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Friday, 2026 May 29, Los Angeles-

One of the most significant albums thus far in 2026 has arrived, so let’s waste no time delving into aespa’s Lemonade – The 2nd Album.

The album release was at 1:00pm KST and so was 9:00pm last night May 28 here in Los Angeles, so this initial review writing is after having lived with the album for about three quarters of a day. As I always communicate on EricJohnMusic.com, the relationship between the listener and an artistic musical work almost always evolves over time. These initial reviews are my fairly raw reactions after only a few listens. In this case, I have listened through with full focus twice in order prior to writing, watched the “Lemonade” song video once, and am listening again selectively as I write. The lead single released ahead of the album “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” which features BIGBANG’s G-Dragon was released May 11, so that I have listened to many more times than the rest.

Let me incorporate some feedback regarding some of my other blog posts on EricJohnMusic.com and provide a bit more background than I often have (not 🙂 ) for those less versed in either aespa or KPOP or both. (This topic of how much background/context info to include is ongoing and will be the topic of a blog post in and of itself, as well as in new features in development for EricJohnMusic.com that address this area.)

aespa is a four person group consisting of leader/main dancer/lead rapper/sub-vocalist/visual/center/face of the group Karina, main rapper/vocalist Giselle, main vocalist/lead dancer/visual Winter, main vocalist/Maknae Ningning managed by one of the “big four” KPOP companies SM Entertainment. They debuted on 2020 November 17, though with their body of work and worldwide impact it certainly feels like it was a lot longer ago than that. Their video for their first single “Black Mamba” achieved the highest number of views in 24 hours for a KPOP group’s debut video, and their first EP “Savage” became the highest charting debut album by a KPOP girl group on the US Billboard 200 chart at number 20. Their commercial, artistic, and awards success continued from there unabated and ever expanding.

aespa’s name combines the English initials for “avatar” and “experience” (Avatar X Experience), with -spa which invokes the English word “aspect” with which they want to indicate “two sides”. (The first bit is actually properly shown as æ but good luck finding an easy way to type that on a regular basis. Interestingly I have a tattoo that looks like that on my left wrist from far before aespa’s debut.) The name is supposed to be about “meeting another self, experiencing a new world” and all ties into the group’s intricate lore, which involves the real life members coexisting alongside their virtual alter egos from a digital dimension which are known as æs.

So there is æ-Karina, æ-Giselle, æ-Winter, and æ-Ningning, in addition to Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning. In aespa’s storyline, nævis is digital entity who lives in a virtual space known as the FLAT who acts as a crucial ally and guide who sacrifices herself to help with æ versions of the aespa members manifest in the real world.

How much aespa emphasizes this virtual aspect has fluctuated over time and by project, and isn’t necessary to appreciate aespa’s music, but it certainly exists and their imagery is always influenced by it, always incorporating futuristic looks. (At least until now, with the “Lemonade” video prominently incorporating RETRO futuristic looks… we’ll get to that.) When I saw them in concert on the last tour (SYNK : Parallel Link Tour 2025 Feb 1) nævis performed nævis’ song “Done”. Yes.

aespa fans and the fanbase collectively are known as MY.

So my reading friends, the above illustrates in a microcosm the ongoing debate/discussion about how much to include in my writing for the non-initiated, as you can see how much space (and my writing energy!) that consumed on info that all existed prior to the release of the album. But there, I worked some in as requested. For those that want to consume copious amounts of band or member history and/or aespa lore – real or virtual – you can easily find it many many many places, some of which are listed in the Additional Resources section at the bottom of this EricJohnMusic.com blog post.

The biggest drawback to including all this information is it literally has nothing to do with listening to the new music, forming an opinion on it, and getting value from that experience, so let’s make that clear. It may be helpful to some, it may further interest people in various topics, but it has zip zero nada to do with enjoying this album.

So.

Information that I think is more relevant to listen to this album is the misleading “The 2nd Album” bit, because of the way music and in particular KPOP is released.

If you count single albums, EPs, and quote-unquote “full albums”, aespa has released all these:

Savage……………………………………….2021 October 5
Girls…………………………………………..2022 July 8 (<- still the best in my opinion but “Lemonade” is right there)
My World……………………………………2023 May 8
Drama……………………………………….2023 November 10 (<- the title track being my least liked of all their popular songs)
Armageddon……………………………..2024 May 27
Synk: Parallel Line……………………..2024 October 9
Whiplash……………………………………2024 October 21
Dirty Work…………………………………2025 June 27
Rich Man…………………………………..2025 September 5
Synk: Aexis Line…………………………2025 November 17

That doesn’t even count all the single releases, music videos, remixes, …… so the whole “The 2nd Album” making it sound like they are newbies is nonsense. This is a veteran group at this point with a ton of output and this is their 11th major musical release project, and it comes at the height of their power, status, and popularity at the apex of 4th generation KPOP.

So for sure we are evaluating this in that, the correct, context – a very experienced aespa group with very high expectations trying to live up to their stellar past and at the same time move forward.

Let’s in fact introduce the album with the members own words, which in the initial hours were contained in a spoken track 12 called “MY LEMONADE” (which has since been removed from Apple Music):

[NOTE: Since I wrote and published this, I have seen that Apple Music put track 12 back up, so who knows whether it will be there or not be there when you listen to the album. It should be there for the record, just keep it there. In any case it says the following:]

[KARINA]
Hi, this is KARINA from aespa. Finally, we’re back with our second album, LEMONADE. We’re so excited to finally share with you new  music we’ve been working on.

[GISELLE]
This album marks the beginning of aespa’s new chapter, capturing the essence of our growth. We’ve explored some different sounds and styles this time, so there’s a lot for you to discover in the tracklist.

[WINTER]
Whether you’re on your way to work, chilling at home, or hanging out with friends, we hope these songs fit perfectly into your daily routine.

[NINGNING]
Makе sure to get the daily glass of lemonade with us on Apple  Music, we really hope you enjoy it, love y’all.

Since you really deserve to hear them say it, here it is on a fan account on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DXVs10HgMIc

So the key (alongside how charming it is) there is the “We’ve explored some different sounds and styles this time” though I could argue they’ve been doing that all along their journey. I mean, look at the diversity in the two solo song album collections (Synk: Parallel Line and Synk: Aexis Line) which are massively diverse in styles, let alone the entirety of their catalog.

I see what they mean in that “Can’t Help Myself” is very rock, “Camouflage” is clearly a pop song, “Bite” is hip hop, et cet. But aespa has been doing rock as long ago as first song “Black Mamba” and of course “Girls”, and the same could be said of all these other styles.

But aespa never works in a genre and leaves it alone. One of the most brilliant parts of aespa has always been that their stuff doesn’t sound like anyone else’s. They always augment whatever genre they are playing in with something, and usually a lot of something, extra.

They also have some songs (“Supernova”, “Armageddon”, “Whiplash” in particular, and now “Lemonade”) that literally are the genre ‘aespa songs’, so much so that when other groups sound like this I call it their ‘aespa song’ (see my recent review of ITZY’s Motto on EricJohnMusic.com).

