Trainee
Naya participated in an online audition for JYP Entertainment in August 2011 and moved to Seoul, South Korea in early 2012, after graduating from the Orange County School of the Arts earlier as she passed the training program at the entertainment agency. She always used her Italian surname, but as soon as she arrived in Korea, she started using her family’s Korean name, adopting her new identity: Kwon Na-ya.
As an intern, it was not possible to know if she would even make her debut as an artist. Meanwhile, she was trained in singing, dance, acting, modeling and entertainment techniques, practically a continuation of her OCSA studies. In addition, she needed to study Korean and Japanese to be able to communicate in an Asian industry.
All trainees went through weekly weighing, monthly assessment (where they couldn’t sing songs in Korean, only in English, which was an advantage for her) and participated in the showcases at least twice a year. The training center was separated from the main building where the artists were located and the company itself took care to provide a place to sleep and eat.
Dormitory Life & Friendships
The American girl became friends with other trainees from the company with whom she shared the dorm and trained every day: Lena Ahn (’93), Naeyeon (’95), Cecilia Boey (’95), Jeongyeon (’96), Sana (’96) and Jihyo (’97). Being the oldest with Lena, Nayeon and Cecilia, she used to take care of the younger girls.
Lena was preparing for her debut as a soloist while Naya and the other five girls were preparing to go on stage as a girl group called 6MIX. With Lena Ahn leaving the company for being injured, JYP Entertainment chose Naya as its new soloist, removing her from the group project. After that, Cecilia Boey decided to end her contract with the agency and today, she is an actress in China. The other four trainees made their debut as members of the TWICE female group in 2015.
Naya worked hard for two years in a row before making her debut in March 2014.
Discography as Trainee
- Kwon Na-ya — ABC (Michael Jackson)
- Kwon Na-ya — Be Alright (Justin Bieber)
- Kwon Na-ya — Born This Way/Express Yourself (Lady Gaga/Madonna)
- Kwon Na-ya — Boyfriend Material (Original Song)
- Kwon Na-ya — California Girls/Tik Tok (Katy Perry/Kesha)
- Kwon Na-ya — Die In Your Arms (Justin Bieber)
- Kwon Na-ya — Emotions
- Kwon Na-ya — Gimme Some Lovin’ (The Spencer Davis Group)
- Kwon Na-ya — Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cindy Lauper)
- Kwon Na-ya — Give It Up feat. Nayeon (Original Song)
- Kwon Na-ya — I Believe In You And Me (Whitney Houston)
- Kwon Na-ya — If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys)
- Kwon Na-ya — If I Were A Boy (Beyoncé)
- Kwon Na-ya — I Have Nothing (Whitney Houston)
- Kwon Na-ya — I’m A Fool (Kelly King)
- Kwon Na-ya — I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston)
- Kwon Na-ya — Just For Now (Imogen Heap)
- Kwon Na-ya — Lady Marmalade (Moulin Rouge)
- Kwon Na-ya — Listen (Beyoncé – Dream Girls OST)
- Kwon Na-ya — Private Party (India Arie)
- Kwon Na-ya — Put Your Hearts Up (Original Song)
- Kwon Na-ya — Rolling In The Deep (Adele)
- Kwon Na-ya — Sweet Life (Frank Ocean)
- Kwon Na-ya — Teenage Dream (Katy Perry)
BACKSTAGE 