Twice's New YouTube Original

Twice recently released a trailer for their upcoming YouTube series called "Seize the Light".  I heard talk of this happening earlier this year but I honestly didn't think it was actually going to be ready until the summer, clearly I am wrong.  A lot of people are excited for this and I see a lot o potential in this series. So here is what I hope to see out of it.

The first thing I hope for is a good balance between stage performance and things behind the scenes.  One trap that some documentaries like this fall into is that they will focus either too much of one or the other and it results in people feeling confused on what the identity of the documentary is.  People will start to wonder is it a concert film or is a behinds the scenes documentary.  Considering that this is a series and not one documentary, I think it will be better balanced and hopefully won't have this problem.  

Another thing I am curious about is how they will handle Mina's anxiety.  This was the tour when Mina's anxiety hit her hard and she ended up having to drop out of the tour as a result. Considering that the camera's were with them all tour, I'm curious if they will brush over it or actually spend some time on it.  In all honesty, I think they should spend some time on it.  Now, when I say that, I don't mean that it should be focusing on Mina.  She was in very bad shape and needed to be left alone.  I still remember that video of her walking out of the airport with the bucket hat over her eyes while crying, it was hard to watch.  What I think it should happen is that we should get the other members reactions and see how they handled it.  While the situation was clearly bad and it certainly made a negative impact, they also grew as a group as well.  Feel Special is their most sincere album and this situation played a part in the making of that album.  There is a reason Mina is in the center on the album cover.  So I think to just skip over it would be disservice to them because it's playing down something that ended up bringing them closer together, both as a group and as friends.  

Last is that even though I do want to see how they handled Mina's situation,  I still don't want the whole series to be drowned in drama.  I remember watching Metallica's Some Kind of Monster movie and getting annoyed by all the drama in it.  Seeing hardships is good because it shows that they are human but when it gets so overwhelming, it gets annoying and feels fake.  Stuff like that is part f the reason I don't watch reality shows anymore. This basically is another form of balance that need's to be taken into account.  Show the right amount of good times and bad.

I honestly have a lot of hopes for this series.  It looks like it has a lot of potential and the members are not afraid to express their feelings so I think this will work.  I look forward to the day it comes out and curious what we will get to see!

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Twice U.S. Record Deal Optimistic But Cautions

News has broke that JYP and Republic records has made a partnership for Twice.  For the Once fandom there is a lot to be excited for. Twice can get more exposure, be able to land more American interviews, and possibly get a much bigger audience.  Twice has already had a short tour in the US and it was very successful. So there is a lot of possibility with this partnership! However, when you look at the history of these kinds of situations in the past, along with other components, there is also a lot to be cautious about.

We cannot forget the other KPop groups that have tried this in the past and that it has yet to work out.  Wonder Girls tried tried this with their EP “2 Different Tears” and it didn’t work. It did fine world wide.  However, the US market, the very market they were trying to gain ground in, it flopped.  Girls Generation also tried to break into the US with them joining Interscope Records.  This wasn’t really a flop because ultimately it didn’t go anywhere to begin with.  You could argue that this is actually worse then flopping.

We also have to pay attention to how the American music industry operates.  Twice has had it pretty good with JYP, though not perfect.  They are busy but they take time to make sure the songs are refined and focus on making an impression rather then just simply making a hit.  The American pop music scene is all about speed and getting  material out quickly. Unless you are one of current pop titans like Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift (both of whom are on Republic Records), you are given a short amount of time to get music out.  This leads to plenty of flops and even if a song does become a hit it usually fades faster then it took to make the song. This short term goal thinking has resulted in tons of failed acts, some of which have been better since they left major labels.  This has also led plenty of artists simply being tossed aside once the record label thinks the well is dry.

The last point I want to make is risk to Twice’s identity.  Record labels have a bad habit of molding people into what is currently big instead letting them make their own identity.  This leads to a lot of one hit wonders and artists with very short careers.  Twice already has a unique identity that has played a huge part in their success.  If Republic Records tries to make them more like Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift, they will lose what made them great. This could result in killing the momentum they have going.  

I understand people are excited, and I personally, would love to see Twice do an English speaking interview like Itzy did on Young Hollywood recently.  However, if it comes at the cost of Twice losing what made them great, I would rather it not happen and they continue to gain momentum through JYP.  The good news is that JYP listens to fans more then most KPop agencies, and if the fans say it’s not working, they will listen.

