A week ago, Starship Entertainment’s new girl group KiiiKiii pre-released their first track I Do Me, prompting a lukewarm response from me and many others who wished the group wouldn’t play things so safe. Be careful what you wish for, I guess, because they’re back with another pre-release — ironically titled Debut Song.
I’m not sure I’ve ever encountered a song like this from a major label before. This is a tough one, because as far as I can tell, Debut Song isn’t meant to be taken seriously. Its garishness is a feature, not a bug. At least, I hope that’s the case. It feels like I’d be perpetuating the joke by giving it a poor rating, but the song is legitimately awful. On Debut Song, the world of internet memes and pop music have become intrinsically linked to the point where you can’t tell the difference. I guess the track is mildly funny the first time through, but like most memes it teeters into obnoxiousness the more it’s played.
Again, it feels silly to harp on the song’s annoying “Happy Birthday” interpolation, cheesy rap phrasing and “cake, cake, cake” hooks. This is clearly a marketing strategy to prompt attention, so I’ll play right into their hands and give it the terrible rating they’re looking for. However, it’s worth pointing out that a knowing, “wink wink” terrible is nowhere near as fun as an honest-to-god earnest terrible.
Hooks
2
Production
4
Longevity
3
Bias
3
RATING
3