I wasn’t going to write about VCHA because… well, they’re not K-pop. They’re produced by a K-pop agency, but this marks JYP Entertainment’s first attempt to create a strictly American girl group. From the start, I’ve felt apprehensive about this project — not because of the cross cultural interplay but because K-pop’s attempts at “going American” have almost all been incredibly dull so far. It’s hard enough getting a girl group off the ground in the Western pop landscape. What’s JYP going to offer that’s any different?
In this case, the agency has transposed their in-house style and idol infrastructure onto a group from another country, similar to their approach behind groups like NiziU and Boy Story. I find this ‘facsimile of a facsimile’ pretty pointless, since I’d rather just listen to the original version. But a good song is a good song, and these groups are certainly capable of churning out the hits.
That brings us to Girls Of The Year, which is VCHA’s official debut track. If we’re judging on the ‘facsimile of a facsimile’ scale, it’s actually pretty good. Catchy hooks, confident performances and bounding energy combine to create a memorable arrival for the girls. The instrumental has a ton of pep, especially as it moves into its propulsive, synth-driven chorus. Unfortunately, K-pop’s strengths come with its weakest tropes, as the track plunges into an energy-killing second verse. The song also misses an opportunity for a richer, more harmonic vocal arrangement in the long tradition of American girl groups. Instead, Girls Of The Year plays things very straightforward and this makes it feel a little inessential.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8