Lemonade is full on aespa girl gang women power apex predator mode. Not that they are ever far off from that, but boy do they bring it here. Arguably even too far with the imagery that “Switchblade” conjures. But this whole album is maximum don’t-fuck-with-me aespa and I am certainly here for that.

As an aside it’s definitely an interesting contrast between how the members come across when communicating – whether it is in that spoken track I transcripted above, in their ultra introverted even awkward quiet onstage ment style, or in their Bubbles (idol fan-idol communication app) or live streams – and their musical and video presence. These are the humble people poring out their insecurities in the interviews in their aespa: World Tour In Cinemas concert movie and the badass killers slashing alien monsters apart with swords in the “Girls” video; they are both of these.

I’m going to set track 1 aside for now because like with BlackPink and “Jump” ahead of Deadline (though not as ridiculously much ahead) the “WDA” song came out so far ahead of the album that the experience for me was like listening to this song I already knew and then listening to a new album.

“Lemonade” the song, track 2, is the song on this album that I call the ‘aespa song’, the one that will always be featured in music shows and showcases, get all the promotion, become the hit, all of this. The little thing about the ‘aespa song’ for me is that….. it is almost never is the song I like the most on an aespa album, and usually it’s the one I initially don’t even like, as shocking as that may be, especially to other MY.

The exception that proves the rule is “Girls”, which remains the best aespa track of all (and which they omitted live in their last Los Angeles show during the SYNK : Parallel Link Tour which is completely unforgivable – not only should they always play it, it should always feature Winter wailing away on the electric guitar – see the aforementioned aespa: World Tour In Cinemas for this. This is the way.).

But it took me forever to like “Armageddon” and “Supernova”, and I still hate “Drama” (a point on which much of MY vehemently disagrees with me on but I stand by, the track is annoying as fuck). Meanwhile on those same albums were instant gems (“Live My Life” and “Better Things” specifically) that both initially and presently remain the best tracks.

(“Rich Man” – the song – was another exception like “Girls” in that it is both the ‘aespa song’ on the Rich Man album and a fantastic track by the way, though I put on “To The Girls” far more often.)

I would note in concert the deep cuts that I prefer (and this seems to be true across KPOP shows not just for aespa) get a lot of emphasis at key points in the show (which I find quite gratifying), so not sure what the algorithm of top songs is doing. Ahem.

Here it’s “Can’t Help Myself” and “‘Til We Die”, and “Camouflage” and “SHAKIN’” (I’ll group those two pairings like that) that are the high points, and they are high indeed.

“LEMONADE” and “WDA” are the ‘aespa songs’ which I know by now liking is an inevitability so I might as well try to get there sooner than later.

For me, since they are less my thing “Bite” and “Switchblade” are the explorations that Giselle is asking me to discover.

“Roll” is a singularity – super fascinating, we will discuss more.

And track 11 should have been just left off. Track 11 is “LEMONADE (feat. Becky G)” and it is useless. I’m not saying “LEMONADE” the song is useless, I am saying a nearly identical version of the song that adds nothing at all to the original song is useless. At least TWICE only released a single version of “Strategy” and Megan Thee Stallion happened to be on it :-). But repeating “LEMONDADE” on the same album with an unneeded cameo….. a cynical cross-marketing move? a way to make me listen to the album’s ‘aespa song’ more so the inevitable internalizing of it becomes quicker? Whatever it is…. don’t do it. Besides, the days of KPOP artists, especially of the stature of aespa, needing Western artist cameos to reach a global market are long gone (it’s more like the opposite these days, the Western artists probably could benefit from the KPOP artists global stature). At least when Rosé and Lisa do it, it seems like they just are having the greatest time with the collabs, and Jisoo’s song with Zayn like Rose with Bruno was legitimately both of them working together, here it’s more like Becky G sent in her cameo and they mixed it in.

I’m just going to pretend track 11 isn’t there.

Let’s go track by track then:

Track 1 “WDA (Whole Different Animal) [feat. G-DRAGON]” – I’ll call this the ‘other aespa song’ on this album (much as the first album had “Supernova” and “Armageddon” as the ‘aespa songs’ this has “WDA” and “Lemonade”). Loud and in your face, hard edged, distinctive aespa sound, and the offspring “Rich Man” and “Dirty Work”. aespa is ultra feminist in an even more in your face way than i-dle (though the members personally aren’t as aggressive about it as Soyeon 🙂 because no on is 🙂 ) and I love that they continue to do that. The lyrics could double as what they are saying the album is. It certainly doubles down on the attitude of “Rich Man”. If “Rich Man” is the positive message from daughter to mother, this is the in your face “Oh, now you wanna hear me, huh” of the overlooked beast that is about to devour you. Sonically brutal and lyrically sharp edged, the track announces the album’s arrival clearly.

G-Dragon on here is significantly different in all ways from the useless Becky G cameo I was complaining about above. First and most obviously, this is the only version of the track, not the added on repeat version. And G-Dragon is the subservient one heralding the scary beasts, not the feature.

And G-Dragon is a legend in the KPOP world, with both heritage and controversy and massive levels of fame. BIGBANG is having a huge moment, with their triumphant Coachella appearance followed by their 20th anniversary tour.

It is business-interesting that YG Entertainment, a rival to SM, was the management of BIGBANG and is managing their current tour, but G-Dragon the solo artist has a prior working relationship with aespa, which included Karina appearing in G-Dragon’s recent “TOO BAD” music video. SM Entertainment and G-Dragon’s team negotiated his guest verse and lyric writing on “WDA”.

Track 2 is the [proper version of] the title track “LEMONADE”. My initial reaction was indeed ‘here it is the aepsa song I am supposed to like but just can’t quite get into immediately and am even maybe just a bit annoyed by’.

I more quickly recognized this reaction that when Armageddon came out with that title track and “Supernova” and with Whiplash, where I actively disliked the ‘aespa tracks’ until I didn’t. And now of course I like the tracks a great deal, especially “Whiplash”, and the impressive live performances of “Supernova”.

Partially this reaction is because aespa does indeed sonically push the envelope and it takes some time to get there. This is a good thing. But these cutting edge songs are unfamiliar territory so they take a bit.

Until that is when, this time, I watched the video:

This video has the immediate and somewhat extraordinary quality of immediately making the song better. In a way that lasts starting the very next time you listen to the song even without the video.

Which is certainly not always true. Sometimes a video’s effect on the song is neutral, sometimes it’s a slight positive effect (Jisoo’s “Earthquake” for example – the track is already great, the video makes it a little greater). Sometimes a video is even a distraction.

THIS “LEMONADE” video is like a rocket launch for this song in an incredibly effective way.

I initially flipped to the video on my phone just to send it to someone (Cherie DeVille specifically 🙂 ) and I stopped in the middle of everything I was doing and watched with complete attention. This video works, and is immensely compelling.

Not the least for what I was talking about earlier with aespa’s lore being all futuristic. Well this is RETRO futuristic, like Jetsons or something mixed with a lot of lemonade, and it’s fantastic.

And now I like the track quite a bit. Even though it lyrically references my hated track “Drama” :-). I very much like the little “oop” sounds they threw in there randomly.

