How Jennie and Kevin Parker’s Chance Encounter Led to One of the Year’s Biggest Hits

I
’m trusting you on everything,” Jennie tells Kevin Parker with a laugh. 

“You are?” Parker muses. “Well, that’s a bad idea.” 

The Blackpink singer is sitting next to the brains behind Tame Impala on a worn brown leather couch at a music school in Boston. In just a few hours, they’ll perform together at TD Garden, and about 20,000 fans will see how right Jennie is to trust Parker. Once she steps onstage to join him for their smash-hit “Dracula” remix, it becomes a spectacle, complete with scarlet lights and matching confetti raining down. The audience shrieks so loud at the sight of Jennie, it feels as if the arena is shaking to a nearly Richter-scale level. 

Released in February, a few months after the original song appeared on Tame Impala’s Deadbeat, the “Dracula” remix quickly became one of the biggest songs in the world, notching nearly 1 billion on-demand global streams and earning both artists their first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Though the Australian super­producer has worked with pop stars before ­— including writing “Same Ol’ Mistakes,” which Rihanna covered in 2016, and co-writing and co-producing much of Dua Lipa’s 2024 album, Radical Optimism — this song is on another level. With its foreboding synth-pop groove, it’s become inescapable, thanks, in part, to a viral TikTok trend that has soundtracked 1.3 million videos.

Before their celebratory moment on the arena stage, Parker and Jennie sit down for an upbeat conversation about recording over Zoom, partying in Seoul, and much more.

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Watch the video interview below

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Parker: Do you remember when we first met super randomly? It was in an underground restaurant bar in Seoul, South Korea. I don’t know what it was called. It was quite late at night.

Jennie: Wait, how did that night happen? I have such a bad memory.

Parker: I was with our friend [PR exec] Peter Utz, who was working for Celine at the time.

Jennie: Yes! Our mutual friend. Now, I remember. 

Parker: I mean, I think I was drunk at that point anyway.…

Jennie: I’m sure both of us.…

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Parker: It’s a fun city, so these things happen.

Jennie: It was such a fun night. You weren’t even on tour or working in Korea. You had just come. 

Parker: Yeah, super fun. I’m really excited to hear the story of how the “Dracula” remix came together from your side. For me, I was talking to Peter and I was like, “I really love Jennie’s voice. It’d be great to get Jennie on the track.” He was like, “I know her. I can message her right now if you want.” I was like, “Holy shit, it’s happening.”

Jennie: I got the text right after your conversation. As soon as I read it, I said, “I have to jump on it immediately.” I was so excited and so grateful that you thought of me for the song.

Parker: So we booked the session. I was in China for a few days. I’d never been to China before, and I raced back to the hotel room to open my laptop to connect with you, and you were there in the studio.

Jennie: Yeah, I remember that. The rest was really easy for us, even when we were recording over Zoom, because we couldn’t be in the same city, which I was so sad about. You stayed on through all the recording sessions that I was doing for hours. That meant a lot.

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Parker: I was really struck by how you nailed each take, because we had a bunch to get through, since “Dracula” has so many tracks, as you know. The chorus has eight vocals in it at once, and you just went through them: “Bang, bang, bang.”

Jennie: I actually had so much fun cutting it, too, because it was different from any other music that I was putting out, so it gave me a new excitement.

Parker: It’s a pretty fun track. Was it challenging to sing? Because for me, “Dracula” is one of the hardest songs to sing. It has to be in a part of the [Tame Impala] set where my voice is warmed up.

Jennie: It definitely is, but the hardest part was probably singing your part on top of mine, because I had to do the whole thing by myself. I enjoy it so much that it never occurred to me as something difficult.

Parker: So this is kind of a weird question, and you might not be able to answer it. I’m also trying to answer it in my mind, but I can’t. Apart from us, what’s your favorite vocal duet in a song?

Jennie: I mean I would’ve went with “Dracula” but…

Parker: Sure. Me too.

Jennie: I don’t know why, I’m thinking Madonna and Justin Timberlake right now, “4 Minutes.” There’s so many.

Parker: Yeah, there are. Does Fleetwood Mac count, I wonder? Because they were singing duet most of the time. I love Fleetwood Mac, if you can’t tell. Do you hear [“Dracula”] out in public much?

Jennie: I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this. When I first found out about how the song started doing well, even my closest friends, they would all text me saying, “The song is amazing.” Being the artist of the song, I can never fully understand how it started. But it’s your song, [so] I knew it was going to do it.

Parker: I take a little bit of credit for having the vision. “Dracula” was doing really well, people were into it. I just had the feeling that if you were going to get on it … I was like, “I reckon that’s going to take it to the next level.”

Jennie: Honestly, I think from the time that we met in Korea, I knew it was about to happen for us. I remember telling you that day, “I’ve been a fan of your music for the longest time, and it would mean the world to get in a studio and make songs together.”

