👑🌸🕯🪞💎
detailed thoughts on ITZY's latest album
Whatever I do, now you just keep your eyes on me
UNTOUCHABLE is a mature, fierce anthem. It’s much sleeker than ITZY's previous self-love title tracks. A grown-up WANNABE. This song just oozes style and it sounds like it could be played on a runway or in a fashion show. The music video may not be glamorous, but a police army whose mirrored helmets are shattered by the force of Chaeryeong’s beauty is the most unforgettable image of theirs. And her high note juxtaposed with that scene is quite something. I like the video too because they’re so unbothered — there’s no threat they can’t easily neutralize. That army goes down in flames and what do they do? Dance! How poetic.
BORN TO BE was a bit generic to me at first (Lia’s absence a big reason why) but it’s not a bad song by any means. Its concept is very similar to UNTOUCHABLE. The choreography is the most impressive: more intense and symmetrically precise than previous ones.
I also gave Dynamite another chance; it isn't terrible, but it’s also not memorable. Escalator however, is just so messy; sloppy even. It deserves all of the hate Can’t tie me down gets!
But enough negativity. Those two misses can’t eclipse the incandescent hit that is Mr. Vampire.
All of the love cells have been buried deep in the ground
My only problem with Mr. Vampire is that it isn’t 10 minutes long. I loved the song after hearing a snippet of the instrumental. Lia's version is going to sound even better!!! It actually reminds me of EXO’s Groove. Mr. Vampire is probably their most melodic sound. The two words that best describe it are dreamy mischief. If you could hear a jewel sparkle, it would sound like this song. The video is their most aesthetically pleasing: all cool tones and black night.
The greatest thing about this album are the girls' self-composed/written songs. They're so ready to debut as soloists. Each track is distinct from the rest and is a powerful showcase of their personalities.
Run Away
Ryujin finally has the chance to show off her vocals. There have been hints of it in other songs, most notably Voltage. There’s a brief part on that song where her tone is so light and airy, it’s wonderful. Her cover of the Mina Okabe song, Every Second was my favorite ITZY cover; I was listening to it on repeat almost every day. She sounds so good, so assured on Run Away, you'd never guess she's the main rapper. It's an angry song, but it wears a smirk. The video pays (unintended?) homage to Fallen Angels (1995).
You can be the pitiful main character / I'll take that ugly part.
Crown On My Head
Leaving aside the fact that Yeji is my bias, I did immediately love this song. It's just not my favorite. And that's okay! Yeji is a genius at everything she does. This is just expected of her so it's not my #1.
Not surprisingly, COMH heavily references ITZY: their crown pose, the lyrics 'born to be wild,' 'like I told ya keep your chin up,' a reference to their ‘all in us’ slogan, and claiming the top spot. Yeji loves ITZY more than anyone else; she takes her responsibility as leader very seriously. Since she sings of being forged through fire and pain, I think of it as a crown of thorns.
Someone said I'm like a leopard / Hell yeah I'm untamable.
3. Mine
Sounds so much like a throwback, very retro. I completely agree with the person who said Chaeryeong is the Sunmi of fourth gen. Mine is the biggest departure from ITZY's usual. It's mysterious and silken, paired with an eerie/elegant video. While the girls are capable of darker concepts, I think they're better suited to bright and upbeat. But Chaeryeong? She can make that switch. This song is just too excellent.
I’ve been looking for somebody like you / I circle around you again and again.
Yet, But
From the angry thrum of Yeji and Ryujin to sly, feline Chaeryeong comes bright and bubbly Yuna. The others were fiery, intense, moody - hers is bubblegum pink. Each solo is tailored to the girls' specific strengths and identities, but this one is so thoroughly Yuna that no one else could pull it off! The reverse is also true; Yuna has a lovely voice — I’ll hex anyone who says differently — but she's not on the same level as Lia or Chaeryeong.
There's very clever wordplay in the lyrics. "Not, not, not yet, but" translates to "I'm pretty" in Korean. It's just fun and carefree. Yuna truly is Barbie. She's also the lead in a teen movie as the most popular girl. The music video is definitely my favorite - unapologetically pink and girly but with 8-bit video game and intergalactic scenes. She’s out of this world!
I mean maybe you don’t know yet, but / Not yet, huh?
Blossom
The lyric video was released on a day that I was missing Lia a lot. She's been on hiatus since September while being treated for an anxiety disorder. ITZY's music is often noisy so Lia's gorgeous tone can get lost. But the songs right now lack a certain dimension without her. One only has to listen to her k-drama OSTs and this gem to hear just what she's capable of. So much of the hate ITZY gets is largely focused on her. I'm praying this break strengthens her and that she's fully healed; not just for her return to the group, but in general.
What makes Blossom so good? Her resonant, honey-like voice with the heavenly vocal runs in the bridge. The gentle melody is also spirited. It's my favorite song of the year.
The lyrics make me cry and are ones I personally relate to. I've had to repeat the following like a mantra on my bad days:
No one's gonna bud me, nobody else / no one's gonna help me, nobody else.
She sings with a steely determination to bloom when she's ready. Don't force rays of sun on me / Don't you dare pour water on me. Sunlight and water are necessary for plants and people. But you can't rush the growing process. Like her, I'll call myself a flower, too.
ITZY is incomplete now but the four members have gracefully risen to the challenge of being without their main vocalist. Lia's talents are discredited by fans and non-fans alike. The fans have said her ability is on the same level as the other members, which is not only false but laughably stupid. Who do these people think they are...? Lia can sing the other solos (even Yuna’s!), but who else can sing Blossom? Who else has her tone and color?
People are too comfortable saying ITZY cannot sing. This cover of Cake on a k-pop survival show proves otherwise. No hate to those girls, but ITZY songs are very difficult. They don't get enough credit for sounding as amazing as they do. They always perform live, sometimes even doing cartwheels on stage, and they still manage to hit the notes and sound identical to the studio version.
The other talking point I absolutely despise is "ITZY is a performance based group." This is usually meant to defend them from weak singing attacks, but it makes no sense. Of course a lot of emphasis is on their dancing, but that doesn't mean singing isn't prioritized. Lia has faced constant harassment for her dancing, even though there's only one bad performance, and it was one where she was hospitalized afterwards. She hasn't ever made glaring mistakes or thrown off the group's synchronization. And even if she did, it doesn't matter.
When EXO's Xiumin uttered the offensive statement that singing is more important for idols than dancing, people were in an uproar. But it reinforced for me that even if Lia is a "terrible" dancer, at least she can sing! Anyway it's not true. ITZY are untouchable onstage.
What is next for my girls? I don’t have the slightest idea, but that’s the best part. I can’t wait to find out.