Courtesy of CUBE Entertainment
Who is (G)I-DLE?
(G)I-DLE is a five-member girl group formed through CUBE Entertainment. Soyeon, the leader of the group, produces and writes every single song that comes from (G)I-DLE. They are a rare case where a member is singlehandedly creating the music and direction. Usually, K-pop songs are written in writing camps where producers and writers make the music for everyone. Soyeon is a one-of-a-kind artist who helps evolve (G)I-DLE’s discography.
Soyeon has made (G)I-DLE a group that covers many topics and inspires the younger generations. Some examples of issues they covered are plastic surgery, feminism, not every wife needs to be a housewife, body image and many more. The group is constantly raising the bar for women in a country where they typically don’t make music that touches on societal issues.
(G)I-DLE debuted in 2016, earning music show wins during their first release. This is monumental as they are not in the “Big 3” K-pop companies. Overall, this group has 67 music show wins making them tenth in most music show wins for any group.
“Klaxon” Review
“Klaxon” serves as the title track to the group’s seventh mini album, I SWAY. It is a cute summer song that has good vibes to it, but, it is lackluster compared to the other songs they have released and the rest of the tracks on this mini album. “Klaxon” means a loud horn in Korean which, following the lyrics, tells the world to honk the horn to get the members’ attention. They want you to honk so they know you’re interested in them. (G)I-DLE wants you to let them into your car and realize this fate of being together.
The music video screams summer with palm trees and dancing in the middle of the street in front of cars. It definitely matches the song about a loud horn, as a car honks for them. The video also shows the beach and, overall, just feels like a cute video by the group. I think the video is the best aspect of “Klaxon” because it shows the girls having fun and making an unserious video after many very deep concepts.
I SWAY Review
Overall, this album is amazing. Besides the title track, the other three songs have so much substance and replay value. The best song is “Bloom” by far. The bright, ’80s-inspired synth track showcases (G)I-DLE’s amazing vocals and incredible vocal tones. They have a wide range in their group, with Yuqi being able to hit those low bass notes and the rest of the group hitting beautiful high, airy vocals. This track is about their heart blooming like a flower with butterflies for a significant other. The significant other is the only person that can make their heart bloom and they are head over heels in love.
I SWAY debuted at #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart.
“Neverland” Track Review
Secondly, I loved the song “Neverland.” The guitar and piano in the production signify a slow ballad for (G)I-DLE. There was a lot of high energy in this mini album and this song is the perfect closer to I SWAY. The members take turns singing their hearts out, hitting every note effortlessly. “Neverland” has an explosive chorus that truly hits you in the feels. The song talks about having a hard past they need to move on from and dream a new dream. Life is short and you have to live your life to the fullest even when you are knocked down.
They finally found comfort from within as a group together and there are new memories to be made. It is a bittersweet song that is truly perfect for the group. The amount of work and fighting they had to do in order to be as successful as they are now was a lot. There were a lot of odds stacked against them, and they defied them. I am not sure of the future of (G)I-DLE as a group as they are wrapping up their contract, but this song sounds a little like a disbandment is approaching soon, which I hope I am wrong about.
(G)I-DLE North America Tour
(G)I-DLE will be embarking on a small tour across North America in September. Check Ticketmaster to see if the group is coming to your area.
