Playing cards caught in a vacuum cleaner. Broken lamp with its shade snapped. Prescription pills spilled over the carpet. Demie Cao, along with Justin Park, try to clean the home, yet as they keep wiping, vacuuming, and mopping, the floors still have clutter strewn across, and the furniture remains dusty. Demie and Justin “just run in circles,” as they keep trying to fix a relationship that’s already been broken in the collaborative track “Circles” music video.
Rapping ballerina Demie Cao blends dance and song in three different languages. The LA-based pop rap artist debuted in 2020, having already previously appeared in promotions for KCON, 88rising, and CJNEM, opened for South Korean rapper Giriboy, and danced in music videos for artists such as Lydia Paek and SiK-K. Starting out as a ballet dancer, Demie transitioned into hip-hop, crafting an alter-ego “Demie the Destroyer,” a carefree, confident persona she created to help her insecurities as an introvert. Demie Cao is ready to blaze the world, cool and slick in her destroyer mindset.
Introduce yourself!
Hey, I’m Demie aka Demie Cao aka Demie the Destroyer aka rapping ballerina.
How did you start your path in music? Was there someone or something that inspired you?
I started out dancing actually, and music just seemed like the natural second step. Definitely would attribute my start to K-pop honestly. It was just the first time I’ve seen people who look like me being in mainstream media. It was really cool for me to witness as a kid, and wouldn’t be here today without them.
You graduated from USC with a B.A. of Arts in Music Business. Did you originally set out to pursue a major in the music industry? How do you think your major has helped propel your music career, and how has it helped you better understand the music industry?
I actually applied to USC with dance, and then switched my major to international relations but shortly applied for their music program halfway through freshman year. I’m really grateful for the USC music program. I met so many wonderful colleagues and professionals in the industry. The program definitely helped me think of music in a business perspective rather than solely in a creative way. I think it’s important for aspiring artists to educate themselves on the technicalities of the business.
You’ve mentioned in previous interviews that as you originally were a ballet dancer, you like to integrate dance into your music. How do you think dance choreography shapes and strengthens the overall essence of your music & music videos?
Dance has always been a big part of my life and I want to show my appreciation for it in my videos as much as possible. For my upbeat songs, I am very inspired by artists like Missy Elliott who also uses a lot of choreography. I’m not a hard rapper at all, and I don’t like to take myself too serious and I think dance helps make music more fun y’know?
Your songs are in English, Mandarin, and Korean, crossing national borders. How do you think the usage of different languages represents how you want to be seen as an artist, and the representation that needs to be made in the music industry?
I honestly just want my parents to be able to listen to my songs and understand them. Although I am Chinese, I was born and raised in the states. Doing music in Chinese helps me connect these two identities that I struggle with. In terms of representation, I think we all need to get to a point where we can look at an Asian artist beyond the labels and just see an artist.
“I honestly just want my parents to be able to listen to my songs and understand them. Although I am Chinese, I was born and raised in the states. Doing music in Chinese helps me connect these two identities that I struggle with.”
Your latest track, “CIRCLES,” was released in Justin Park. What inspired the song?
“Circles” was inspired by a past relationship- the feeling of not wanting to let go of something that is already far gone.
In the music video for, “CIRCLES,” especially in the beginning, the visuals are very cinematic. The video’s set in a motel-resembling place, where a couple is cleaning up the messes in their home. The video has a dark tone and seems to have a vintage touch. What inspired the visuals, and how do they represent the song?
This is actually the first video I’ve ever directed, which was super exciting for me! The idea was that the home represents the relationship, completely trashed and beyond repair, and I am fruitlessly trying to clean/fix it. The reference I made to our videographer (shoutout to Johnson) was that “this is fine” dog meme. The idea of sitting in a burning house and just pretending like everything is fine.
What’s next for you?
More music!! I’m actually in the beginning steps of creating my next project. It’s very different from anything I’ve done, and I’m super excited for y’all to hear it!
