The South Korean singer IU spoke out about sacrificing her teen years to become a pop star in an interview Monday for the Seoul Broadcasting System television program "Healing Camp."
The 21-year-old singer, who released her debut EP "Growing Up" when she was 15, described a feeling of missing out.
"There was no time period in my life which I can call adolescence," IU said. "I even thought of myself as a cyborg."
The chart-topping solo artist described feeling disconnected from her emotions as she coped with the pressures of her blossoming career.
"There were difficult times in the past, but I could not feel that I was struggling," IU said.
But seemingly now more comfortable in her skin, with even a hit song she wrote for another artist, the new boy band HIGH4 entitled "Not Spring, Love Or Cherry Blossoms" topping the Billboard K-Pop Hot 100 back in April, IU claims to be experiencing a secong coming of age.
"I think I'm going through puberty now," she said.
Which is not to say IU's career is slowing down. On Friday, a representative for the singer told the Korean news outlet Newsen she will be appearing on the upcoming album from the groundbreaking K-pop group g.o.d, on the song "Sing For Me."
According to IU's spokesperson, the collaboration was a dream come true for the singer.
"IU was very happy to be featuring in g.o.d.'s album," the rep said.
The singer reportedly agreed to sing on the album after lead singer Kim Tae Woo asked her personally.
g.o.d kick off a national tour of South Korea this weekend with a pair of shows in Seoul. It is the band's first time the band has been on the road since singer Son Ho Young's alleged suicide attempt following his girlfriend's death in May of 2013.