“LEMONADE” is quite fun to sing along to in the parts mortals can keep up with, and the whole vibe is lighter than “Supernova” and “Armageddon”. This will do everything that the main ‘aespa song’ on the album is supposed to undoubtably so I’m sure I will see them perform it like 10 million times in a bunch of settings where I am wishing they were performing other songs I like more. So be it. I have accepted this aspect of MY and am there for it. (Thank you outstanding “LEMONADE” music video for marrying me to my fate with increased efficiency!)

“This is not acceptable behavior” Giselle states through the megaphone and here we are in track 3 “SHAKIN’” which is a great and original sounding track. The vocal syncopation is very unexpected even as “I’m a classic” is purred out, as is the instrumentation which starts as basically a collection of sounds and then morphs somehow naturally (?) into swelling disco bridge leading to the chorus which is like now the hardcore style of the beginning. Interesting and compelling track that continues to find new ways to build to some higher plateau throughout.

This honestly may be the best track on here, though it’s so challenging and complex it’s not the one I would throw on first for an immediate emotional reaction most likely.

Track 3 “Can’t Help Myself” absolutely is. A kickass classic rock song that still manages to sound fresh as hell, this hits immediately and completely. Here instead of building in the bridge, it pulls back, and then slams you with the chorus gang vocals. We get the first real Winter belting on the album and it just leaves you wanting more. This track along with “’Til We Die” are the need-to-listen-to-over-and-over-again-indefinitely ones on the album.

In concert “Can’t Help Myself” will be incredible. October 3rd at Intuit Dome, but who’s counting down?

“Camouflage” track 4 and the hit pop song is here. Smooth as silk but with all kinds of intricate sounds bubbling under the engine, deceptively hyperfast, it percolates into you immediately and good luck singing it. This song is right up there with “Can’t Help Myself” and “’Til We Die” in terms of needing to listen to over-and-over and is the only one that sounds remotely like this on the album.

Did I mention deceptively fast? Try to sing it. I dare you.

With track 5 “Bite” we get into the part of the album I am less into, mostly because these genres and styles aren’t as much the ones I am most into. But by the time the chorus hits, and if you allow yourself to ride the motion of it, “Bite” is honestly pretty great. I think you have to move when it’s on, this is not a sitting still song. Bop, roll, strut, do something like that and you will move with this.

The lyrics are pretty interesting too. I don’t really feel like analyzing lyrics in reviews is my main focus, particularly on first listens – I am sonically letting the song settle into me. Shades of meaning will come more later – plus you should be figuring out what you are getting from the lyrics.

Track 7 “Switchblade (feat. Ty Dollar $ign)” is my least favorite track (so far into my listens), which isn’t to say I don’t like it, though I don’t fully like it (yet) either. I don’t like the imagery. I have no particular problem with the collab with Ty Dollar $Sign. And the part where he switches it up adds to the song it just isn’t my thing. I will say it makes me like the other part better when it switches back to it, though it helps that when it switches back it’s completely different from earlier then the track ends. LOL

“Roll” track 8 is the singularity. The title is a mind-fuck in that it set me up to expect a Karina “UP” or at least a “Pink Hoodie” vibe and this very much is not that. It first seems to be just a little gimmick song but then it becomes very very interesting because both musically and lyrically you see what can happen when highly skilled people riff and just go on something. In that, this is like jazz improv. Listen to how it evolves. Listen to all the little backing asides and inserts, of which there are tons and they completely make the track. And the cute sounding song ultimate is a big fuck off song. This track is what happens when you just say fuck it and put whatever you want on an album. Good for you to all involved.

(“Roll” including “Baby, wake up, You just need a high five, In the face, With a chair” definitely is right up there with “You Can See Me When I Punch Your Face” in ARTMS’ “BURN” in the category of violent-things-I-didn’t-expect-my-supercute-idol-biases-to-be-saying. And saying supercutely.)

Track 9 “My Plan” is a sensual and sexy walk along track that is pretty much the time to catch one’s breath on this album (the only time). The chorus let’s you float with aespa in the clouds. A romantic seduction that aespa has aged into (thankfully) where the power dynamic of the seduction is clearly in aespa’s hands (and plan). This is aespa pouring musical and lyrical wine over you while you relax. To get it you have to “sit back” though, this is their plan not your plan – though those goals may well align 🙂 .

“’Til We Die” track 10 I’ve been alluding to this whole tie as the other great rock song and it absolutely is. An anthem that in 2026 for me pairs with BlackPink’s “Champion” as songs-I-would-put-on-when-I-need-to-feel-great-and-win-the-game, the uninitiated may take this as a romantic commitment when clearly here in context this is this album’s song for MY. And a rousing album closing MY song it is.

This album is very very good, already my second favorite overall aespa album to “Girls” and potentially over time on par.

I think it’s much harder to succeed this strongly and be this original on a new project at this point in an artist’s career, where the attention is global and the expectations are stratospheric.

aespa are among the most original artists of our time, with a dynamic original sound and following a path of their own making, and they should be celebrated and embraced for this.

See you October 3 at Intuit! (Feature a live band more prominently this time! And for fuck’s sake “Girls” better be in the setlist and I better see Winter with the electric guitar. This is the way.)

– Eric John
CEO, Erotique Entertainment

Additional resources:

KPOP terms: https://kprofiles.com/ultimate-k-pop-vocab-guide/

aespa memebrs information: https://kprofiles.com/aespa-members-profile/

aespa overview wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aespa

aespa discography wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aespa_discography

aespa awards and nominations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Aespa

KPOP industry: https://pgpcapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/K-Pop-Industry-Overview-Fall-2023vF.pdf

It’s here, the new ITZY comeback “Motto” and I wanted to capture my first impressions.

Link on Apple Music -> https://music.apple.com/us/album/motto/1893520810

As I’ve written on EricJohnMusic.com before, I think the relationship between a listener and a musical work evolves over time, so my intention is to explore that by doing initial and then subsequent reflections as time passes. In this case, the project dropped today May 18, 2026, I am writing this at about 9pm Los Angeles time and the drop was at 6pm KST.

Also as I’ve described before, I think most KPOP takes at least 2-3 listens to really start to allow your brain to lock in to what is happening, and many more to fully pick up all the nuances. This one I will say I locked into upon the first listen far more deeply than many releases.

JYP is describing this as “An eight-track mini album that serves to accompany their 2026 tour” which takes a page out of rival YG’s BlackPink “Deadline” approach, though equally out of company sister act TWICE’s “TEN: The Story Goes On” in the structural style – in “Motto”‘s case three group tracks and then a solo track for each member.

I think this is a smart strategy to integrate solo releases within the group’s releases. BlackPink was simply too big and in the wrong point in their contract cycle for YG to try and keep it in house this way. With TWICE and ITZY having releases that bucket solo work for each member is effective, and they also of course have separate solo (YEJI and YUNA for ITZY so far) and subgroup releases (in the case of MISAMO for TWICE for example).

AESPA does this too with projects like “Synk: Parallel Line” and “Synk: Aexis Line” however those are ONLY solo’s and no group tracks. I actually like having both as ITZY does it. (And of course ITZY did this before, on “Born to Be”.)