Parker: I remember that. 

Jennie: I’ve always listened and studied your music. I can’t explain what attracted me to it, because for me it’s an energy thing, if that makes sense.

Parker: With my music, it can be quite dense and chaotic. It’s a lot to take in at once. So I think for a lot of people, it takes a while to get into it.

Jennie: I love how your music takes me to a different atmosphere or a mood. I’m drawn to feelings like that. It was inevitable for me to be a fan of yours and to pop up at your show today and watch it, which I’m very excited about.

“Before you go on, there’s all this anxiety, Once I get onstage, the rest just doesn’t really matter.”

Jennie

Parker: I’m stoked you get to see it. You haven’t seen one yet?

Jennie: No, this is my first time. What do you think makes your show special?

Parker: I think you’re going to enjoy it. It can be pretty crazy. I like to make sure that it’s euphoric in the right places. We have moments of just sheer chaos, where it’s confetti and lasers. We’ve got all the tricks. There’s some moments in the set where we just put all the buttons on and the fans are going crazy. The crowds have been great this tour. I feel like every tour that I do, we find ways to just make the kids go even crazier.

Jennie: That’s amazing.

Parker: As a performer, what’s a great show for you? What makes you walk offstage and go like, “That was the best show ever”? 

Jennie: That the combination just felt right. The crowd and being able to share that much energy with the crowd is important. At the end of the day, I feel like before you go on, there’s all this anxiety that comes regarding what I’m wearing, how I look, or what the weather is, and then once I get on there, the rest just doesn’t really matter. It’s about the connection that you have.

Parker: I feel exactly the same way. It’s like before you walk on, you have this idea that everyone’s going to be judging you, and then you get up and you realize that they want to see you.

Jennie: Yeah, they’re here for us.

Parker: It’s just a bunch of humans in a big arena or stadium or whatever. What’s it like playing solo shows compared to with the girls from Blackpink?

Jennie: The main difference that I’ve noticed is actually the pre-production part of it. Obviously, being in a band there needs to be a lot of communication between each other, and to combine everything and to turn it into one is a completely different thing from me being able to just take care of everything on my side.

Parker: Did it feel good to finally be able to have your own stage, figuratively and literally?

Jennie: Yes. I realize how much I enjoy jumping from each room, making sure everything’s aligned. I really enjoy that part of the process.

Parker: You seem to be the kind of person that does everything. You act — I am completely blown away by anyone that can act, especially if they weren’t an actor to begin with. The way that you’re a singer and an artist and everything, and then you just go and act. I’m like, “That’s not fair. You’re not supposed to be able to just do that.”

Jennie: It’s still a challenge that I feel like I’m headed towards, but I enjoy being the performer and the other side at the same time. I’m trying to be more focused on one project at a time now that I have more time as a solo [act]. I’m still figuring it out, though.

 “We have moments of chaos. Every tour I do, we find ways to make the kids go even crazier.”

Kevin Parker

Parker: Oh, absolutely. We all are. Do you enjoy doing all those individual things, like directing film clips, or is it a control thing? 

Jennie: A little bit of both, but especially after my first album, Ruby, came out last year, I’ve learned so much about music. I’ve been in music my whole life, so I told myself it’s only fair for me to really go for everything that I feel like doing. From there, I can realize what I enjoy compared to something that I just had to do for the sake of it.

Parker: Yes, for sure. Dua Lipa is the other person who I know who cannot sit still, who’s just always doing stuff. What was it like working with her? 

Jennie: Working with Dua didn’t feel like work. It truly just felt like a day out with her in New York for a shoot. We were texting as if we were trying to find a date to hang out. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to record the songs together, but she came back with her amazing vocals. How was it for you?

Parker: The best. She’s the best. I just went to her wedding, actually.

Jennie: I saw the photos. It looked beautiful.

Parker: It was really special. As I said, she’s a lot like you. She’s always doing stuff. She’s got a book podcast, she’s got a music career. And like you, she does it quite effortlessly. If I did half of the things that she does in one day, I would need to sleep for four days. I do one thing a day, I’m like, “Well, that’s me.” She’ll duck out from a recording session to interview Monica Lewinsky for a podcast or something, and then she’ll come back and finish the session.

Jennie: She has energy, and she does it with love and passion. It’s very inspiring — I’m sure as a friend, too. You worked with Dominic [Fike], too. I guess we have the same taste in a lot of things, Kevin.

Parker: Totally. I love his music, and we were super stoked to be able to get him on the tour. How did you find working with him? Was it another remote thing?

Jennie: It was remotely done, but I remember he sent in multiple ideas, so we got to speak directly about landing on the version that we both liked. He’s just a fun character.

