aespa teases success with first mini-album drop ‘Savage’

When K-Pop was first introduced to me, I never knew how much it would take over my life and getting others into K-Pop is now my life goal. 

On Oct. 5, the new K-Pop group, aespa, released their first mini-album “Savage.” Debuting in Nov. of 2020, we received two singles from the group, “Black Mamba” and “Next Level.” Many fans were eager for more and with this mini-album, fans finally got what they’ve been waiting for.

The members of aespa are Ningning, Giselle, Karina, and Winter; all multi-talented girls. Their singing is off the charts and they all can rap as if their lives depend on it. 

Watching this new group evolve into what they have become today has been a sight to see and many are naming them the leaders of the fourth generation of K-Pop, barely a year after their debut. 

What many aespa fans love is how they are not afraid to experiment with new sounds. At first, it may be confusing to listen to, but after a couple of listens you start to understand it more and easily become obsessed. 

Although you may not know what they are saying, unique art is out there to be discovered;  that is why broadening your horizons into K-Pop truly will change your life. The lyrics are just a Google search away, if that is essential for you in order to enjoy the media. 

As “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho says, “once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” Limiting yourself to media that is in a language you know excludes you from a lot of breathtaking art.  

If you are a fan of rap, then this album will be right up your alley. However, if you also are not a fan of rap, such as myself, there still are a lot of remarkable vocal moments that will leave you hooked. 

Starting off the mini-album with “aengery” was a perfect introduction to not on the album but to the group of aespa as well. This song really gives you the experimental sound that so many love, and an introduction to the four members. 

The title track of the mini-album, “Savage” was what really had me excited. Rap is not my favorite genre in the world, but aespa makes me fall in love with rap. In addition to strong rap, the vocals on this song sound like any Western artist recorded it and is one of my favorites off of the mini-album. 

My favorite track of the entire mini-album, “I’ll Make You Cry.” Amazing, spectacular, show-stopping, never has been done before; this song is the moment. 

For those looking for a more vocal based song, “YEPPI YEPPI” gives us a nice breather from all of the rap — it’s a super upbeat song.  

The next track, “ICONIC” was in fact not so iconic. While it is my least favorite song off of this mini-album, it still is a good listen. This song lacked the flare that all of the others had.

The last track of the mini-album, “Lucid Dream,” was a relaxing end to this sensational album. It calmed me down from the high I was experiencing with all the other tracks.  

Overall, for being the first mini-album from aespa, this is impressive. The future of this group is so bright, and everyone should be keeping an eye out for them. To me, they are the next big thing not just in K-Pop but for the entire music industry.