ITZY has started the first half of 2026 on a less frantic release rate than they had in 2025 for sure. Last year had YEJI’s solo release “AIR” on March 10, “Girls Will Be Girls” on June 9, “Collector” on October 8, and “Tunnel Vision” November 10. !!!!!

(I will discuss again and more emphatically the completely irritating way JYP treats Japanese releases – in this case “Collector” – like they exist in a separate universe not worthy of incorporation into tours anywhere except Japan. They do this with TWICE also, and for TWICE to me the Japan releases were their strongest in the last two years both years. The way JYP handles this is terrible.)

Having said all that (which was more than a little) – I love “Motto”. Great album.

The track “Motto” (track 1) is super retro is a lovely way. I get some disco era nostalgic vibe but it’s not a disco track, it’s just a classic sound done really well.

Track 2 “Glitch” is quite a contrast in that now you are in the future/present, possible inside the matrix.

“you And I” (Track 3) is sort of ITZY’s recent-aespa-era track, which is fine. Pretty stripped down, vocals and sound effects dominate it. Right now I’ll say interesting.

Like with Heejin in ARTMS, I prefer YEJI when she rocks out (“Crown On My Head”) and “Pocket” (Track 4) has enough of that when it gets to the chorus to please me. Live this should be quite good.

Track 5 “Asylum”, Lia’s song, is just fucking great. FUCKING GREAT. Immediately and upon repeat listens. And the meaning use of the word “Asylum” here is refreshing and effective. This is the standout track here easily however also ->

-> Track 6 “LOOK” is great too, and the hardest rocking song on the album. I think I would have done this song as a full group song, though RYUJIN certainly carries it off.

CHAERYEONG’s “Undefined” (Track 7) has a very nice groove, is retro-ish (though not as much as “Motto”) and is great fun to sing.

“Tangerine” (YUNA) is so sugar sweet it’s almost too much, especially on the heels of YUNA’s strong stand-alone solo release “Ice Cream” which was sweet too but more sex. I did notice on the second listen when I already expected the sweet, I was able to appreciate the shimmery intro and get into it more…. this one I’ll have to see over time.

“Asylum” immediately vaults way up on my top tracks of 2026, and in general.

Hopefully you enjoyed this first take, and this album.

I’m super annoyed ITZY hasn’t been back here to Los Angeles since the Lia-less Forum show for “Born To Be” June 11, 2024, so they need to fix that. The tour footage from everywhere else looks fantastic. Maybe now that this comeback is out they will announce North American dates.

Very best regards-
Eric John
CEO, Erotique Entertainment

On reddit I was responding to a number of Jisoo bias’ comments related to “Deadline”. Some examples:

“Can’t hear Jisoo much on this minialbum :(“

“Queen mistreated once again 💔”

“Jisoo’s lines… under one minute across five songs?? She barely feels like a member, more like a featured artist. Blackpink ft. Jisoo.”

“he disrespect to jisoo is HUGE. barely any lines..”

Jisoo is both my group bias and my ultimate bias so I obviously have thoughts on this, and here they are (and what I responded):

I think there is a different way to think about it.

I too am upset when Jisoo is overlooked but it’s by other parties, not YG.

For example, in the People article about the new album where they mention the other three solo albums but not Jisoo’s (as if it doesn’t count because it’s not a full album or because they don’t know about – either way not ok). (The whole People article is not well done but the Jisoo omission there particular annoyed me.)

And there have been many examples of this towards Jisoo particular in Western media, which also gets really “blind” when the people speak less English.

(The Western sports media almost completely ignored the Japan team in the last Women’s World Cup and they were easily one of the best teams there.)

In Blackpink however I think you have to think of Jisoo as you would if you were the ones blending the different elements into a song.

Obviously you use Lisa for things like “Me and my” and if not her then Jennie. This is fitting. Then you Rosé and Jisoo in key places there as a contrast – and for some us as a musical relief as rap isn’t our go to mode.

And a song like “Fucktoy” is built for Rosé. HOWEVER, and this is a big HOWEVER: the part of the song that is the killer lyric and the titular lyric and is Jisoo and switching to her vocal tone and power there IS what elevates it then.

Jisoo’s role in Blackpink vocally is always this elevation of the sonic quality at key points. She does this on “Deadline” especially on Jump, Go, and Fuckboy, because it works better there.

This has always been Jisoo’s role and the parts of the song where she comes ALWAYS are elevated in this way.

It isn’t a contest and quantity doesn’t matter; what matters is using this power in the RIGHT places EFFECTIVELY to utilize her specialties to elevate the whole.

Jisoo’s solo albums are songs that fit her vocal strengths throughout. Blackpink songs are songs that switch in nature throughout and draw on the different strengths of each member, so when a members strength works it works in these contexts.

Another point I would make is that JISOO doesn’t seem bothered by this, she never even has indicated a hint of this. Yes I recognize it’s not in her nature but I mean she’s had a DECADE to express even the slightest complaint about this and there has been none.

I love Jisoo AND I also love her role as the one who cuts in at keys times and elevates the songs. I have never thought to complain about it; I like the group dynamic as it is, it’s one of the best in music.

Historically there have been huge bands that have members that barely tolerate each other (Van Halen. Journey. The Police. Et cet) Even now I bet you can name KPOP groups where the chemistry between certain members is sort of iffy, and you can tell.

The chemistry between all four Blackpink members and ESPECIALLY Jisoo towards the other three comes across as nothing but positive. So I don’t think SHE is upset, I don’t think any of them are about their roles in Blackpink.

And their solo endeavors relieve whatever creative tension could start to build even more.

Those are my thoughts on it.

– Eric John, CEO, Erotique Entertainment

I won’t mince words. As my previous post indicated, the stakes were very very high. And Blackpink hit it out of the park, in powerful, surprising, and interesting ways.

On Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/deadline-ep/1870046940

“Go” is the best song they’ve ever put out. Period. And that’s saying a lot. I watched this video like 5 times straight while I was waiting for the four new songs to load on Apple Music because the demand at 9pm Pacific Time (2pm Korea time 27 February) when the album dropped globally seems to have overwhelmed Apple music.

And the video obviously is incredible.

And “Jump” is the second best song they’ve ever put out – and so their two best songs are 2/5th’s of this album. “Jump” has been out for many months and I also will cover it a lot in my Top 100 Songs of 2025 so I won’t cover it here as the focus is on the just-released stuff, though you know how I feel about albums. The tracks the artist chose and the order in which the artist put them both matter as to the collective artistic statement. And the album should be consumed and considered in that way. So this album kicks off with “Jump” then through “Go” “Me and my” “Champion” and ends with “Fuckboy”, that is the artistic work, in that order.

(For completeness I will document the credits on “Jump”: 24, Ape Drums, Boaz de Jong, Claudia Valentina, Francisco Zecca, JUMPA, Jesse Bluu, Malachiii, Teddy, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Zikai. Arguably the pressure on and stakes for “Jump” at the time of it’s release were even higher than for the “Deadline” album, since it was the first new group music since “The Girls” single 23 August 2023 and “Jump” essentially had to promo an entire stadium tour. So YG made damn sure it hit.)

