The South Korean pop girl band Itzy has started the new year off with a bang with the release of their latest and third overall studio album, Born to Be.
All of the songs on the album have a strong and fearless message to them, emphasizing a recurring theme of female empowerment. In “Untouchable” there is a fast beat and heavy bass with the repeating phrase “Nothing gon’ stop me.”
Similarly, in “Escalator” there is a hip-hop-like beat and electronic melody, sticking to the overall theme of the album. “Mr. Vampire” has a harp melody in the background of the track and soft resonances, exuding a variety of rhythms throughout the album.
This album has individual features from all of the members of the group, giving each of them a well-deserved spotlight to reflect their individual brilliance.
The lead dancer of the girl group, Ryujin, amplifies a 2000s rock melody in her addition to the album, “Run Away.” It is much like the song from the leader of the group, Yeji’s “Crown on My Head,” which has a rock melody intro that smoothly transitions into an electronic and hip hop-like beat.
Meanwhile, rapper Lia captures a soft and airy R&B feel with her song, “Blossom.” Lead dancer Yuna erupts with a happy feeling and a fast-paced pop tune. Similarly, the main dancer Chaeyeon exudes catchy and slow but pop-like rhythms.
Not necessarily staying within the boundaries of the “pop” in K-pop, Itzy implements various sounds and melodies in its latest album, making it well worth a listen.
