Big Naughty has never been to Vancouver, but in his young career, he's already released two singles named after the city.
The 20-year-old Korean rapper and K-pop star has penned the songs "Vancouver" and "Vancouver 2," both named after Vancouver, Canada.
"The reason I chose to title my tracks after Vancouver is not because I lived there or spent any extended time there but because of a longtime friend and lover that lives out there," Big Naughty tells Vancouver Is Awesome (via a translator).
"It is about a woman, a childhood friend, who has moved out to Vancouver. Both songs are written on my personal experiences and stories," he adds. Big Naughty notes he's not sharing her name out of respect for her privacy.
Both songs are about the same person but reflect different messages from the Korean singer/rapper to her.
"The first song is definitely a bit more sad and emotional while 'Vancouver 2' is more hopeful and bright," he writes. "I think if people listen to my next upcoming album, they will understand the story better."
The first is a soft, almost crooner-like song about how much he misses her, with lyrics like:
"Vancouver / The place where you are, I’ll move on / Yellow cab plane bus or Uber / If there’s no airplane, I’ll scuba dive."
The second is less about how much he misses her and more about how he hopes she's doing well.
It's a much happier sounding piece with a big rock anthem feel to it and lyrics like: "How high you fly? How far you go? How fast you run? I won't let you down."
"The two stories are actually opposites of each other," he explains. "They are in sequence and hopefully there will be a 'Vancouver 3' in the future."
Despite his youth, he's already released three albums with the H1gher Music label.
While "Vancouver" wasn't released as a single, it still charted, reaching 21 on the South Korean Billboard charts and racking up millions of listens across streaming platforms. "Vancouver 2" is his most recent single, and it has so far peaked at 19 on the same chart with its own music video featuring Big Naughty working on a plane called Vancouver 2.
His newest album will drop later this month.
Despite never having visited the city he sings about, he says he still cherishes Vancouver.
"I haven’t been to Vancouver yet but I look forward to performing the song in the city for my first tour," he says.