“Go” unbelievably is the first time all four members have written on one song together, so it’s historical as well. Rosé both as a lyricist and composer; Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa all as lyricists. Chris Martin from Coldplay was also involved in the writing and composition of the track, and Cirkut and Danny Chung were also involved.

The song utilizes both hard and soft musical aspects which is what the group’s name was designed to represent, and this duality and diversity of elements has been core to their identity and output throughout their existence. This song is now their statement piece.

“Go” is so good I barely have words, and “Jump” of course came out in 2025 and is #1 on my list of 2025 releases (which you would know if I ever get the complete list up on the site! Sorry! Soon! It’s VERY thorough.)

“Me and my” is dripping with Lisa. This is like a Lisa solo song with her Blackpink sisters fucking around on it with her. Lisa fans should look forward to this music video for sure. Jennie is the other strong rapper and has some excellent lines and parts here; the whole still feels to me more aligned with the vibe of Lisa’s solo output than Jennie’s. Writing credit here is John Blackwell and Viexen N.

“Champion” would be a great song to listen to loud in a convertible at the maximum volume possible. It surprisingly starts with Lisa again, then Jennie takes over in the bridge, then the chorus is full on pop rock Bon Jovi crossed with Avril Lavigne and it will be fun to CRANK THIS UP. It makes your mind and body feel good to sing along loudly to the chorus, which I assume will be happening in some of the largest venues all over the world.

The songwriting credit for “Champion” is shown as now-superstar Ejae (as in KPOP Demon Hunters HUNTR/X Ejae), along with Lukasz Gottwald, and Theron Thomas.

“Fuckboy” (I refuse to type “Fxxxboy” we all need to grow up) is the most surprising and interesting of all. A ballad, one with lyrics that are VERY interesting, and definitely a new way to be edgy and empowered at the same time. The track seems heavily Rosé influenced to me though she isn’t credited as a song writer (credit is Courtlin Jabrae Edwards, Ido, Kush, Tommy “TB Hits” Brown, Vince, Zikai – it takes a bunch of people to make a Rosé-like track apparently 🙂 it certainly has a relation to her solo stuff, in the same way “Me and my” relates to Lisa’s solo work. And Rosé’s voice dominates it initially, but wow does Jisoo compliment Rosé’s voice and then against character Jisoo has the first utterance of the big line. (“How’s it feel? Now I’m the fuckboy”) All the members come through strong here, more balanced than in “Me and my” which is more dominated by Lisa (and maybe Jennie). This is Rosé AND all of them.

“Fuckboy” is a follow-on to “Tally” with Jennie saying there: “Sometimes, I like to go play dirty / Just like all of the fuckboys do / That’s my choice and there’s no one I’m hurtin’ / And that’s not girly”. Indeed.

(Sidenote: The little “Twice, Twice, Twice” background lyric in “Fuckboy” is interesting 🙂

As I wrote about previously the creation of this artistic work took place under the weight of seemingly impossible expectations and the highest stakes possible under constant public and media scrutiny. By all logic it would seem that this would be a labor under immense pressure; somehow they not only pull it off in a way that took what they already are and pushed it much much further while sounding and appearing like they are having a fantastic time even as they operate at this level.

The superstardom on display here is of a magnitude seldom seen, yet I was reading Jisoo and Lisa’s Bubbles today and thinking how absolutely humble and relatable they are, and generally likable as people. Rosé appears the same way in all her many many interviews and appearances. Jennie is a bit more guarded and not as nakedly available (mentally and emotional at least) constantly as the others are but certainly she comes off as a real human who has overcome a lot.

Blackpink is impressive as always. More accurately, they keep getting more impressive all the time.

Great album, great job, great group.

15 minutes more of the legend continuing. #BlackpinkInYourArea

Now to listen to the complete album – all five tracks – a few hundred more times tonight……

– Eric John, CEO, Erotique Entertainment

Here on the eve of what I would argue is the biggest musical release of the entire first part of 2026, I wanted to talk about several aspects of Blackpink’s marketing and strategic plan, using the ultra-impressive “GO” teaser as a springing off point.

If you are one of the two people in the world who hasn’t seen it yet:

First, let’s be clear. Blackpink are the biggest group in the world right now.

(I know the ARMY is going to have a problem with that but BTS has been gone a long time, and ONCE will have something to say and you know I love TWICE. But my statement stands. Sorry Swifties – and I love and respect Taylor too – but worldwide it’s looking more and more black and pink out there.)

For the world, they are the as big as any of the biggest bands with fervent fanbases at their peak – Beatles, Rolling Stones, KISS, whoever. And like with the reaction to an artist as huge as Bad Bunny before the Superbowl, to US people who are mired in their myopic view that US culture and specifically English speaking US culture is supreme in all areas, remarkably you are just as likely to find people in the US who would agree with my statement above as you are to find people who’s response would be “What are you talking about? Who is Blackpink?” (Though the latter crowd is certainly diminishing because you REALLY have to strive to not pay attention at this point.)

Anyone with any doubt can consider so many metrics:

They are the first artist in history to have over 100 million YouTube subscribers. They have over 41.1 billion total views. Over 50 of their videos have more than 100 million views. On Spotify alone, monthly listeners are around 43 million.

The group has over 57 millions followers on social media. They (obviously) hold the Guinness World Record for “Most Viewed Band on YouTube”. They were TIME magazine’s 2022 Entertainer of the Year – so TIME understood quicker than most.

When they headlined Coachella April 15 and April 22, 2023 – and they had yet to explode supernova like as they have now – they performed to a crowd of over 125,000 people.

Their list of endorsements includes Adidas, Guess, Orea, Asahi Super Dry, Sprite Korea, Samsung, PUBG Mobile, Mise-en-scène, and Zepeto.

The above doesn’t even speak to them as individuals, where on top of all their musical accomplishments, basically are ubiquitous in fashion and fashion magazines.

Jennie is a Chanel global ambassador, and her other endorsements include Calvin Klein, Hera Beauty, Tamburins, Gentle Monster, Lotte Soonhari, Haribo, and many others.

Jisoo is a global ambassador for Dior and Tommy Hilfinger as well as Pokémon’s 30th-anniversay campaign, and her other endorsements include Cartier, Alo Yoga, MapleStory, Dyson, and many others. Jisoo also did an exclusive collaboration partnering with Sanrio and MuseM.

Lisa was a former global ambassador for Celine, and currently her roster includes Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Prada, MAC Cosmertiics, Chivas Regal, Penshoppe, Vivo, AIS, and many others.

Oh and she is Thailand’s official Amazing Thailand Ambassador as named by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and revealed at a ceremony at the Wat Arun temple. So there’s that.

Rosé is a global ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent, and includes Tiffany & Co., Rimowa, Puma, Levi’s, and others among her brands.

