Our second Fandom Story comes from Avery!
Avery is also known as DJ Save Train on Instagram and TikTok, where he shares remixes of his favorite K-Pop songs with a little New Orleans / Louisiana flavored twist. He’s
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Avery Martin. I’m a New Orleans native, and the best label I can describe myself is being a CREATIVE! I love creating things! My main path for creating is music and singing, but I also work in Photography, Videography, and a good bit of experience in Graphic Design. I gain joy in capturing moments and creating something beautiful from it!
Let’s talk Kpop. Who are your favorite groups/artists?
(1). BIGBANG (2). 2NE1 (3). GOT7/BTS
Number 1 and 2 are cemented in my list! BIGBANG will ALWAYS be my favorite, and 2NE1 was the first girl group I got to experience, so I grown to love them instantly! Number 3 is a tie between BTS and GOT7. I love the style that they bring, and they just have so much great music in their discography.
Give me your top 3 favorite songs, and why you love them.
- Naman Barabwa (Look Only At Me) by Taeyang
Taeyang was my first introduction into KPop back in 2010, with Wedding Dress (English) being my first song…..which I cried to by the way! I explored his discography at the time, and “Look Only At Me” stood out instantly. The chord progression of the song is simple yet so beautiful. Over the years, Taeyang has released different LIVE versions of the song, and I love them all the same. - My Heaven by BIGBANG
Bigbang has way too many great songs, but this one is something I connected to once I started listening to Kpop. It was the first song that I heard when straying away from their English songs, so it helped me get used to the Korean Language. I probably listened to this song att least 2,000 times, whether it’s the full song OR the instrumental version. I am not kidding. 15 years is a long time to listen to your favorite songs! - It Hurts by 2NE1
Back in the day, I did promotion for 2NE1’s new album and TV show, and that’s where I learned graphic design. I made art for EVERY 2NE1 song at the time, but “It Hurts” stuck out to me the most. As I listened to it to gain inspiration, the song’s beauty began to soothe my musical ears. TO THIS DAY, I haven’t heard a more beautiful note sung than Park Bom singing the final chorus. It’s #3 on my list just because of that!
Are you into any other fandoms? Tell us about them!
I am a pretty big ANIME/Comic Con fan! I work Anime and Comic Con conventions from time to time, and I get to see the fandom interact with their favorite voice actors, and share the joy with other attendees there. I’m grateful to meet some of my favorite actors in Anime AND some Sci Fi shows! I got to meet the cast of “The 100”, which is probably one of my favorite fandoms. Also, I got to meet Chloe Bennett, one of the lead actresses on the show “AGENTS OF SHIELD”. Fun fact about her: She was the girl lead in BIGBANG’s song “TONIGHT”, so meeting her was extra special!!
What is one thing you love about fandom communities, IRL or online?
Having that shared love of something is a great feeling. Whether it’s Kpop, Anime, or some of our favorite shows….there’s a whole world full of people who love the same thing you love, and we get to embrace sharing that love through conversations or attending cons! It’s one of those feelings that lets me know I am not alone in this world….there is someone out there who enjoys it as much as I do, and meeting them is one of my favorite things to do. Specifically, the fandom for “The 100” holds a special place in my heart. They have some really kind people that I’ve met over the years!
What is one thing that concerns you about fandom?
I will gear it towards KPop, since that is the one I am most active in:
I think alot of times, people go a bit obsessive with the love for their favorite groups, and it makes it hard to connect with them about KPop as a whole. I know people who got into KPop late, because fandoms have acted cringe, which caused them to steer clear of the genre as a whole. It took me many years to even LISTEN to a BTS song, strictly because of how I saw some ARMY stans behaved on the internet. It even made me take a break from Kpop as a whole. I’m catching up on their music, but it feels bad that I didn’t hear their music in the prime wave just because of how their fandom behaved on and offline. It’s gotten better over the years, but it was pretty bad at the peak of the issue.
Similarly, BIGBANG is my favorite group of all time, and their music is timeless…..but I know that KPop has been built on the great work of 1000s of artists/producers, so I have to give respect where it’s due….Some songs “can be” better than BIGBANG, and that’s not a bad thing.
Surprisingly, I have yet to make a New Orleans Bounce remix of one of BIGBANG’s tracks, just because I have heard so much great music across all of KPop! I learned to open my mind to other groups, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made as a Kpop fan. Now, I encourage any new Kpop fan to explore the genre with an open mind, giving them songs from various artists and various generations….not just 2nd Gen! LOL
Hype yourself up – what are you doing/selling/making?
I’ve been working on growing more as a brand, expressing myself more with my music and posts on Social Media. I’m working hard on releasing my 2nd KPop New Orleans Bounce album, which I never thought would be possible at this point in my journey! I am also working on selling merch, so that people can have ways to support my channel outside of visiting YouTube or Patreon. I’m also getting more gigs as a DJ, so that is pretty big for me in this region specifically.
I also want to keep doing this, and creating a community around me has pushed my limits further than ever! My plan is STILL to eventually work with an artist, so I will embrace the journey I am on, and give my best with each song I make! I want the world to know that New Orleans is a place that has a BIG HEART for KPop, so with each song I release I want that message to be loud and clear!
Any words of wisdom about being a fan you want to share with the world?
Being a KPop fan is a blessing, so lets all work together to create an image that is welcoming for new fans joining the fandom! I have worked hard for bridging the gap between KPop and the world by creating mashups/New Orleans Bounce remixes, and it has shed a light on how good KPop actually is. Whatever gifts you share to the world, just know that your light can draw more people in, so do your best to take care of it and make it hospitable for others to join! These artists make the music, but WE all push the fandom and love of K-Pop to new heights!
I would like to give a huge THANK YOU to Avery for sharing his Fandom Story!
If you’re interested in participating in The Fandom Story Project, please email me or drop me a line on my Contact page!
(A little addendum: dropping one of my favorite Avery mashups in here juuuuust for me…)
Leave a Reply