Parker: Yeah, he seems like the kind of guy who’s always recording music. Are you like that as well? Do you record tons of ideas and then pick the best ones, or do you wait for the right idea to come?

Jennie: Once I’m in my studio time, it’s just building ideas. Somebody has to tell me to stop. How about you?

Parker: I’m in my own little world. With Tame Impala stuff, it’s always been a very solitary thing, so I just go into my studio and then don’t come out until—

Jennie: Do you lock yourself in?

Parker: If I’m working on an album or I’m sort of gearing up for that, then I’ll completely shut myself off. I go on these little trips by myself. I just rent an Airbnb on the beach somewhere.

Jennie: That’s my dream.

Parker: And then I’ll just be there for a week. I won’t speak to a soul for a few days.

Jennie: I love that. Except for the mic.

Parker: Just the mic. That’s the only vocalizing I do.

Jennie: Do you give yourself some sort of a timeline?

Parker: I’m always setting a vague deadline for myself, because otherwise you just go forever. But, yeah, it really depends how I’m feeling.

Jennie: Yeah. Albums … 

Parker: I’m always really intrigued by artists when they release music. Everyone feels a bit differently. When a song comes out, is that a happy day for you, or is it torture, or somewhere in between?

Jennie: Like a single? 

Parker: Yeah, an anticipated single. You’ve done some promo, everyone’s heard some snippets, and today’s the day where everyone hears the whole thing. [Jennie hesitates.] Sorry. If I’m giving you PTSD by asking you this, then you’ve answered my question.

Jennie: Yeah, no comment.

Parker: Going back to Dua, when the album [Radical Optimism] came out, she was just so excited. Whilst I am excited for the world to hear it, overwhelmingly it’s torture.

Jennie: I’m closer to where you are at. I wish for the day where I wake up in the morning being like, “Ah, release day, the happiest day of my life!” Not that I’m not happy, but there’s a lot of overwhelming things that come with it.

Parker: I feel exactly the same way. I long for the day when I can just be happy that everyone’s hearing it. I don’t know if you experienced this too, but something that you’ve been growing, tucked away from the world for so long and suddenly it’s in the world, that transition is quite a violent thing emotionally and mentally. It’s so exposing — it makes you very vulnerable. It’s a weird thing what we do.

Jennie: It really is. So … working with Rihanna, how did that happen?

Parker: The Rihanna thing was kind of crazy. We got a call or an email from her producer or A&R or manager saying that she was finishing up her album and she wanted to put one more song on — and she wanted my song. I thought she was going to rework it, do a sort of a remix thing or a rewrite. It was the middle of the night, because I was in Perth, and they were like, “The album needs to be done tomorrow, so can you get stems right now?” It was one in the morning. I got out of bed, went to my studio, turned on all the lights, printed out all the stems, and sent them over, and then didn’t hear anything back until the song came out. That was it.

Jennie: Wow.

Parker: It was so surreal just to hear Rihanna, who I love, singing my song, which I guess today I’d call a remix. I never really thought of it  … Quite similar to your remix of “Dracula.” It’s always really cool because I like my voice, but I don’t think that I have the best voice ever. So whenever I hear someone with an amazing voice singing something that I’ve written, I get such a buzz out of it. 

Jennie: I’m glad she decided to call you that day and took the song. Were you born and raised in Australia? 

Parker: I was born in Sydney, but I’ve lived in Perth for my whole life.  I’m Aussie through and through. You grew up in New Zealand? I didn’t know that until just recently.

Jennie: Yeah, well, my accent is gone, sadly.

Parker: Sure. I’m usually pretty good at picking Aussie and New Zealand. So did you go from New Zealand to Korea?

Jennie: Yeah, I was there from [age] 10 to 15. I got back, and I went straight into my trainee days.

Parker: That must have been crazy, going from Auckland to Seoul? It’s one of the smallest cities in the world to one of the biggest cities in the world.

Jennie: Yeah, it was a big, life-changing thing for me. 

Parker: Wow. You guys exploded, and it was such a huge thing. I think the Blackpink phenomenon was what I was aware of before the music even. I remember finally hearing the music and thinking it was badass. [Then your solo music], I listened to Ruby from start to finish on a flight once.

Jennie: Aw.

Parker: These days I hardly ever listen to music. It has to be something that I really want to listen to.

Jennie: Honestly, me too. While I was working on Ruby, there was a time I definitely remember trying to reach out to you, which probably never happened.

Parker: Oh, what? It must have gotten lost down the line.

Jennie: When I jumped on “Dracula,” as much as I loved the song and was honored to be a part of a song that you put out, I was just excited to get to know you and learn your pain and just be your friend. “Dracula” came and it connected us, so it’s our song.

Parker: It’s just one of those fate things, right?

Jennie: Oh, for sure. I believe in that.

Parker: It was the destiny of the song.

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