ALBUM REVIEWS
Back in 2022, thousands of girls across the globe shared one dream – for a spot in HYBE and Geffen Records’ latest project: an unprecedented girl group that would bridge the West and K-pop. Fast forward two years, and after three months of competing in the YouTube reality series The Debut: Dream Academy, Daniela, Lara, Megan, Yoonchae, Sophia and Manon would emerge as the final line-up of the new girl group KATSEYE.
There’s an unmistakable bond between the members, the kind that transcends borders despite each coming from diverse cultural backgrounds – including the US, Switzerland, the Philippines and South Korea. After all, these were bonds forged through sweat and grit as they survived mission after mission that emulated the notoriously laborious K-idol training structure. Alongside them were 14 other contestants, handpicked from a pool of more than 120,000 hopefuls.
It is precisely from this shared sisterhood that ‘SIS (Soft Is Strong)’ finds its core. As one listens through the EP, its peculiar name starts unravelling itself. From getting over a crush melodramatically in ‘Touch’ – a dreamy dance-pop salute to independence that’s tinged with drum ’n’ bass influences – to brashly singing “Even if I mess it all up and make a million mistakes / At least I can say that I did it my way” on the emotive ballad, ‘My Way’, KATSEYE navigate the complexity of girlhood and all its ups and downs while staying soft in a hard world.
“Ohh We-ee-ee ain’t flexin’ babe we do what we do,” the group boldly declare in their aptly named debut single, ‘Debut’. Beginning their journey in discovering that strength comes in more forms than one, this high-energy pop anthem balances its exciting chorus with sing-talk verses that ooze attitude. Though the slick production manages to capture KATSEYE’s self-assurance despite being newcomers, it falls short as a fully realised arrival of the group – though, follow-up single ‘Touch’ more than makes up for it.
The shimmery, plucky intro of ‘I’m Pretty’ – the EP’s fourth track and standout – immediately transports us back to pop staples from the late-2000s. “Just when I think it’s too much I dry my tears with makeup / Things I could do with this brush, you’d never know that I hurt,” they sing full of emotion, as the group’s vocal prowess starts to shine through. “But I’m pretty (pretty) pretty (pretty) / Pretty sure that I’m still breathing,” KATSEYE affirm they are stronger than they think with effortless harmonies that masterfully glide through the airy instrumental.
Juxtaposing their hesitation to break free from a cycle of overthinking with an instrumental that dials up the ‘dance’ in dance-pop to an eleven, ‘Tonight I Might’ acts as the perfect closing for the EP. “Do all of the shit I know I didn’t do when I was a kid / Get high on life for somebody’s kiss, Tonight I might,” decide the girls as they playfully let go of their inhibitions, bouncing off a gleeful electronic dance beat that perfectly conjures the image of the end credit scene from a coming-of-age movie – especially during the explosive final chorus.
KATSEYE come out of the gate swinging with ‘SIS (Soft Is Strong)’, a surprisingly cohesive release that largely captures the group’s enormous potential. However, with none of the songs crossing three minutes – in fact, only two barely reach two-and-a-half minutes – it’s hard to shake off the itch you get when a song ends a little bit too early or the feeling that it was just one final chorus away from perfection. Still, this EP proves that they’ve got all the makings of the next big girl group, embellished with the polish and glitter of K-pop.
ALBUM REVIEWS
Grandeur sits at the heart of ‘This Music May Contain Hope’, RAYE’s second album, and the result feels nothing short of breathtaking. On this record, the singer born Rachel Keen explores a wide spectrum of sounds across its 73 minute length, moving from emotional ballads to lively funk moments and the jazz pop style she has become closely associated with. It can feel overwhelming at first, yet the magic that comes from RAYE fully committing to her vision makes the experience rewarding from start to finish.
‘This Music May Contain Hope’, a conceptual project about pushing through insecurity and heartbreak, unfolds like a lavish stage production. RAYE takes on the dual role of main character and guiding voice throughout the story. “Allow me to set the scene. Our story begins at 2:27am on a rainy night in Paris. Cue the thunder,” she says during the opening track ‘Girl Under The Grey Cloud’, which arrives with sweeping orchestral strings. Spoken passages appear across the album, helping shape the narrative and giving the project a sense of direction, almost like hearing the official recording of a Broadway show.
With this framework in place, the South London artist allows herself to fully explore the album’s diverse musical palette, and most of the time it works in her favor. Sometimes she fully embraces the theatrical side of the concept, especially during the closing section of the smooth R&B track ‘The WhatsApp Shakespeare’. Other moments are delivered more straightforwardly, such as the emotional slow building ballad ‘I Know You’re Hurting’. She also revisits her earlier dance influences with the impressive house track ‘Life Boat’.
Across the entire album, two things stand out clearly. RAYE’s flexible vocals sound better than ever, and her songwriting feels sharper than it has before. Take the playful highlight ‘I Hate The Way I Look Today’, a swing jazz inspired track reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald, where she admits “I’m okay to be lonely / If I’m lonely and skinny / I have such silly self-loathing thoughts, it seems”. Then there is the emotional storytelling in ‘Nightingale Lane’: “It was right there, early June / Next to Old Park Avenue / Standing in the rain, I watched him walk away”.
Despite all the vulnerability and emotional struggles explored throughout the record, RAYE ultimately reaches a place of optimism, staying true to the album’s title. She gathers her close friends on ‘Click Clack Symphony’ with support from Hans Zimmer, finds closure with guidance from Al Green on the smooth seventies soul inspired ‘Goodbye Henry’, and reaches toward something greater alongside her sisters Amma and Absolutely on the uplifting ‘Joy’ as she searches to be “free of all the pain and every fear”. After the stormy opening imagery of that “rainy night” and “thunder”, RAYE eventually realizes that “the sun exists behind the clouds”, as she shares on ‘Happier Times Ahead’.
‘This Music May Contain Hope’ shows RAYE performing at her absolute peak. The album feels huge in scale and emotionally powerful, yet it remains rooted in honest experiences and real feelings. Yes, it asks a lot from the listener, but that is also what makes it so special. Every dramatic moment and musical shift feels like RAYE claiming her independence and finally creating music entirely on her own terms.