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Twice Moment Of 2019

Since 2020 has started, I have seen a lot of top 2019 KPop blogs, articles, and videos.  There was a lot in those videos and all of them included something from Twice in one form or another.  However, the one thing I didn’t see mentioned much that I think deserves more attention is Mina’s brief, but emotional speech during their 4th anniversary.

Considering that Mina was still struggling with her anxiety disorder greatly at this time, it was a  miracle she was able to perform at the event, let alone speak and address the audience.  Before that, she would only come on stage for music performances and would rest back stage during the games and fan interactions.

If you watch the video of her speaking on YouTube, you can tell she was nervous.  Fortunately, the Twice members are very close, more like a family then a group of friends.  Mina had Nayeon and Jihyo next to her to support her and her encourage her to speak. She only gets out a few words, but she is sincere. All the 

members then go up and hug her.

She cries a little afterwards, along with some of the other members and we end up having one of the most authentic stage moments, not just in KPop, but in music in general.  It took a lot of will power for Mina to be able to speak and the love and support of the other members is something not all that common.  That is why I think this is one of the top KPop moments of 2019.

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Get Well Mina

I’ve said in the past that I have a soft spot for KPop and KPop artists even though rock and metal are more my style. I think their music is better then our current American pop and I think that should be recognized. Also, unlike a lot of American pop stars, they are overall kind hearted and well mannered.  They don’t take their success for granted and are grateful for their fame.  

I also have sympathy for them when I discover what they have to go through just to have a chance to debut.  It’s brutal and harsh what some of these KPop agencies do to their trainees.  Fortunately for Twice, their agency, JYP, appears to be looking out for them better then most others would.  Then there are the Knetz.

These so called fans can be vicious to KPop artists. Leaving nasty comments, being rude to them at fan events, threatening them, some cases trying to physically harm them. Through it all the KPop artists can just sit there and take it, hoping their agency might do something about it. Sadly more often then not, the agencies don’t do anything. 

Mina is a KPop idol who has been through a lot and I believe she, along with the rest of Twice, deserves her fame. I feel bad that she is currently suffering from extreme anxiety and stage fright that has caused her to miss out on the groups first world tour.  

Even with this happening, Knetz still go after her, some telling her to quit and go back to Japan.  One thing that’s good about rock and metal is the ability to call out unruly fans. Don’t get me wrong, pick and choose your battles wisely, otherwise you will look like the bad guy. However, when I see that KPop artists can’t call out unruly fans, it makes realize how much of a blessing it is that we can do that in the rock world.  

I hope that Mina gets well soon, grows stronger, and rejoins Twice stronger than ever

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Is This The End of Girls Generation?

Recently, it was revealed that Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun of the famed KPop girl group "Girls Generation" will not be renewing their contracts with SM Entertainment.  This has sen't shock waves through the Girls Generation fandom, the Kpop community, and most of the music world.  This has left many people in a panic and wondering what the future is for Girls Generation as well as Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun.

The first thing I would like to talk about is the future's of Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun.  Now, it is official that they are all basically pursuing acting, Tiffany will be leaving Korea and returning to the U.S. to learn acting, while Sooyoung and Seohyun will sign with other agencies to continue acting.  However, I doubt that this is all they will be doing.  First point is that Tiffany has made it clear for years that music is her biggest passion and she has said repeatedly that she wants to make it, musically, in the U.S.  I doubt she is going to throw music out the window and focus strictly on acting from here on out.  The same thing goes for Seohyun.  She is very passionate about music and has made that the center point of her persona for a long time.  Both Tiffany and Seohyun have done a lot in recent years to build themselves up musically.  They have done solo projects, duets, and who forget them being in TTS.  Sooyoung on the other hand, I can see giving music a rest.  She has been very busy with acting when not working with Girls Generation.  While many of the other members have been working on solo careers, she has just been focusing on acting mainly.  She has done some musical things on the side though.  Her and Tiffany have performed together a few times and she helped Tiffany write music on her solo album.  However, I doubt she will do anything serious with music, at least in the near future.  

The second thing that some people are concerned about is the relationship between the members.  This is one that I am not worried about too much.  Usually there are plenty of small indications that let you know if members are not getting along or are not talking to each other.  The main one is that you don't see them mention other members on social media.  That has not happened with Girls Generation.  If you look on their social media accounts, the members hangout and support each other all the time.  They will constantly post pictures of them hanging out and will help promote their side projects as well as like each others posts.  I am pretty sure that people can be at ease with this one.  I think they all get along fine and will still be great friends going forward. 

