April 12, 2013
Last year, 15& debuted with I Dream. While I Dream greatly showcases the wide range and solid vocals of the duo, it clearly had no intention of creating any impact on the music industry. 15& is undoubtedly an extremely talented duo with great potential vocally, so such a rash and unplanned debut for them is really an incredible waste of talent. JYP seems to have realized his mistake too and is attempting to rectify it through this comeback, which he has done so successfully to quite a large extent - the comeback song of 15&, Somebody, has already achieved an ‘all-kill’ on music charts. Do check out the music video below!
The Song Somebody is by far the most fun and catchy song release that I have heard as of 2013. It is somewhat pop-retro, yet jazzy. With its fast tempo, it carries a light, cheerful and bouncy melody that brings out the youthful vigour of 15&. Personally, my applause goes out to 15& for having pulled off this upbeat retro style, yet still able to showcase their solid vocals.
The song starts of with a Sitar solo playing a minor chord progression and already, a strong pulse and driving force is present in the song. The standard repetitive chorus is added in a few seconds later, going "I want somebody-body, somebody-body, somebody to love, yeah!". On the other hand, the verses are extremely varied. The verse start off on a low note (both metaphorically and literally), until it gradually builds up momentum through the adding of "ooh-oohs", ad libs, and perfect harmonies (which, by the way, really blew me away). And WOW. Then, the energy level of the song drops drastically when they begin singing interchangeably in "I want somebody for my ___" which is the bridge of the song. Afterwards, the verse and chorus repeat themselves.
The Individual Scenes
There is an unbelievably great increase in maturity shown in Somebody as compared to I Dream in terms of physical appearance.
Though the KPOP Star Parody required a compromise on the retro concept of the music video, it was a good move made. I was entirely entertained and amused throughout the video by it - from the contestants, to the judges, to even the parodied logo. While Baek Ye Rin took the conservative seat in parodying BoA, Park Ji Min proved to be truly talented in her extremely comical impersonations of Yang Hyun Suk and JYP. Many of 15&'s labelmates, including Park Je Hyung, Baek Ah Yeon and, of course, JYP himself, made appearances as the contestants. The storyline was about how many KPOP Star hopefuls auditioned for the show, where some were regretfully eliminated. In the end, it was a face-off between JYP and Baek Ah Yeon, where Baek Ah Yeon eventually emerged as champion.
The Dance 15& steps up on their performance skills in Somebody through choreographed dance moves. The most distinct and memorable dance move would definitely be the one during the chorus, where they swing one arm after another.
Overall, Somebody really shows marked improvement in 15& in terms of their appeal not just as vocally strong singers, but also as holistic idols. What do you think of the music video of Somebody - 15&? Do type your comments in the section below!
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Definitely the best song so far this year. This made up for the little slump not only JYP was getting but also 15& with their less impactful debut in 'I Dream'.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I don't like is how Park JinYoung always tries to get into the artists' individual careers and was featured in this video... sure, he's a judge on the show and it's marketing/promoting but can't the girls just do what they do on their own? And he does it in numerous occasions that exceed just this one appearance. It's quite tiring.