DR Music, the home label to multinational K-pop group BLACKSWAN (블랙스완, formerly known as RaNia) is clearing the air on the rumoured rift between members Fatou and Leia.
Apart from the two aforementioned members, the current line-up consists of Korean members Youngheun and Judy. The group’s leader, Hyemi – who was a member of the group since 2015 – left last year.
The entertainment agency’s full statement reads:
“Hello, this is DR Music. This is our official statement regarding issues that recently arose within the team. BLACKSWAN is currently in the midst of Korean promotions for their album, “Close to Me”, and have started to receive a lot of support and attention. For this, we are sincerely grateful to LUMINA (BLACKSWAN’s fandom name).
BLACKSWAN is a group that has just started to receive attention as idols, and one that is assembled from members of various nationalities, languages, and cultures. Since many diverse opinions and cultures coexist within our team, there is greater need for mutual respect and understanding compared to other K-pop teams.
All of the staff at DR Music would like to apologise for the fact that internal issues within the team were distorted by others and spread to fans as if they were true. When people from diverse backgrounds work together, there can be various clashes and differences of opinion. However, a constructive argument between members about the better completion of their work should not be provocatively framed as bullying and sow further discord within our team.
Over the past few days, we had a lot of discussions with the members, and through this incident, the agency and the members realised and acknowledged the importance of one another. We have also vowed once again to do our best up until the conclusion of the promotional period for their album.
We would also like to thank the fans who love and support BLACKSWAN from the bottom of our hearts, and Fatou and Leia, as well as the other members will prove through these promotions that their friendship has not changed.
LUMINA is one. It is not desirable for us to stand divided and criticise each other. We earnestly request that those who are attacking the members, their families, and other fans, as well as making racist verbal attacks and actions, to put a stop to their behaviour.
BLACKSWAN is currently the only K-pop act with members from Europe and Latin America. The entire process of coming up with a team like this is a challenge and experiment for us. We were also frustrated and wanted to release a statement from the agency right away.
But we believed that the process of understanding each other, talking with each other, and mending things was more important in solving their internal issues than forcing the agency’s intervention upon them, even if it took more time. This is why it took time for us to release this statement.
As this is a first challenge for us, we acknowledge that there are some parts where we were lacking. That being said, we will do our best in the future for the management and growth of the members. Through the fans’ critiques and feedback, we will provide a strong foundation for BLACKSWAN’s growth so that they can become a group that everyone loves.
Even right now, the members are working hard in the practice room. So LUMINA, please stop with the further debate. In particular, criticism regarding a certain race or nationality undermines our positive intentions in forming a global girl group.”
Despite their intention to clear the air on the controversy, it appears that fans didn’t react too kindly to the lengthy statement left by DR Music. Most of them were unhappy over the fact that the company has been notorious for their mistreatment towards former members of the group. “I will not be surprised if this group will end just like RANIA. This is totally a mess,” one netizen on FB wrote.
Another chimed in, “This agency is destroying its own group. And one thing that best describes this group from their first debut is – The group is just messy. It’s chaotic, and it has been this way for years. It will make it harder to stan and even support the girls.”
“This company is trash and known for their messiness, notably with former member Alexandra. So a conflict among members shouldn’t be a surprise. I can’t believe a word that comes out from this company….and through this incident, the agency and the members both ‘realised and acknowledged the importance of one another,’ just now? They realise this just now?” a fan remarked.
They added by commenting, “I mean, BLACKSWAN (former Rania) has been active since 2011, with several member lineups precisely because the company is bad and the group always struggles. If, on top of that, they also have a messy member.”
You can check out some of the comments that we came across:
In all honesty, we see a lot of potential in BLACKSWAN! Therefore, we sincerely hope that the girls will be able to set their differences aside and work together in order to settle the issue.
Source: Soompi.
