I turned a blind eye to it since it had a religious message. So, I quoted “Make It Happen” in our [new] song, as opposed to any of her numerous other songs, intending to forgive anything I suffered and give a hand of reconciliation to Christianity. The Korean diva Yoon Bok-hee’s “You” quoted in this song also had a religious message but I believed that in the end, her willingness to be a comfort and joy as a voice for absolutely everyone was much more critical.

And as I’ve described considering that my debut, as an ARMY — an old ARMY [Laughs] — I wanted to incorporate the message that BTS gave me. They’re the idols of all idols now, but when I was operating as a vocal coach and rejecting debut delivers just before I debuted as LIONESSES, I was unhappy and pessimistic about anything in the globe. When BTS initially came out with the message “Love Yourself,” I believed to myself, “It’s easy for you guys because you’re straight.” Then, I came to know about the hardships they’ve been by way of, saw their efforts, and fell in like with their music. I felt so ashamed of myself for not accepting the messages that BTS had conveyed basically since they hadn’t had experiences as LGBTQ+ and that is how unique all the songs in the album Love Yourself: Answer are to me. When I listened to their music and sincerity in the previous, I felt so grateful for the messages that told me to overcome. Everyone has their personal struggles, and we’ve concluded that the way to overcome them is to “love yourselves,” as all the good musicians described in this song have mentioned.

Thank you for sharing all your stories. Have you dealt had any comments or bans with “Like Christina Taught Me”?

Damjun: [LIONESSES’ 2021 single] “Christmas Miracle” was banned by the Korean broadcaster CBS [The Christian Broadcasting System] on the “charge” of becoming LGBTQ — or, to be much more precise, “a singer who harms the Christian spirit.” Exactly a year immediately after that, “It’s OK to Be Me” went by way of the identical point at MBC, Korea’s biggest broadcasting station, but MBC resolved the misunderstanding when the director known as our business straight and apologized immediately after complaints from fans and the media. The deliberations corrected it as a broadcast-authorized song, but as a outcome the aforementioned attacks persisted for months. There had been Christians who filed complaints with the college and education workplace exactly where I worked as a coach and begged me to fire them. But now that I consider about it, not absolutely everyone has the practical experience of becoming worshipped by pastors, appropriate? [Laughs] So, I consider I’ll have exciting accepting it even if it takes place in the future? “Like Christina Taught Me” has not faced any complications however, but even in the face of discrimination, I want to sing this song firmly and convey much more of the message to the globe.

Malrang: Actually, “Like Christina Taught Me” has scenes revealing bits and pieces of my college years. My actual higher college years had been hell. They’d contact me “lady” and “transgender” as insults, and I was sexually harassed a lot by them. I cursed and swore a lot so I wouldn’t get beat up by the terrible guys, and even now, I nevertheless finish up saying issues that are not incredibly refined, so my boss and Damjun utilized to be concerned about me. [All laugh] But even when a celebrity with LGBTQ+ image appeared on Television, bullies rushed to hit me. One day when news of a queer celebrity’s suicide was reported, they mentioned, “This is your future; you won’t die comfortably.” But now it is all in the previous — I like how a great deal happier I am immediately after overcoming all of this in the music video.

The video is also important since Malrang removes his mask for the initially time and Kanghan shares her drag persona. Congratulations on this major step! What inspired these choices?

Malang: Last year, when my grandmother passed away, I had a lot of consider about my life. During that time, it occurred to me that I had lived my life lying to my family members for 30 years, as if I had place a thin layer on my life. I was wearing a mask and coming out to the fans and the globe, and bravely beginning my profession, but I couldn’t muster the courage to come out to my family members. So, there had been several conflicts with the label about unmasking. As such, my grandmother’s passing was a turning point for me considering that I felt I was regularly lying to the public and to my family members. I then addressed my issues to Damjun who, in generating of this fantastic song, gave me the chance to come out once again to my family members and the public. I felt that I no longer wanted to play a deceiving part, but much more than something, I really feel relieved to be capable to proudly stand in front of my family members now.