Jisoo is building a substantial acting career in parallel with all this (“The Producers” cameo, main roles in “Snowdrop” and “Newtopia”, the upcoming television series “Boyfriend on Demand” – 6 March 2026 on Netflix – and the upcoming feature film “The Prophet: Omniscient Reader”), and Jennie (“The Idol”) and Lisa (“The White Lotus”) have acted enough that they also have fans that think they are actors not singers (yes, you, my MIT fraternity brother Erik Larson before you were enlightened ;-). Rosé was a main cast member in the variety “Sea of Hope”.

Jisoo and Rosé popped up on Superbowl commercials (Levi’s and Pokémon). All four members were appointed by King Charles III honorary members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Lisa was part of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Rosé and Bruno Mars’ performance opened the 2026 Grammys.

It goes on and on. This large list encompasses only a fraction of the group’s accomplishments and just hints at their accomplishments as individuals.

This is their time.

The Deadline Tour that occurred PRIOR to the album (as opposed to the conventional way of touring, you know, to SUPPORT the album that has been released) was a quaint 33-show sold-out stadium tour spanning the globe.

Just normal stuff.

(As an aside and a whole other topic: all of this was accomplished essentially drama and scandal free to a remarkable level. And it’s been over 9 years since their debut, all of which were spent completely in the public spotlight, where during the entirety they all have come off as remarkably good natured and down to earth. This alone is incredible.)

I point out all this to highlight the incredible and indeed unfathomable anticipations and expectations associated with literally anything and everything Blackpink does, both collectively and individually. It’s quite a challenge to create quality art. It’s quite another entirely to do this in an intense public spotlight, starting from a young age. And then it’s quite another level of all this to be Blackpink today.

So everything they do at this point has to be viewed through this lens – what it’s like to be them with all these demands, the burden of constantly overcoming all their previous accomplishments (even bands like The Rolling Stones didn’t always – some would argue rarely – succeed in this), and the immense expectations of a rabid global multi-cultural fanbase audience who is possessive of them in that very special KPOP intense way.

So once again, the teaser for “GO” hits it out of the park. It drips with excess because it had to. It’s visually jaw dropping incredible because it had to be.

It also continues the, in my opinion, brilliant “less is more” strategy that YG Entertainment has executed with BlackPink.

This teaser is short, stunning, reveals essentially nothing, and leaves you simultaneously craving more and watching it over and over and over again.

I personally chuckle when people criticize the job YG has done with Blackpink, and these shots come from both fans who aren’t Blackpink fans and Blackpink fans themselves, which is even more laughable to me.

Obviously whatever YG is doing is working, on a ridiculously successful scale. If I could have YG manage my artistic career and bring me this level of success I would certainly be like “Yes absolutely! PLEASE DO THAT.”

With Blackpink they have brought managing scarcity to an art form. As of mid-2025, BLACKPINK has officially released 33 original songs (22 in mainly Korean, 11 in English) in addition to 17 Japanese versions of their Korean tracks and various remixes. What this choice means is that the stakes for each individual track and the accompanying music video, and the impact of each, is much larger.

TWICE, to cite a different strategic approach, are managed by JYP in quite a contrasting way, with near constant releases and a huge deep catalog. This obviously works for them, as they have many many hits in many different genres, and nearly the global success of Blackpink. It’s just a different approach. (What they do have in common is a pointed desire to penetrate this US market and indeed the entire world market.)

YG is doing great with Blackpink, which obviously the members agree with (how could they not?) since they renewed their initial seven-year contract.

The arrangement where the group stayed with YG while having the freedom to manage their solo careers themselves was both ground breaking (for KPOP) and logical. I could argue both that it was brilliant of YG to do it this way while at the same time the members were so powerful at that point they had no choice. And both are true.

YG and Blackpink themselves have also done a wonderful job of utilizing both the solo strengths and group strengths, including of course on this most recent tour which followed the solo releases by the members through their own companies, but indeed prior to that with solo stages in performances.

One of the reasons that Blackpink is so successful is that the group and each member have equal and definitive personas at a level rarely achieved. The Beatles for one. KISS is their hey day. (There are a lot of KISS parallels actually, which I will elaborate on at length in another blog post at some other time.) The list isn’t very long.

Another aspect YG gets criticism for sometimes which I also think is laughable is the notion of trying to squeeze money out of the fans – which of course is their JOB and what they are SUPPOSED TO DO.

This reminds me a bit of sports teams that have ownership that charge high ticket prices so they can pay big name athletes and hopefully win championships (Dodgers, Lakers, et cet.). THIS AGAIN IS THEIR JOB.

Who knew that I needed a Black, Pink, Gray, Mood Light, and four individual member-specific Silver versions of the album? I didn’t know myself but when I saw how cool they were I certainly did then!!!!!!

Again, brilliant job by YG. As Gene Simmons always says about high priced KISS merchandise and events – if you don’t want them, don’t buy them.

“BLACKPINK sells out all versions of their mini album ‘DEADLINE’ in less than 25 minutes during its official pre-sale”
https://www.allkpop.com/article/2026/01/blackpink-completely-sold-out-all-versions-of-their-mini-album-deadline-in-less-than-25-minutes-during-its-official-pre-sale-1769028273

Apparently they were wanted. 🙂

Blackpink succeeded wildly with “Jump”. Under impossible expectations, both the song and the music video exceeded them triumphantly, and this was reflected also in the enthusiastic audience response to “Jump” on the tour.

We’ll see in just a few hours if they can do it again.

– Eric John, CEO, Erotique Entertainment

NOTE: I will add photos/video content from the concert later, want to go ahead and get this post written 🙂

Monday 23 February 2026 was the fourth of a four night stand of Lady Gaga’s The MAYHEM Ball Tour in Los Angeles (yes we in Los Angeles can say these were the Los Angeles dates as well as say the Kia Forum is in Inglewood and we all know exactly what we mean 🙂

I had missed the earlier leg of the tour (last year) in Los Angeles and was quite excited to finally see a date. I had floor tickets, stage left, Section E, row 9, seat 5. I also was a VIP at the KIA Club prior to the show so had the dinner and the custom Lady Gaga event cake.

You would never know it was a Monday, the crowd was decked out and highly engaged. And the show ran just minutes shy of 3 hours, starting at 8:45pm and ending at 11:37pm. (No opener though the special effect of a giant three-dimensional Gaga writing with a quill pen on a scroll that occurred between ticketed start time of 8 and the show start was very impressive and mood setting.) The show was organized into five theatrical acts and then there was an encore.

Just physically, with the number of nights on this tour, many consecutively, and the difficulty of the choreography and singing in these performances, it’s absolutely flat out impressive.

The setlist is here:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/lady-gaga/2026/kia-forum-inglewood-ca-434073e3.html#:~:text=1-,MAYHEM%2015,by%20Lady%20Gaga%20&%20Bradley%20Cooper

Though the “commercial” (I guess you would call it) name of the tour is The MAYHEM Ball the actual name is “The Art of Personal Chaos (The Manifesto of MAYHEM)” and in total was one of the most elaborate, intricate, and immersive narrative original experiences in a concert setting that I have been a part of.

If what you want is a play by play or narrative summary, you will have to (preferably) go yourself while the tour is still on or get that somewhere else; I am going to discuss themes and responses/emotions I had to the experience while they are fresh.

