Interview with BoA: She wanted to wear a skirt on stage

Q. You release your new album after a long hiatus, while it is notable that you wrote all the tracks in the album.
BoA: Yeah, the album is more meaningful than any other albums I released. I'm so nervous and just the thought of the album makes my heart flutter. I've worked on the album for more than a year.

Q. Before releasing the album, your new song 'Who Are You' was pre-released. It seems that many people like the song. How do you feel?
BoA: Actually, I never expected. I was bemused with such a good result. I think it's thanks to Gaeko who was featured in the song as a rapper. I wanted to show a variety of performance through different kinds of music in the album.

Q. Eddy Kim is featured in your song 'Double Jack'. Are you close with him?
BoA: No, not at all. Actually, I've never met him. I tried to visit the recording studio when he was recording the song, but I couldn't due to tight schedules. I want to meet him later. I think his voice is very sweet.

Q. Where do you get the inspiration for writing your songs?
BoA: I'm inspired by many things. For example, before I wrote the song 'Green Light' which is included in the album, I watched the TV show 'Witch Hunt'. I really like the program. I watch it on Friday night and wrote the song on Saturday.

Q. I think your attachment to the album should be very strong because you wrote all the tracks.
BoA: Yeah, that's right. I wrote about 20 songs for a year without any rest. I selected 12 songs out of them. The album has various music including up-tempo music, ballad, and acoustic music. And I wanted to write the lyrics about a realistic breakup. I worked really hard for the album, and I learned a lot from it.

Q. What made you decide to write all the songs in your new album?
BoA: At our company meeting held in April 2014, I announced that I will release my new album which is full with my own songs in 2015. I just said so and regretted it later.(laugh) It was a big challenge for me and I feel really great about having completed the work successfully. And it was happy to become close with many composers through the process of making album.

Q. EXO's Sehun appeared on the music video of 'Who Are You'. Did you select him?
BoA: No, director of the music video did. He thought that Sehun is the type of man all the women want.

Q. Let's talk about the title track 'Kiss My Lips'.
BoA: I think I showed power performances when I sang 'Hurricane Venus' and 'Only One'. This time, I wanted to show some womanly things. Actually, I wanted to wear pretty high heels on stage. And I wanted to wear a skirt instead of baggy pants. I've never worn a skirt when I performed in Korea. So I wrote the womanly song.

Q. Do you think 'Kiss My Lips' will be able to make a good score on music charts?
BoA: Unlike 'Who Are You', 'Kiss My Lips' is the song which is focused on its stage performance. I hope it will make a good score on music charts, but please just enjoy the stage performance.

Q. Did prepare for any special performance for 'Kiss My Lips'?
BoA: Huge fans will appear on stage. That is the interesting point of the choreography.

Q. Are you going to produce other SM artists' songs too?
BoA: I feel a little bit uncomfortable producing their albums because they are the singers of distinct individuality. Well, the company told me to write SM Rookies' song before. I think it is important for an album producer to help singers show off their talents on stage.

Q. It has been 15 years since you debuted. Will you hold any special event to celebrate your 15th anniversary?

BoA: Nothing is confirmed yet, but I think I have to do something including my concert. And I will try to reduce the interval between my albums. Next album can be released sooner than expected.