China Underground > Magazine > China Magazine > Interview with rapper ballerina Demie The Destroyer

Interview with rapper ballerina Demie The Destroyer

Demie is an Asian-American female rapper that reaches across countries and boundaries having songs in English, Chinese, and Korean

Demie Cao, a.k.a “Demie The Destroyer,” is a Chinese-American singer and rap artist who made her official debut in China with her single, “NIGHT VISION” which landed on Billboard Asia’s 2019 “Best of Rap: URBAN ASIA Vol. 2.” In 2014, Demie officially signed with 5A LABEL, having worked with them as a trainee all the way through her official debut. Demie has written music for other Chinese and Korean artists with MRMG (Mister Rocks Music Group) and released a Korean track “CHUNGDAM MODELS” in 2017 featuring Ace Hashimoto and Rekstizzy. She has also appeared in promos for 88 Rising, CJNEM, KCON, and has danced in music videos for Lydia Paek (YG Entertainment) and Sik-K (AOMG). On May 29, 2020, LA-based pop and rap artist, Demie Cao has made her official U.S debut with her first single “Yung” with an accompanying music video.

Twitter | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

 How and when did you get into music? Why did you decide to become a singer and why did you choose to be a rapper, instead of other kinds of music?

 I’ve always loved music growing up. I started out dancing ballet and consuming mostly classical music. It was when I first saw kpop that it really inspired me in the way it melded music and dance performance together- something I had not seen before.

I chose to rap simply because it is the medium of communication that resonated with me most.

 Can you tell us about your beginning? What were the biggest challenges? What kept you motivated?

 I started out, literally not knowing what I was doing. I attended a lot of kpop auditions and was basically rejected by all of them. The biggest challenge for me was finding myself as an artist and creating songs that were truly meaningful to me. It is quite therapeutic to write a dope song after a negative life experience — or positive!

And that’s what drives me.

 Why did you choose the name Demie The Destroyer? What is the meaning of your signature?

 The name came pretty organically. I was in a writing camp in Beijing, working in an underground studio for many hours, and every day I would somehow manage to clog the communal toilets.

That’s basically the meaning. Demie, the destroyer of toilets.

 You having songs in English, Chinese, and Korean. Can you tell us the process that pushed you to get multilingual? Are you considering learning more languages (Spanish, Portuguese, or others), to reach more audiences and fan around the world?

 Well, I’m Chinese American so I wanted to represent that part of my heritage in my music. I learned Korean because I was heavily inspired by kpop as a kid and as for other languages… I would love to.

My mom speaks fluent French and I think that’s a beautiful language, but as for now, I think 3 is all I can handle. Haha!

 – What do you like most about the writing and recording process of your songs? Can you tell us about your mood?

 My favorite part is sitting at home alone with a blank slate. I’m a very private, hyper self-critical writer so I always write in my bedroom by myself. I write poetry, so lyrics are the most important part for me in the process.

Whatever mood I’m in at the moment, I try to capture it.. sort of like journaling in a diary.

 What about your debut last year in China when you released your single “Night Vision”?

 It was surreal. The song was done for a longgg time and I hadn’t debuted then, so it came as a happy surprise when it got picked up for billboard China.

Can you talk about your US debut single “Yung”? What is the story behind this song?

 “Yung” is a song I wrote just prior to graduating college. It was inspired by a mild quarter-life crisis I had about going into adulthood.

I wanted to write it to sound like I’m breaking up with my “youth”.

It’s really a song about growing up. I wanted to celebrate my youth, but also present it as a melancholic anthem to my becoming an adult. I also saw it as a bit of a metaphorical love song. It’s like a recollection of good memories with a person (aka youth), and moving on from them.” – Demie The Destroyer

demie the destroyer
Tri-lingual Rapper and Ballerina Demie The Destroyer started out as a classically trained ballet dancer

 Can you share with us any meaningful story from the backstage of your new video?

 During practice for the fight scene, I accidentally elbowed CJ in the nose and he had to ice it with frozen food from the studio. CJ is the guy at the end who gives the most incredible acting performance of being punched in the face.

 How have you been coping during the quarantine period of COVID-19? Has your creativity routine changed during this difficult time?

 Since the studio is closed, I’ve been pursuing a lot of different artistic mediums. I write a lot of poetry and draw. I have a separate Instagram account where I post basically creative barf called @demiemakesart.

It’s helped me cope because I couldn’t go on my main insta page without being bombarded with tragic news.

 The States went in no time from pandemic to protests on the death of George Floyd. Do you think the new generation will make a significant change in the themes of the struggle for rights? What do you think about this issue?

 I think this generation is the tipping point. That is why I think it is so important for us to be revolutionaries. We have the power of social media, unlike our predecessors, to correct centuries of racist/discriminatory thought. We have the power, used correctly, to normalize taking an active position on social equality.

I believe that change needs to happen, and it is up to young people to light the fire.

Photo courtesy of Demie The Destroyer and Gramophone.media
A special thanks to Brittany Bowler | Music Publicist

Last Updated on 2021/10/25

Post Author

Previous

Interview with Deadly Cradle Death

Taiwan’s Risks or Opportunities? — Understanding Mergers and Acquisitions in a Global Push by a Rising China

Next

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.