Biggest question is what is the future of Girl Generation? I can see this going one of two ways.  The first way is that they disband.  As much as I like Taeyeon, Yuri, and the remaining members, I doubt they can continue as a five piece group.  With Jessica already gone and now losing three more members, that would be hard to keep going.  One reason is that this means half the group is gone and that is going to be hard to fill.  Tiffany and Seohyun have a distinct sound in their voices that is very hard to replace.  In fact, if I'm being honest, I don't think they were able to replace Jessica's voice that well either.  Even now when I listen to "Gee" it still feels weird to me hearing Tiffany say Jessica's lines.  

The second way I see it going is that SM negotiates with other agencies to keep Seohyun, Tiffany, and Sooyoung in Girls Generation.  I see this as a possibility because SM themselves have said they are willing to negotiate with other agencies.  In the past, SM has said that they are willing to negotiate and talk to other agencies if it mean't Girls Generation would stay together.  One thing that people need to realize is that SM needs Girls Generation.  They need them because without them SM will no longer be on top.  Girls Generation is considered the biggest Kpop girl group in the world and if they were to disband that would be a huge blow to SM.  They would lose a good chunk of their fandom they would no longer be the biggest agency as a result.  It is in SM best interest to keep Girls Generation together and they know it.

However it turns out, we should still support all the members in their future ventures.  Where ever they decide to go, what ever they decide to do, support them and love them.  Wish them the best and no ill.  If Tiffany wants to make it in America, buy her records and/or watch the things she gets to act in.  The same goes for the other members. Help them grow and be successful where ever they go. Maybe they disband, maybe they stay together, it doesn't change the musical legacy they have made together.  

  

      

Girls Generation Holiday Review

Girls Generation has come to there 10 year mark and to celebrate this achievement, which is saying something in the Kpop world, they released a new album called Holiday Night.  One of their first singles on this new album is Holiday.  The song has not even been released a full day and it has already reached over 3 million views on YouTube and the views are going up very quickly.  Considering all this, lets take a look at Girls Generation's new song, Holiday.

Musically, this is one of my favorite Girls Generation songs.  The music has a cool soul and funk feel to it, reminding me a little bit of the 70's.  It's fast paced and it sounds fun, and the funk sound in the song really helps to make it stand out.  Vocally, all the girls sound good, as usual.  Girls Generation is very fortunate to have some very good singers.  Taeyeon and Seohyun are some stand outs for me.  They are great singers that have great range and melody.  They showcase these attributes very well in this song.  Hyoyeon's rap section is pretty catchy and I think it was a smart move to give her that roll in this song.  Out of all the singers in Girls Generation, her style and voice works best for rapping and this song proves that.  The main stand out for me though is Tiffany.  Her voice and range works very well with the music in this song.  I actually think that for Tiffany's next solo album, she should actually take this musical approach to it because it works so well with her voice.

Lyrically, this is just like any other Kpop song.  Basically, the song is about having fun and being in a happy relationship.  The way they are constructed is pretty good, but they aren't personal to the members and it is something we have heard constantly out of Kpop.  If the lyrics were more about how happy the girls are to be together for 10 years, that would be personal and real.  That would resonate and would be message people embrace just as well, if not better.  Basically, they took the safe route lyrically and didn't venture outside the safe zone. 

Overall, this is a great single and a good way for Girls Generation to start off their 10 year celebration.  While the lyrics are not special, the music is some of the best of the Girls Generation Discography.   Vocally, the girls sound fantastic and are clearly still very talented after 10 years.  With good music and great vocals, I give Holiday a 4.5 out of 5.  

Taeyeon Make Me Love You Review

Taeyeon is best known as a singer and the leader of  one of the biggest KPop girl groups in the world, Girls Generation.  Girls Generation is a house hold name in Korea and has developed a good following through out the world. Taeyeon had decided to make a solo record in 2016 and it was met with huge success. Selling millions world wide and going past 100 million views on YouTube.  She recently decided to make another solo record and one of the singles she released off that record was Make Me Love You.  

The first thing I would like to point out about this song is Taeyeon's voice.  This girl is an amazing singer and in my opinion, this is one her best songs vocally.  She demonstrates the great range she has and she also does a good job of singing English naturally.  Some KPop artists have an accent when they sing English and it really sticks out.  With Taeyeon, she doesn't have that and as a result the song sounds more smooth.