By the way, though I always have been into Gaga and all of her many manifestations, I surprisingly have only seen her live once before, when she first was breaking big. That was 21 December 2009 at what was then called the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles at LA Live. That setlist is here: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/lady-gaga/2009/la-live-nokia-theatre-los-angeles-ca-73d32601.html

She’s come a long way, and the path hasn’t been linear. Gaga (like myself) has many different creative phases, for example her “Jazz & Piano” Las Vegas residency she did for six years at Dolby Live at the Park MGM. I resonate with this because Gaga refuses to be categorized in any one genre or style (or look or persona or really any way at all).

This show here on this tour brings together a lot of different elements of her entire creative output and life and then goes more over the top with many of them than she ever has before. This is a BIG show, it’s a big flex too, artistically, commercially, statement-wise, everything. It’s dripping with ambition. And she’s a big time rock star in it, make no mistake. Like a ROCK STAR. The interesting thought I was having in the early stages of it was whether she could do all of that and still be the accessible oddball person standing up and representing all the Little Monsters.

Turns out she could! And quite effectively. But I am getting ahead of myself.

I’ve seen other concerts where the artist weaves their music into new and complex narratives (most recently Halsey, twice with two different narratives actually: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/halsey/2025/hollywood-bowl-los-angeles-ca-6b5a5e6e.html, https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/halsey/2025/hollywood-forever-cemetery-los-angeles-ca-4b4edb92.html). Gaga certainly pulled this off in both a larger and more effective way than I’ve ever seen. The concepts did flow and you could follow the narrative themes. The musicianship was impeccable, in whatever genre. The dancers/characters were large numbers and a dizzying visual feast of endless variety.

All the effects were over-the-top and need to be seen in person as descriptions do no justice. Giant queens whose dresses are also cages containing writhing dancers, the pull of paparrazzi depicted as literally an arena-spanning garment, waking up in a grave – with others!, ….. it goes on and on. The versions of Gaga’s catalog woven into this epic narrative, reworked in whatever way was appropriate for the larger work, all succeeded. With some artists, if they had taken such liberty with their own known works, the audience would at least partially rebel. Not here, because clearly the greater overall was dominant and effective.

At times the power and dark themes of the earlier acts were almost overwhelming and it was designed this way to set up the most effective and emotional part of the performance later. Even the absurdly long loud climactic sounds held and elongated by the musicians between events were overpowering. Almost to the point of being too much and then there would be relief as it moved off it just in time.

By Act III it was still overwhelming but the mood had shifted a bit into more joy-like relief. I said joy-like not joy because there was still a dark thread, I mean we were doing Dead Dances with giant skulls after all. But it had shifted. Enough to know I was fucked 🙂 and wouldn’t here my clear favorite off the latest album “Can’t Stop The High” because it potentially could have fit in the earlier act moods and narratives but clearly didn’t now – and to her credit I knew Gaga wouldn’t do something counter to the broader narrative elements at play.

Act IV is when the performance transcended to a new level of both brilliance and intimacy. A very Cirque de Soleil “O” influenced section where Gaga and her partner were literally on a boat floating across the catwalk – you have to go experience it! – utilized “Million Reasons” and “Shallow” to bring the narrative and the performance and the entire audience to what initially would have been a quite unexpected destination amidst all the excess.

Gaga alone. At the piano. And her true power and talent and real person-ness and all of it was…. RIGHT THERE. And you didn’t need any of the rest of the huge production because this was the part that touched you so deeply the tears were there, the feelings were there, everyone was one, everything was transformed.

The entire piano segment was almost indescribably good and the absolutely high point was “Hair”. It was one of the most moving experiences live I have ever had, and it meant a lot to me personally on my own journey…. and from the reactions of everyone around me, apparently to all of them as well. (In one of the most diverse crowds you will ever see.)

From then one we all were one and the return to the large production and “Bad Romance” plus the drop-your-guard no makeup encore were both celebratory and coasting in a way, because “Hair” was the climax and the rest was just cuddling.

—————————————————————————————————–

There is one area that I must discuss that significantly detracted from my overall enjoyment and even my maintaining the vibe throughout. This was Gaga’s completely over-the-top and near constant screaming to “Put your fucking hands up!” or some variation (“arms” “claws” whatever) in literally nearly every song until the Act IV. There were also various other admonitions like to stand or make noise.

Lady Gaga is by no means the first of artists I greatly enjoy live to have this affliction. Ozzy drove me crazy with his way way way too often “Let’s Go Crazy” / “Go Crazy” and Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden said “Scream for me Long Beach” or whatever city was literally constantly. And both of those due to their frequency and overuse were annoying.

Gaga’s constant “Put your fucking hands ups!” and all the variations were much worse than either Ozzy or Bruce, both because it fits her overall persona less but especially because it did not fit the surrounding meticulously constructed theatrical presentation or narrative. Certainly, doing it one time, early and angrily, would fit well within the initial act, especially the initial entrance piece as the gigantic queen, and would be an effective way of proving the headset mike is live as well. But the overuse annoyed me and threw me out of the moment each and every time she did it, no matter the variation. I would be submerging into the world she had effectively created and deeply vibing with whatever song was being performed and without fail, every time she did this, I would lose momentum on both of those fronts and just be annoyed. I was silently begging and wishing her to not do it anymore.

I’m definitely a believer in it’s way way better for the audience to do something on their own then be TOLD to do something. That’s true in sports, concerts, anything. If the game is exciting the crowd will respond, they don’t need announcers or graphics saying to make noise. If a crowd in a concert wants to stand up, scream, dance, whatever they want to do, THEY WILL. I recently saw TWICE at the same venue (25 January 2026 This Is For World Tour) and you can see videos online of literally the whole crowd mimicking the moves of Jihyo as she led them like some fantasy army and IT HAPPENED SPONTANEOUSLY.

There are literally TikTok videos making fun of this aspect of the concert so obviously I am not the only one. See here: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/every-time-lady-gaga-says-put-your-hands-up

Certainly getting the crowd to scream (say between songs maybe or Paul Stanley having a contest to see which part of the arena is loudest during his solo bit) or KPOP people asking for noise during ments does NOT detract…. there is a way to do it. And that way is NOT during songs… unless it’s very occasion and/or an admonition to sing. Asking people to sing is almost never bad.

All of what I am complaining about here disappeared almost entirely during the best parts of the concert (number 24 and on in the setlist) by the way.

If Gaga can eliminate this one bad crutch/habit/whatever, her achievement in staging a performance like this will be even more impressive than it already is.

– Eric John, CEO, Erotique Entertainment

IVE’s heavily anticipated full album comeback “REVIVE+” dropped today, their second full length album. This is my initial review following just a couple listens.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/revive/1873882195

Photo: IVE at the press showcase at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul 23 February 2026. Left to right: Rei, Gauel, Jang Won-young, An Yu-jin, Leeseo, Liz.