Damjun: There was a Christian who attacked us just before mentioned, “They hide behind the mask because they know they are ashamed of themselves.” But you know, our mask was rather in solidarity with fans anyplace who could not come out instantly. Of course, I’ve shown my face considering that our debut but they attempted to spread the argument that “they’re hiding behind the mask because they’re ashamed of themselves”, and they only captured and watched footage of the other members wearing masks except my face on the Internet.

Kanghan: My alter ego, the drag queen “Rooya,” was also initially revealed to the globe by way of LIONESSES’ music videos. In truth, I’ve dressed up in complete drag-queen makeup and outfits for Rooya, but pre-LIONESSES I was only dressed up alone in my space and was under no circumstances observed by individuals. I’ve been admiring the queens in the musicals Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Kinky Boots and I think that revealing the drag queen as a LIONESSES member is a way to bring back the inspiration I’ve received from them. I hope that I can continue to show you the new Rooya by way of LIONESSES.

Malrang, I’ve heard you are connected to an additional renowned singer, Jeon Soyeon of (G)I-DLE! Have you two connected more than music?

Malrang: We are cousins, so we met normally on holidays. When she and I had been incredibly young, I taught her how to play the piano just when and she has currently come to be the very best composer in the K-pop market so I am often proud of her and her talent. If that quick memory is a musical connection to her, it can be mentioned that it is a connection, but as you know, family members members do not typically speak about operate.

I initially produced my debut in 2009 in the previous, and Soyeon supported and listened to me a lot. After that, I was developing my globe as an indie musician and as Soyeon ready to come to be a K-pop idol, I talked with her about her mindset as an artist and attitude on stage. But when my tiny sister became a prosperous musician and began (G)I-DLE‘s globe tour, I cried a lot when I came back from the concert hall. I was so proud of her and for becoming capable to so completely connect with such a significant audience.

So, when I released this single, I decided to reveal my bare face to the public and, at the identical time, I came out to her. She has provided me a warm assistance and has provided me a lot of assistance for my future as a K-pop artist. If I could say a word to my tiny sister Soyeon as an older brother, by way of this interview, I would like to say, “As your older brother, I will always try to be a good, fellow singer that you are not ashamed of.”

Anything else you would like to share with Billboard readers or possibly Xtina herself?

Malrang: Christina unnie! Next time you check out Korea, make certain to have a glass of soju with mala xiang guo [the spicy Chinese spicy dish that’s popular nowadays). And let’s sing a “spicy” song together!

Kanghan: I still vividly remember how you came out on RuPaul’s Drag Race and supported the drag artists. Because you are the goddess of all the drag queens, I am honored to continue to love your music as great as you have given the LGBTQ+ community. 

Damjun: Christina, you’ll have no idea how much you are loved by singers who come after you. Especially for LGBTQ+ boys and girls, like me, who got the hope to live by hearing “You are beautiful” from your music…as a singer who wanted to be like Christina, I think the best I can do is to share the courage and comfort I received from you to my fans again. So, I’m still working hard to resemble you. Christina, I believe that beauty comes from love. Everything that is loved becomes beautiful. That’s why I, as a crooked adolescent boy, was able to become as beautiful as I am now based on the love you gave me through music. I was reluctant to love myself, but your music did so I want to make this song that conveys the message to someone, “Oh, this song loves me.” Because if someone’s having a hard time loving yourself, you can be loved by these kinds of songs first. I love you — to “the voice of our generation” from “the boy of your generation.”

And I’m especially grateful to the people who are fans of countless stars, including my dear DEN, and I want you to know that your presence gives us the strength to live and to create. We, all the musicians can be exist because we have fans. Also, my solo songs will be released in the second half of this year or the first half of 2025…I feel I will be able to sing about more personal things in my solo.

Kanghan: My dear DEN, you know we are always together, right? I hope this year’s Pride Month will have happier and more queer days.

Malrang: Our new single needs a lot of attention, right? [Laughs] We often attempt to study all the comments. We’ll wait for you, we like you!