Seven days into the year and we have our first notable debut of 2025 (KickFlip’s song earlier this week was a pre-release). Three of the four XLOV members were contestants on 2023’s Boys Planet, ensuring a certain level of notoriety even before the release of I’mma Be. The group also has a “genderless” concept, which feels quite new for a Korean idol act. With all this promise, it’s unfortunate that the music itself comes across as a bunch of recycled tropes stitched together.
XLOV are intriguing for everything but this song. I’mma Be acts as a decent showcase for their skill, but as an actual piece of music it leaves much to be desired. The production is slinky and measured, tiptoeing when it could offer a more commanding stomp. During the first verse, this works well enough, but as soon as we hit the chorus my interest has flatlined. An irritating spoken-word hook unfolds as the instrumental takes an ugly turn toward more abrasive tones that feel borrowed from too many other boy group tracks.
From here, I’mma Be simply spins its wheels, delivering fragments of melody that fail to forge into something larger. I get the sense that the track’s message and execution were prioritized over the underlying songwriting. That’s a shame, because there is clearly talent in this group. The vocals during the bridge are very confident and ear-catching and deserve much stronger material.
Hooks
6
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
7
RATING
6.75