If you are into K-Pop or just follow new trends in music, I’m sure you have heard of TWICE. They have been one of the biggest artists in K-Pop for many years, dominating charts repeatedly with their many viral hits. TWICE is one of the groups that led to the surge in popularity of K-Pop in America recently. Their catchy Pop hits and fun dances have made them a force not only in the Eastern world but also in the Western Hemisphere. Over the last couple of years. TWICE has let some of its members embark on solo endeavors. This all started with the face/co-leader of the group, Nayeon, back in the summer of 2022 with her acclaimed debut project IM NAYEON. This delightful EP proved that Nayeon has the star power to shine on her own. In addition to releasing music as a group, TWICE continued to let its members venture into side projects in 2023. Mina, Sana, and Momo came together as Misamo and released an EP called Masterpiece. Also, co-leader Jihyo dropped her debut solo project titled Zone(both of which I reviewed, so go check out those write-ups when you are done here if you have not yet). After putting out a very good project with TWICE earlier this year called With You-th, Nayeon is back with her second solo project, titled NA. Here is how I feel about this new EP from Nayeon. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from NA, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
NA gets started with what would probably be considered the lead single of the project(although it has not been released separately as a single, to my knowledge), ‘ABCD.’ This song has a nostalgic sound that brings back a style of music that I am very fond of and that is becoming increasingly favored again. ‘ABCD’ is reminiscent of the boisterous R&B music that was big at the beginning of the 2000s and made popular by artists like Destiny’s Child or Christina Aguilera. This track has a horn-driven, funky track that makes me want to dance around my apartment and turn up. Nayeon’s vocals are excellent on ‘ABCD.’ She shows off her range and sings with a flow that makes this track so catchy. ‘ABCD’ is a grand opener that begins the mini-album strongly. ‘Butterflies’ has a much more modern sound that precedes it. This one is also softer and more laid-back. ‘Butterflies’ is a bright Pop-Trap track that is pretty cookie-cutter but still so engaging. This one has an ethereal element that almost feels like a crossover between the music made by Doja Cat and Ariana Grande. ‘Butterflies’ does not contain the kind of powerful and rangey vocals we got in the preceding track, but Nayeon’s performance is still engaging on this one. Although Nayeon does not do anything over the top on ‘Butterflies,’ her flow and tone just make it so nice to listen to. ‘Butterflies’ may not be close to the most adventurous Pop song you will hear, but it works for what it is. The bubbly Pop-Trap sound we got on the preceding song continues on ‘Heaven,’ which features Sam Kim. To be honest, ‘Heaven’ sounds like a slightly heavier and more saturated version of ‘Butterflies.’ The tone of the melody is a bit warmer and the beat is a bit punchier, but these are very similar tracks. I will say that I like the vocals on ‘Butterflies’ a bit more than I do on this one. Sam Kim gives a decent verse on ‘Heaven’ and Nayeon’s range is actually a bit wider, but for some reason ‘Butterflies’ just grabs me. Regardless, ‘Heaven’ is enjoyable and I could see people latching onto it. ‘Magic,’ which features JULIE of KISS OF LIFE, brings back the energy we got on the first track of the project. This is an upbeat Pop track that leans into another trend that has become pretty big in the genre in the 2020s. ‘Magic’ has a Disco-tinted sound driven by a funky bassline and triumphant horns. When I hear this one, I think of the music being made by Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa. This is a good sound for Nayeon, as she can show off the emphasis and overall prowess of her vocals. As good as Nayeon sounds on ‘Magic,’ I enjoy JULIE’s performance even more. The gruffness of her rap verse gives the song a bit of intensity that makes it all the more riveting. ‘Magic’ is a track that is perfect for the dance floor and lets Nayeon and Julie shine.
Nayeon continues that Disco theme from the last track on ‘HalliGalli,’ which is produced by LEE CHANHYUK of AKMU(it is funny to me that we had to make that distinction, especially considering how similar this one is to the one before it). Even if ‘HalliGalli’ does have a similar feeling to ‘Magic,’ there are elements of this one that make it stand out. There is a Latin Pop flair to this one that kind of reminds me of Ricky Martin. The beat for this one is also way more dynamic, as it changes tempo throughout the track and keeps me on my toes. The Disco elements are here, but they are made fresh on this one. Nayeon gives her best vocal performance on the record so far on ‘HalliGalli.’ She hits notes on this song that make it all the more engaging and prove why she is considered a top vocalist in K-Pop. Nayeon and LEE CHANHYUK gave an eccentric twist to the current Disco Pop trend on ‘HalliGalli,’ showing off their individual talents. Nayeon goes with yet an additional exciting trend right now in K-Pop on ‘Something.’ This one explores a sound that TWICE excelled at on With You-th, that being 1990s-esque Garage music. ‘Something’ is charming, punchy, and super energetic. Similar to the last track, this one has an intricate melody and beat that makes the track very captivating. I really enjoy the variety of components to the melody on this one. From the cozy guitar riff to the many levels of distortion on the synths that complement it, ‘Something’ has so much about it that just makes it pop for me. Nayeon actually does not give one of her most zestful vocal performances on this one, but that is okay. Her light and sweet tone fit the feeling of the track so much; she does just enough on this one to make it so endearing. ‘Something’ is a stand-out track that I know I will be playing a lot this summer, as it just makes me feel good. Nayeon closes out NA on a pretty calm note with ‘Count It.’ This one goes back to the Doja Cat style of Pop Trap that we got a couple of times earlier on the project. Unfortunately, this one feels like a slightly dull closer to me, as it is the least engaging of the three songs in this style. I am not saying that ‘Count It’ is bad by any means, though. The melody is an earworm, and Nayeon’s vocals are very pretty for what it is worth. Even if this one does not do as much for me, if someone were to tell me they are super into ‘Count It,’ I would not think that is crazy. ‘Count It’ does not end NA with a bang, but is nevertheless a decently worthy send-out for this mini-album.
Nayeon has always been considered one of(if not the) most prominent stars on TWICE. I have seen people online on multiple occasions even consider her a soloist who happens to be in a group and shines at that as well. She more than proved that point in her debut IM NAYEON, and once again does so on NA. As I mentioned a couple of times while writing about the songs, nothing is boundary-pushing or out of the ordinary about the sound of this project. In fact, I would say that the instrumentals on NA are generally safe(with a few quirks on a couple of the tracks). That said, so much about this project works. The instrumentals do a good job of highlighting Nayeon’s strengths, and Nayeon sounds like a star on this project. She shows her eclecticism and diversity as a Pop artist while demonstrating the many ways that she is a strong and high-powered vocalist. NA once again proves that Nayeon is a force in K-Pop and her own; as awesome as she is with TWICE, one could argue she is even better on her own.
EAST SIDE VIBES 