Welcome everyone to the new week. Amid recent global concerns and circumstances I have unfortunately decided to pair back my activity on this site for the time being. I hope to be able to bring you at least 1 review per week but circumstances could change and so I wanted everyone to be aware. I am happy to report however that even though we are currently facing a global health crisis the Kpop scene continues to move forward, albeit at a cautious pace. While some companies have decided to delay their comebacks other companies and groups have charged full force into their respective releases giving us much needed stress relief from our worries. One group that decided to buck the trend was none other than today's feature ITZY. ITZY is the latest girl group from JYP Entertainment and features the members Ryujin, Chaeryeong, Yuna, Yeji, and Lia. Having only debuted in 2019 ITZY have already managed to situate themselves as monster rookies following in the footsteps of none other than fellow label-mates TWICE. Today's review will be a rapid fire look at their new title track (WANNABE) off their newly released mini album called IT'Z ME.
For Rapid Reviews I will stick be scoring the overall comeback out of 50 points using 5 main categories scored out of a total of 10 points each. This is no different from my standard review style as to not cause any confusion and to give you all my fairest opinion and rating of each release. The only difference will be a much tighter and shorter discussion
First up we'll take a look at the music video for WANNABE. Right out the gate I can safely say that is my least favourite music video from ITZY. While I would agree with the sentiment that the music video is well produced and high quality, the music video itself really lacks in capturing the intensity of the song. WANNABE is a powerful and commanding song and even though there is great meaning behind the lyrics within the song the music video only captured this superficially. My criticisms mainly lie with the way the narrative or message was being portrayed through the visuals in the video. While it's obvious a lot of time and effort has gone into making this music video I just felt like they could have addressed the topic a little less formulaic and typical of Kpop releases. I feel like it was a missed opportunity for the production team behind WANNABE to address the song's message in this way. So much could have been done to demonstrate the girl's passion for their message but instead we got the quite familiar Kpop formula of a weak narrative combined with glamour shots and dance sequences. Please do not misconstrue me as hating this music video however, I just feel like there is a lot of room for improvement in the future and I hope that with future music videos ITZY really try and escape the typical Kpop production style and branch out into something unique and signature to them as performers.
The things that deserve praise however are the overall styling and concept of the video. I understand where they were trying to take the video but unfortunately limitations enforced by years of Kpop music videos prevented them from colouring outside the lines as it were. That being said the girls all looked absolutely fantastic and ITZY's stylist continues to be experimental without being too overly polarising. I love the addition of textures and flare in the members outfits both during their solo sections and when they come together as a group. One moment in particular reminded me of a CLC music video with member Ryujin cutting her hair in a similar fashion to CLC's member Yeeun in their respective Black Dress music video. Overall I liked the video but wish in the future that ITZY can push the boundaries of their style and elevate their music videos outside the typical Kpop rhetoric. That being said, many people love this style and if they continue in this fashion I think not many people would be too upset. Thank you JYP for giving us 4k resolution!!!
While I have a few criticisms of the music video itself mainly in regards to the how the narrative and message was being portrayed, the song itself is close to flawless. Not only does this song carry a powerful message of self empowerment it was released one day after International Women's day and I can't help but find this too coincidental. JYP have a known record for making songs about female empowerment and equality and these can be heard all throughout the companies history from Park Ji-yoon to Wondergirls to ITZY. To match the powerful message WANNABE employs one of the most interesting and intense instrumentals I've heard all year, and that's something given we have been inundated with girl group songs experimenting with hard hitting beats and EDM elements in 2020. ITZY's WANNABE is unapologetic in it's beat and overall sound and I love that about this song. The chorus in particular is the major highlight of the song for me personally. I love the contrast of an almost rock-inspired EDM sound combined with the girls sassy chanting overtop. A lot of time and care has gone into crafting this song and I absolutely LOVE the runway-esque vibe of the Deep Bass elements in the second verses and dance break.
I will say however that while I really enjoy this song it could perhaps be a little too similar to their previous releases. The sonic overlap between their three released title tracks is striking and while I would say that the group is trying to create a signature sound and identity they could perhaps experiment a little more with genre moving forward. Vocally every member has improved over their previous comeback which is great to see. Members Chaeryeong, Yeji, and Ryujin all stood out for me in WANNABE and it's great to be able to hear them sing and rap in their titular sassy tone. Ryujin also killed it during her rap sections, there is a reason why she was so popular before becoming a member of ITZY. Line distribution within WANNABE however is an area where the song needs a little improvement. Given that the group only has 5 members I would say that line distribution should not be an issue for this group as each member is vocally capable and eager to sing. I would like to see this be remedied in future releases as poor line distribution continues to plague the Kpop world and it's very very frustrating! The dance break during the latter half of the song was also a nice addition to this track as it both serves as a section of the song where the listener gains some reprieve from the sonic onslaught found in the chorus and verses while also showing off the groups powerful performance elements reminiscent of their previous material.
Dancing has also been positioned as a strength for ITZY and it's no surprise that in WANNABE the group continue to reinforce this idea. The dance break in particular is such a powerful and interesting element found within WANNABE and I appreciate whomever thought it was a good idea to include it. In the area of dancing I do not believe that ITZY have a member that is lacking in dancing talent and to me, that's impressive. The overall choreography for WANNABE is reflective of the powerful vibe felt within the song itself and I appreciate this immensely as some groups fail to match the song with the correct power and intensity within their dance. While not overly complicated the dance for WANNABE is sufficiently interesting and filled with unique point elements to keep the routine fresh and not something that recycles old content. The dance break however is the one section of the song where the members take full advantage of their dancing ability and really give us a fantastic performance full of energy and sass which is reflective of the song itself. Main dancer Chaeryeong shines in this era and I can't help but feel like perhaps she had some say in the creation of the choreography for this comeback. Members Yuna and Yeji were also very impressive during their VLive showcase event where it was the first time we got to see WANNABE on stage.
My rating
Music Video: 7.5
Song: 9.5
Concept: 8.5
Style: 8.5
Dance: 9
Overall rating: 43/50
Overall I think ITZY have managed to follow up on their two previous releases with ease. For me, WANNABE is my favourite title track from the group edging out ICY ever so slightly. The focus on the more Deep House and Garage elements of the song really hit the correct buttons for me. But, while I do really enjoy the song I have criticisms for the music video in regards to it's story direction and the missed opportunities I feel weren't explored. In the future I would like to see ITZY branch out of their signature visual style and bring us something a little left of field for Kpop. As a whole package however I do believe WANNABE is a successful and charming comeback that will no doubt prove to be super popular among fans and non-fans alike.
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