KATSEYE, like VCHA before them, present an interesting challenge for this blog. They can’t really be considered “K-pop,” but they were formed on the competition show Dream Academy co-managed by HYBE Corporation. Time will tell if I keep writing about their music, but for now I think it’s important to touch on their debut as part of the industry’s broadening global fortunes.
Speaking of debuts, “Debut” marks the first teaser of how an American HYBE-produced girl group might sound and — more tellingly — what the company thinks an American audience wants from pop music in 2024. Clearly, they don’t have much respect for our collective attention span. At a grand total of two minutes and four seconds, Debut must be one of the shortest K-pop-adjacent singles on record. “Short” doesn’t automatically mean “bad,” but Debut‘s lack of space to develop seriously hampers its prospects.
To me, this feels more like a demo or work-in-progress than a fully-realized arrival for KATSEYE. The potential is enormous, especially given the fact that America hasn’t churned out a blockbuster girl group in years. I hear more than a little Pussycat Dolls and Fifth Harmony in Debut‘s slick, rhythmic sound. That’s a great starting point and the song really comes alive when we move past the trite sing-talk of the verses into the fleshed out chorus. But if I’m comparing this to a recent single like Nayeon’s multifaceted ABCD, the song could really do with an extra idea or two to help it stand out. It’s half of a good start, if that makes sense.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8