EXCLUSIVE: Selena Gomez on collaborating with BLACKPINK - "They are really talented and it was amazing to have their inputs while working"

The popular Korean pop group BLACKPINK released their debut album, titled 'THE ALBUM' on October 2. After four years of releasing hits back-to-back, their album received a lot of positive response from the fans. Before it dropped, the quartet had released two singles 'How You Like That' and 'Ice Cream' featuring the pop sensation Selena Gomez.

Speaking EXCLUSIVELY to Bollywood Hungama, Selena Gomez recently revealed what it was like working with the girl group. “With how talented the group of BLACKPINK is, it's been amazing to work with them,” Gomez says. “Being a part of the Korean music industry has been a pleasure, especially as to how warm and welcoming the audience has been. It’s also been a learning process because the language was new but somehow our distinct styles just fit together perfectly. The video was shot virtually which made this a very fun project.”

Titled 'Ice Cream’, the song released on August 28 in which Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie, Lisa, and Selena bid adieu to the summer with their foot-tapping vibrant pop number. “Diamonds on my wrist, so he call me ice cream / You could double-dip 'cause I know you like me. Ice cream chillin', chillin', ice cream chillin'?” croons Selena Gomez in the colorful music video.

The song set a new career milestone for BLACKPINK as it debuted at No. 13 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to Billboard, the track arrived with 18.3 million U.S. streams and 23,000 downloads sold in its first week, at the end of September 3, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. In the week ending of September 6, the song drew 5.1 million radio airplay audience impressions.

Selena Gomez, who has been spending time in quarantine whilst working on various projects, admits that she has been listening to the song a lot. “[I’m] so grateful for this experience and this amazing journey!”

The 28-year-old singer also revealed that it was an instant connection with the group. “It was an instant connection with the girls,” Gomez says. “They are really talented and it was amazing to have their inputs while working. And all of them have been so much fun to work with. I have always believed that music is a universal language. It connects people instantly. It definitely connects two cultures together; almost like forming an emotional connect between two places/ people. This experience definitely helped me understand a lot more about Korean music and how cool their industry is.”

Praising how incredible all four BLACKPINK members are when it comes to crisp choreographies, Selena further adds, “They are incredible dancers. So working with the girls was such a wonderful experience and I got to learn a few moves too.”

BLACKPINK released the music video for the title track 'Lovesick Girls' on October 2, 2020. Selena Gomez, on the other hand, dropped her studio album 'RARE' earlier this year.