ITZY's upcoming album promises a tsunami of music videos, which means you'll be reading a lot about their music here. First up is the titular track Born To Be, which introduces a new era for the group. This is ITZY at their most powerful, unveiling a combative dance routine over a song that ticks off many modern K-pop tropes.
I've made no secret that this overall sound isn't really for me. It seems that every K-pop group now requires this specific template -- a bombastic, in-your-face manifesto of their own superiority. The thing is, by replicating this style over and over again, it's lost its bite. What once may have felt commanding now feels predictable and flat. It takes a real gutsy performance to make these stand out -- the kind of perfect imperfections that just aren't allowed within the K-pop idol industry.
Fortunately, Born To Be is an above average take on this specific template. I like how streamlined it feels. Its robotic lurch stays consistent throughout and the girls finally get to sing (sing-talk?) in a more comfortable register. Its militant march is effective, but lacks the melodic range to truly stand out. Notably, this is ITZY's first release without main vocal Lia, who is currently on hiatus. That probably explains the lack of challenging vocal moments, but I think this songwriting approach works in ITZY's favor. As an introduction to their new era, Born To Be works just fine. It's nowhere near their best, but I'm eager to see where they go from here.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
Grade: C+
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