This is the month BTS fans have been waiting for, as all seven members will soon have returned from their military-imposed hiatus. New group music will undoubtedly be in the works, but prior to that the guys continue to chug along with solo projects. After a double shot of solo singles in March, J-Hope is back with Killin’ It Girl, a collaboration with American rapper GloRilla.
Killin’ It Girl reminds me most of J-Hope’s Chicken Noodle Soup days of yore, blending a quirky bed of percussion with a pop-friendly hook. GloRilla adds a more intimidating energy, but by and large this is an upbeat jam meant for dancing. J-Hope wrings all he can from the brittle beat, which sounds like spoons repeatedly hitting glass. Luckily, this higher pitch is kept toward the back of the mix, soon overtaken by lush synth that adds great texture to the track. I wish Killin’ It Girl would continue to grow in this way, as we could have been in store for a knockout climax. Instead, the song is content to spin its wheels in an admittedly pleasant, head-nodding fashion.
Going forward, BTS members would do well to use this tone as a template. Their music works best when perched halfway between the soul-bearing hip-hop they built their name on and more upbeat turn-off-your-brain pop bops. Killin’ It Girl strikes this balance, cool enough to avoid novelty but also a bit silly just to let you know it’s not taking itself too seriously. This is easily J-Hope’s strongest single of 2025 so far.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
9
Bias
8
RATING
8.25