I am clearly using the term “initial review” because I feel one’s understanding, resonance, and relationship to a musical work evolves over time. Like my feelings on rankings lists (which I discussed elsewhere), the way reviews are done – due to the influence of needing to get material published or time limitations or whatever factors are causing it – isn’t reflective of this reality. What I plan to do on this EricJohnMusic.com site is initial reviews and then revisit works in different ways over time to communicate how my emotions and thoughts related to the work have evolved.

Different music has a different number of exposure times before it first resonates, and then before it evolves and/or your understanding/relationship of/with the piece deepens. With much KPOP, between the 2nd and 4th listen I find I get a pretty strong initial resonance and impression (whereas, say, something complex like Iron Maiden may take a few more listens, or something in a genre I don’t listen to frequently may take more listens to “find”).

Let me be clear when I say “listen” that means doing nothing else with your consciousness except focusing on the music. Not having it on in the background, not jumping around out of order or listening to partial songs. This is an ALBUM, and as such it’s a set of shorter work bundled together in a particular order for a reason that the artists and producers designed. The goal here is to understand and receive and be affected by what THEY were trying to get across first, before say tailoring the tracks in some order or skipping around or any of this, and before one imposes one’s own opinions on it.

It would do us all well to have the focus and attention span to listen actively as I describe, and also you are honoring the work of the artists and production teams by doing so.

Also important to note is that this is a review of the album and the music. KPOP comebacks entail much more in conjunction with a release than just the album and the music, including the concepts/lore, the looks, all of the pre-release promotional material, behind-the-scenes glimpses in various forms, and more. IVE’s build-up to this album has been effective as usual as they and they company Starship Entertainment have done well in these areas since their 2021 debut. I am focusing in this writing on the album and the music NOT these other aspects, though I tangentially touch on them in some cases.

To call this IVE’s second full length album is of course massively misleading to especially people not well versed in KPOP because IVE has been a hard working group since their inception and have released seven EPs and many more singles, most of which had additional songs on them. The EP’s in KPOP which they also call a “comeback” entail just as much work in terms of all the aspects and just as much of an artistic statement/concept as an “album”, so the distinction has not that much meaning. An album just has a few more songs in this context.

So if you look at it like that, “REVIVE+” is actually IVE’s tenth substantial comeback. They also are clearly at the point where there are leaning into a more mature and edgier image, which would be appropriate both for their actual ages and their contractual ages, not to mention that in the ultra competitive world of KPOP you always need to take it SOMEWHERE, and this is a logical place for them to take it given where they have been.

IVE’s image circa the last world tour I saw them live on (SHOW WHAT I HAVE Tour, 2nd World Tour, Kia Forum, Inglewood CA 13 March 2024) was very much aligned with what a barely knowledgeable US music fan would guess if I say “KPOP” to them. This isn’t a knock in any way, I am just highlighting both that the average US music fan is NOT knowledgeable about KPOP (though that is changing), and that many many groups would NOT fit their stereotype so well (say for exampled DREAMCATCHER…. but also i-dle, aespa, and a host of others since the diversity in way broader than people unfamiliar think).

And IVE executed on this type of KPOP and image very very well, and then grew from there. Each comeback and even single release absolutely stayed true to their past (unlike some artists than radically shed their past each comeback and emerge some new entity) AND built on it. And certainly through the touring and experience got stronger and stronger – the solo song section of “REVIVE+” features songs that have been worked in solo performances in the recent touring.

“REVIVE+” is a strong release, a logical evolution, builds on the past while advancing. This album should serve them well and further elevate their status.

The opener “BLACKHOLE” captures what I am saying right off the bat, the sonic wall group vocals, the soaring melody lines, and many typical IVE things combined with an immediately heavier sounding backdrop. There a lot of different bits in here, it will take me more listens to get it all. But it hits.

Probably not to many of you, but to me “BANG BANG” immediately conjures up the 1991 Aldo Nova sex song from the “Blood on the Bricks” album that was collaborative produced with Jon Bon Jovi (and sounds pretty much like Bon Jovi), so I had to move my immediate reaction pretty far to get back to IVE :-). In any case, again a second complex track, the over-riding feeling it leaves me with is acceleration, you get faster as you go along. Continuing the more mature edgy vibe certainly.

“Hush” is the sexiest track on here. The vocal comes across very intimately talking to you, and of course all of the whispering and breathing. There is an interesting vocal line that evokes “ATTITUDE” right before the chorus. Ultimately, this track is enticement and seduction and implies all sorts of clandestine activities… of course in KPOP’s “less direct than it would be in US music but not fooling anyone what we are talking about” way.

“Stuck In Your Head” is written in the way some KPOP songs that initially are borderline annoying actually DO stick in your head, as they are designed to do. Here in fact, it worked. It happened. It’s done. (As an aside, one of the more effective uses of a random beep sound that I’ve ever heard in any context, not to mention a cartoonish whistle sound like they use on some Korean comedies as a wink sound. Either you get that or you don’t lol.)

“Fireworks” You can already picture in that part of the concert near the end where the fans and the group have collectively taken so many feel-good music drugs that the entire arena is all bouncing with glee – a part of a musical performance the best KPOP does better than any other, the euphoric high is real. The group harmony vocals invoke GIRLS GENERATION for me, and you can’t get much more of a compliment from me than an SNSD one :-). And similar to GIRLS GENERATION “Lucky Like That” just enough electric guitar going off between all the harmony at the latter stages elevates it even more.

“HOT COFFEE” is the high point for me, this didn’t take multiple listens, this took seconds…. and then got better. This is a fantastic track and I assume will make my year end best list for 2026… that’s how confident I am. I absolutely love the track.

JANGWONYOUNG’s solo “8” is all attitude and swagger and it works.

GAEUL’s “Odd”…. I love GAEUL and I’ve loved watching her emerge more and more in performances over the years but I haven’t been able to “find” what she is going for here, at least not yet. Which I suppose is “Odd” :-).

“Super ICY” is certainly an interesting image statement for LEESEO. Challenging track and well done. Very much in the TWICE “Strategy” vein, which they directly tell with the line “I’m not going to tell you TWICE” which I find quite entertaining since TWICE uses the same lyric :-). None of which I saw coming in particular from LEESEO of all people. But O.K.

“Unreal” is a fantastic straight ahead pop song of the kind I love always. It takes you soaring and you want to go. Great job by LIZ.

REI’s “In Your Heart”…. this style of music is much more accessible to me in present times because I have been spending time listening to artist’s such as Dreamiecloud (https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dreamiecloud/1477427818). Even so it’s going to take me more time/listens to really get deep into this one. There is a LOT going on here. And it’s going on FAST.

ANYUJIN’s album closer “Force” I love and loved instantly. What a strong vocal! To me this is just a great rock song with a great vocal. I think it’s funny that Apple Music says she “channels naughts-era hip hop”. Seriously? This is a rock song. Whatever the little drumbeat thing is doing doesn’t matter, her vocal is right there is the power rock song tradition. Hell, it even could be like a Carrie Underwood pop country vocal. It’s a strong vocal that wants you to play it loud and sing it loud. To me, that’s rock n’ roll.

“REVIVE+” dropped today 23 February 2026, delve into it and all of IVE’s catalog. Hopefully they will tour the US this go round.

– Eric John, CEO, Erotique Entertainment