MYs, the day has finally come! aespa‘s second mini-album, Girls, is finally ours to listen to on repeat and frantically scour the internet for photocards and signed copies of! It’s been less than a year since we got Savage, but Giselle, Karina, Ningning, and Winter have already outdone themselves and given us what might be their strongest work so far.
Alongside two pre-release singles, the girls gave us three new tracks and a Korean version of ‘Life’s Too Short.’ They even broke the record for most K-Pop girl group album preorders, stacking up 1.61 million! And to no one’s surprise, the girls landed in the top three Billboard 200 Chart and #1 on the album sales chart! Queens. The new songs push their sonic boundaries, highlight their charisma and vocal talents, and make us prouder than ever to have been MYs since their debut with ‘Black Mamba.’ Let’s take a look at this mind-blowing EP and aespa’s new music!
‘Girls’
Not gonna lie, ‘Girls’ might just be our favorite aespa title track to date! It kicks off the mini-album in such an energetic way, and we’re obsessed with the guitars – Rockspa rise! Their vocals are on another level as well, especially Karina‘s long note towards the end. The ominous notes in the beginning feel like we’re stepping foot in Black Mamba’s lair before the vibes shift to a more arena-ready sound, culminating in the rock-influenced chorus that blows our mind.
Because ‘Girls’ is the title track of our new mini-album, I really hope the fans will listen to it first and show a lot of love and support for it!
Winter to Audacy
‘Illusion’
We can’t see any other song than ‘Illusion’ being the second track of this EP – it continues the energy of ‘Girls’ so perfectly! This song gets better and better every time we hear it, and we’re still not over Winter’s wispy vocals before the first pre-chorus. And can we talk about the fact that the girls were able to rhyme “illusion” with “delicious?” Unreal.
I really liked ‘Illusion!’ I think it really showcases each and every one of our voices and our tones really well.
Giselle to Audacy
‘Lingo’
From the moment we heard the phone ringing in the beginning of ‘Lingo,’ our first thought was “Naevis calling.” While Naevis doesn’t seem to make an official appearance on this track, we’re sure she’d be impressed by what a fresh sound it has. Our jaws dropped when we first heard the harmonica, which makes ‘Lingo’ feel like a unique new breed of pop.
Because the album consists of various genres and styles of music, it was really fun to experiment with different types of music during the recording session. So just playing around and trying different types of music that we haven’t before was one of the best and most memorable parts of making the album. […] I really like ‘Lingo!’ The vibe is very chill and happy. So, yeah, this is a good track.
Ningning to Audacy
‘Life’s Too Short’
You know when you hear a Japanese version of one of your favorite K-Pop songs for the first time and it feels like you stepped into another dimension? That’s how it felt when we listened to the Korean version of ‘Life’s Too Short’ after keeping the English version on repeat for weeks, but we’re not complaining. Their vocals are absolutely stunning on this version and Giselle’s signature swag shines brighter than ever.
‘ICU’
One word to describe ‘ICU:’ magical. This acoustic-driven track is unlike anything we’ve heard from aespa before, and it would be such a great addition to an OST. Their voices sound absolutely beautiful and it really offers a new side to the group that we haven’t seen. It offers a chill moment in between the higher-energy tracks that helps you really absorb the girls’ talent and versatility.
I really like the message that it has. It’s kind of, you know, good for calming you and it’s kind of, like, healing. And in that song, you can also really tell what the members’ voices sound like.
Giselle to Audacy
‘Life’s Too Short (English Version)’
If the English version of ‘Life’s Too Short’ was a person, she’d probably be giving us a “welcome home, cheater” greeting when we came back to her after listening to the Korean version. That or she’d be ecstatic that we finally heard her twin! ‘Life’s Too Short’ is definitely one of our songs of the summer, thanks to its chill, upbeat pop vibe and positive message. It’s the perfect way to end the mini-album, which is no small accomplishment since we wish it would never end.
This is our first time releasing a song in English, so it is new and exciting for us. We tried to convey the meaning of the lyrics well. It has bright energy and bright feeling. I hope everyone likes this song!
Karina to Billboard News
Giving us everything from chill R&B influences to their signature dark-pop sound, Girls is a step into a bold new era for aespa, letting them show off their confidence and mesmerizing talents more than ever. Each of the six tracks is equally thrilling, standing apart on their own while still complementing every other song on the project and showing off the group’s dimensionality! Get ready for aespa to be bigger than ever, because this is just the beginning.
What do you think of Girls? Which track is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! And for more fun aespa content, click here.
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