Label: SM Entertainment
Year: 2021
Home: South Korea
Members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, Yeri ~ vocals
The music & visuals of SM Entertainment's Red Velvet have struck a chord with many in South Korea & across the globe. It would not be saying too much to call the girls musical ambassadors, as they've earned noticed from the Ministry of Ministry of
Culture, Sports & Tourism for helping spread Korean popular culture, while others have noticed their influence on promoting the K-Pop scene & Korean culture. Time magazine even called them one of the world's best K-Pop groups, & in 2019 Billboard said they were the best idol group alive. In a very crowded musical scene, that's quite an achievement. Hint: you should be checking them out! Their 6th mini-album, or EP for westerners, Queendom might come off as synthesizer heavy dance pop with some lightweight vocals that is catchy & fun & thus open to a large international audience. One might even draw comparisons with the Pussycat Dolls, early Madonna & many U.S. pop dance acts, yet that would be a mistaken write-off of a group that has found a special place in K-Pop. Korean girl idol groups tend to be promoted as sexy or cute/girl next door or mature woman. Red Velvet has found a rare place bringing in traits of all the above, but lace it through promoting the idea of strong confident women who make their own choices about their own lives. Its youthfulness without naivity. Its being an adult, but still not growing out of youth. Its being strong, but still having fun. Its being sexy, without constant booty shaking. As the addictive title track says in translation: "We are strong & beautiful" & "We are makin' the rules" &, my fave line, "The new color is together." Can you say girl power? They're young, fun, & sexy by being confident, having good self-esteem & doing it together. Its the same vibe that ran through the Spice Girls, Garbage, P!nk & many other female groups in the U.S. in years past. Drawing that comparison I can't help but notice the contrast between Red Velvet & songs in the current American music scene where we have songs like "W.A.P." where its not about uniting as women, but essentially falling into selfish behavior to please one's senses. What happened to girl power? While does girl power have to be all about what is listed in W.A.P.? That's not girl power. Essentially, I miss lyrics & a message like this. I'd love to see an English version of this song released for the world. Listening to this album, even as a guy, I feel good. I feel happy. The music is just so infectious I can feel what they are saying. When I google a translation it just makes it better. I honestly rarely say that music makes me feel happy. That is maybe the best thing I can say about this album. I want to go out & dance. I want to find my girlfriend & give her a big hug & kiss. I want to have fun. Honestly, this gushing is all over the opening song ... but the album keeps the vibe up with five more strong tracks of great beats & girl power. The first song is strong, but what follows is not a let down either lyrically or musically as the band explores different dance pop styles that should delight most ears. You'll be dancing along with the modern darker beats & raps of "Pose", & enjoying the softer yet fun side of the band with "Knock On Wood" that has a slight '80's feel. There's also the sensual longings of "Better Be" that has some great seductive whispered vocals, moving away from the dance beats of the other song. "Pushin' N' Pullin'" is a fun little piano ditty of a relationship that is a pure delight. This is my second fave track. The title might have some overt sexual connotations in English, but actually in this case its meant less sexual & more romantic. While the album ends with the ballad "Hello, Sunset" that fuses a simple beat with a '70's-esque funky guitar. Feel the love of Red Velvet. This is a great album. Check it out without hesitance.
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