The music is not bad, but it could improve a little bit.  The main reason I think that is that it doesn't sound complete.  The only instruments in this song are programmed drums and Synthesizer.  With only 2 instruments the music sounds a little dry.  If they added bass and guitar, like in a live performance she did, it would sound more full.  Check out the live performance shown below to see what I mean.

Lyrically this is a love song about the journey to be in a good relationship.  The first verse is about being lonely and longing for someone. The chorus is about finding that person and being happy. Then the second verse is about living out that relationship.  This song basically tells a story and that is what I like about this song lyrically.  Normally most love songs are strictly about the feeling, and don't go into finding that relationship.  Because Taeyeon decided to go down the story direction it really makes this song unique.

This is one of Taeyeon's best solo songs and certainly worth recognition.  Even though the music sounds a little inclomplete, it still works pretty well and Taeyeon's voice really carries this song.  Lyrically, it doesn't go down the traditional love song structure and really makes this song unique.  I give Make Me Love You a 4.5 out of 5.

2NE1 Goodbye Review

Out of all the KPop girl groups that have tried to make headway in the world, few did as well as 2NE1. Many people consider 2NE1 the second biggest girl group in KPop, with only Girls Generation surpassing them.  Sadly, to the shock of many KPop fans, 2NE1 disbanded at the end of 2016.  With Minzy leaving the group and Bom having health issues, YG Entertainment decided to end the group.  However, before they disbanded they put out one of the most deepest, real, honest songs I have ever heard, Goodbye.

Musically, this song is simple, but fantastic, the acoustic guitar sets the sad mood the song is going for perfectly.  It is not complex or tricky but for a song like this, that is fine, it still sounds good and plays a huge part in getting the songs message across. All three girls sound great in this song.  Every one carries their sections perfectly and drives the lyrical meaning to the point that you really feel the sadness they feel about disbanding. 

Lyrically, this is one of the most honest and real songs I have ever heard.  CL did a great job of writing lyrics that are communicating their hurt to the audience.  They don't hold back their feelings, and this is the kind of lyric writing I love seeing.  They don't try to be overly fancy or cool sounding, they choose to be real, and that is what I admire.  

I am not the biggest 2NE1 fan, but I have to admit that they did a fantastic farewell song here.  The message is communicated clearly, the melody is great, and the simple acoustic guitar creates a very great song that makes even someone like me, who is not a huge fan of 2NE1, feel bad that they are disbanding.  When you have a song that does that you have done something right.  I wish all the members of 2NE1 the best and hope they are all very successful in their future careers.  For having not just a good sounding song, but a very honest song, I give Goodbye a 5 out of 5.  

Top 5 Sistar Songs

Recently I have started to get more into Sistar recently after I discovered their song I Swear.  I was really impressed by the girls vocal abilities and was curious enough to look deeper in their catalog.  Overall, they have some pretty impressive music.  All four girls are good singers and are certainly worth recognition.  This time, I count down the top 5 Sistar songs.

5.  Shake It

Initially when I saw this title I was a little worried.  I didn't know who Sistar was at the time and I thought that it would just be another generic pop song.  If you look at it from a lyrical stand point, then there is nothing to be impressed by.  However, with the catchy music and the girls amazing vocals, you got a song that is fun and enjoyable.  Hyorin and Dasom do a great job in this song, with Hyorin singing great leads and Dasom really bringing out the catchy nanana parts, she plays in big part in giving this song its catchy feel.  

4.  I Like That

I Like that has a more darker feel to it.  Basically this is about a women breaking up with her ex because she caught him cheating on her.  The music in this song is pretty catchy and easily hooks you into the song.  This is another song where Hyorin and Dasom shine.  With both of them doing a good job leading the song vocally they capture the mood perfectly.  I would slightly say that Dasom's voice fits this song best out of everybody else, but that doesn't diminish the fact that all four of them are good in this song.

3.  Touch My Body

Touch My Body is a feel good song about the girls having a crush on a guy and wanting to spend time with him.  Lyrically there isn't much special about this song.  This is a message we have heard a million times and it's become a cliche at this point.  However, musically and vocally this is one of Sistar's most catchy songs.  This one I can't really say who stands out most, they all do a good job.  Bora's rapping sounds great, Hyorin, Dasom, and Soyou all sound good when they are singing.  This has been credited as the song that got Sistar world wide attention and I can see why.  With it being catchy musically and vocally it can capture the attention of anybody who listens to it.  

