Q-pop

{{About|Qazaq pop|other uses|Q-Pop (disambiguation){{!}}Q-Pop}}

{{Infobox music genre

| image = Kazakh music icon.png

| caption = Kazakh music icon

| stylistic_origins = {{flatlist|

}}

| cultural_origins = 2015, Kazakhstan

| subgenrelist =

| subgenres =

| fusiongenres = Toi-pop

| regional_scenes =

| local_scenes =

| other_topics =

| name = Q-pop

}}

Q-pop or Qazaq pop is a music genre originating in Kazakhstan.{{Cite web|url=https://astanatimes.com/2016/09/kazakh-band-tops-turkish-music-chart/|title=Kazakh Band Tops Turkish Music Chart|last=September 2016|first=Zhazira Dyussembekova in Culture on 28|date=28 September 2016|website=The Astana Times|access-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2018/06/22/star-of-asia-music-festival-wows-audiences-in-kazakhstan|title=Star of Asia international music festival wows audiences in Kazakhstan|last=Alexakis|first=Vanessa|date=22 June 2018|website=euronews|access-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite journal|last1=Kakim|first1=Danabayev|last2=Jowon|first2=Park|date=2020|title=Q-pop as a Phenomenon to Enhance New Nationalism in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan|url=https://www.dbpia.co.kr/Journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE09311280|access-date=2020-11-04|journal=Asia Review|volume=9|issue=2|pages=85–129|language=ko|doi=10.24987/snuacar.2020.02.9.2.85|s2cid=216248011 |url-access=subscription}} It is a modern form of Kazakhstani pop music sung in Kazakh, incorporating elements of Western pop music, Kazakhstani hip hop, EDM, R&B and Toi-pop, with heavy influences from K-pop of South Korea.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6mR2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA388|title=Hip Hop around the World: An Encyclopedia [2 volumes]|last1=Goldsmith|first1=Melissa Ursula Dawn|last2=Fonseca|first2=Anthony J.|date=31 December 2018|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313357596|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://astanatimes.com/2016/03/15-2/|title=Kazakh Pop Music Experiencing Heyday|last=March 2016|first=Zhanna Shayakhmetova in Culture on 26|date=26 March 2016|website=The Astana Times|access-date=9 October 2019}} The genre first surfaced in 2015 when the first Q-pop group, Ninety One debuted.{{Cite web|url=https://angime.kz/ninety-one-armanga-aparar-zhol/|title=Ninety one — арманға апарар жол {{!}} angime.kz — качественный и познавательный контент|date=30 July 2018|website=angime.kz – качественный и познавательный контент|language=ru-RU|access-date=9 October 2019}} Since then the genre has experienced growing popularity among Kazakhstani youths, with more Q-pop artists forming and debuting.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9JapDwAAQBAJ&q=Erbolat&pg=PA182|title=The Nazarbayev Generation: Youth in Kazakhstan|last=Laruelle|first=Marlene|date=30 August 2019|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781793609144|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://visitkazakhstan.kz/en/about/59/|title=Kazakh Music {{!}} Kazakhstan Culture {{!}} Travel to Kazakhstan|website=visitkazakhstan.kz|access-date=9 October 2019}}

Background

Kazakhstan experienced the Korean Wave when South Korean dramas and movies started entering the country in the mid 2000s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/10/113_96769.html|title=Kazakhstan eager to learn Korea's 'can-do' spirit|date=16 October 2011|website=The Korea Times|access-date=9 October 2019}} This phenomenon, assisted by the increasing accessibility of the internet, sparked more interest in South Korean pop culture among Kazakhstanis, which helped the popularization of the K-pop music genre in Kazakhstan.{{Cite web|url=http://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20110629/401600/1/Korean-Wave-affecting-many-aspects-of-life-in-Kazakhstan|title='Korean Wave' affecting many aspects of life in Kazakhstan|website=The Dong-a Ilbo|access-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://assembly.kz/en/news/korean-wave-sweeps-across-kazakhstan/|title=Korean Wave Sweeps Across Kazakhstan|website=Assembly of people of Kazakhstan|access-date=9 October 2019}} K-pop is regarded as an attractive, less-restrictive and unique genre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcrush.com/another-k-pop-9-reasons-kazakh-pop-new-wave/|title=Music trends shift often from decade-to-decade, and that's what makes the music world fun. For example, twenty years ago, who would have predicted that J-P|date=6 February 2015|website=K Crush America Magazine|access-date=9 October 2019}} The high popularity of K-pop in Kazakhstan spurred the creation of the first Q-pop project in 2014, when JUZ Entertainment formed Ninety One.{{Cite web|url=https://www.koreaboo.com/stories/former-sm-entertainment-trainee-now-top-star-different-country/|title=This Former SM Entertainment Trainee Is Now A Top Star in a Different Country|date=9 July 2018|website=Koreaboo|access-date=9 October 2019}} After the group debuted in 2015, it became instantly popular among youth, due to its high quality music and the use of Kazakh in its songs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundboardasia.com/post/2019/05/24/artist-spotlight-ninety-one|title=Artist Spotlight: Ninety one|website=soundboardasia|access-date=9 October 2019}}

Current status

Q-pop is enjoying support from both the government and the people as a means to promote and popularize the use of Kazakh language and Latin script among youth.{{Cite thesis|title=Not Suitable for Kazakhs? Authenticity and National Identity in Contemporary Kazakhstani Music|url=https://nur.nu.edu.kz/handle/123456789/3886|publisher=Nazarbayev University, School of Humanities and Social Sciences.|year=2019|degree=Thesis|first=Merey|last=Otan}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.myseldon.com/en/news/index/174609706|title=Q-pop strengthens consciousness Kazakhstan|website=news.myseldon.com|date=16 August 2017 |access-date=9 October 2019}} However, it has also faced criticism and rejection from the traditionalist element of society, especially toward its performers' on-stage appearance.{{Cite journal|last=Oryn|first=Dariya|title=Between Kazakh Batyrs and Feminization of Masculinity: Korean Wave as Means of Transformation|publisher=Central European University|pages=40}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/7191/q-pop-kazakh-band-ninety-one|title=Introducing Q-pop: the genre you've never heard of causing scandal in Kazakhstan|last=Morton|first=Elise|website=The Calvert Journal|access-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://infotimes.kz/en/does-kazakhstan-have-a-show-business/|title=Does Kazakhstan have a show business? – Info times|date=4 February 2019 |access-date=9 October 2019}} Since 2018, there has been an annual q-pop music festival called the Q-Fest, usually held during Autumn in Almaty.{{Cite web|url=http://today.kz/news/zhizn/2018-10-26/771327-kuda-pojti-v-almatyi-27-28-oktyabrya/|title=Куда пойти в Алматы 27–28 октября|last=TODAY.KZ|website=Today.kz|access-date=9 October 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ntk.kz/ru/q-pop/events/news/34029/q-fest-2019|title=Q-Fest 2019: сольный дебют A.Z., новый состав JUZIM и Z-pop|website=НТК|access-date=9 October 2019}}