2.  Loving U

Loving U is another feel good song, pretty similar to Touch My Body.  A feel good song about having a crush on someone.  Musically, it is a little more simple but that is made up for in the girls vocals.   I would say that Soyou and Bora are the best in this song.  Soyou's voice matches the mood perfectly and Bora's rapping also fits the song well.  The thing that makes this song stand out so well, aside from the members excellent vocals, is the catchy chorus.  Out of all the songs I have heard from Sistar so far, this is defiantly  one that I remember most for it's chorus.  

1.  I Swear

I Swear is very good song, about being loyal to the person you love.  The music itself is pretty good, with its upbeat vibe and good use of the saxophone this is some of the most memorable music in Sistar's discography.  Vocally, Hyorin and Soyou sound amazing  and once again, Bora does a good job rapping.  Without a doubt this is one of the best songs I have heard Hyorin singing on.  I do feel a bad for Dasom in this song though.  She gets a short section to shine and then sticks to backup vocals on the rest of the song.  Having said that I still think this is one of the best Sistar song and it gave me a good introduction to Sistar.    

Top 5 Cover Songs

     Music covers can go one of two ways in music.  They can either be paying tribute to a band you really like that influenced you, or it can be executing a different vision then the original artist had.  Either way, if they are done well, cover songs can be a great addition to a bands catalog and sometimes go down a historical song.  Here are 5 covers that are very well done and worth recognition.

5.  Shinning Star by Stryper

Originally done by Earth Wind and Fire, Stryper decided to take this 70's hit and put a metal spin on it on their 1990 Against the Law album.  It may be a little eye brow raising at first but when you listen to it, this truly is a great cover.  Stryper almost completely changed the song, from adding heavy guitar and heavy drums.  Their is some funk like guitar that reminds you of the original song, but aside from that the two versions sound completely different.  Michael Sweet does a great job on lead vocals, putting his own vocal style to the song and delivering killer vocals on it.  This is a good example of taking a certain song and making it your own,

4.  Let It Go by Hyolyn

With Let It Go becoming one of the most iconic Disney songs in history, Disney took it abroad to have many nations perform and cover the song in their country's language.  Their are many different people who would sing this song but one of the best takes on it comes from Hyolyn from South Korea.  Famed for being the leader of her main group, Sistar, Hyolyn is considered to have one of the best singing voices in Kpop and she carries that into this song.  Musically, the song doesn't change much except that it is slightly softer then the original.  But Hyolyn's singing ability makes this a very good cover and one that is defiantly worth listening to.

3.  Sunday Bloody Sunday by Pillar

  

Sunday Bloody Sunday was originally recorded by U2 in the 80's and would go on to be a very successful hit for the band.  Decades later, it would be picked up by Pillar who would put their own spin on it.  Pillar would chose to put a more heavier metal sound to it, resulting in heavier lower tuned guitar work with the military style drum beats to back it up.  Rob Beckly does a great job on vocals.  Delivering a very chilling feel for a song about war brutality.  This is one of the most underrated songs off the bands Where Do We Go From Here album, one I wish people would listen to more often.

2.  Whiskey in the Jar by Thin Lizzy

Many people don't know this, but Whiskey In the Jar is a song that dates back to the 17th century, and has been done by many artists in Ireland since then.  Now, a lot of people will say that Metallica's version surpasses this one, but I personally think this one is better.  With the melodic guitar work of Eric Bell and the Phil Lynott's voice, Thin Lizzy's version has a good feel that reminds you that this is a folk song in Ireland.  With a good acknowledgement to the past, and foot in the present (at the time the song was recorded) you got one cover that is very underrated and deserves more attention. 

1  Hurt by Johnny Cash

With out a doubt, one of the best covers of all time has to be Hurt by Johnny Cash.  A lot of people actually don't know that this song was originally written by Nine Inch Nails in the 90's.  Johnny Cash would pick up on the song in 2002 and put a country twist on the song.  This version without a doubt has a much bigger impact then the Nine Inch Nails version, in fact Trent Reznor himself has said that he felt like he wrote this song for Johnny Cash to use.  With that single acoustic guitar and Johnny Cash's voice, you really get a feel for the pain this song is portraying and results in one of Johnny Cash's biggest hits.  Sadly, Johnny Cash would die 5 months later after the song was released.  He would go down in history as one of the greatest country performers of all time.  RIP Johnny Cash.