Back in March, PRISTIN made their bubbly debut with “WEE WOO” which received impressive results. “WEE WOO” introduced an energetic and youthful concept, allowing PRISTIN to create an impact with their debut. Now, the girls of PRISTIN have made their first comeback, experimenting with a new concept. When PRISTIN finished up promotions for “WEE WOO,” Pledis Entertainment gave no comment on when the group would make a return. It wasn't until the start of August that rumors surfaced of the group's possible comeback, which ultimately turned out to be true.

Schxxl’s Out for PRISTIN

In early August, Pledis officially announced that PRISTIN would release their second mini-album, Schxxl’s Out, along with title track “WE LIKE.” Following the news, a tracklist was released and revealed Roa, Sungyeon, Xiyeon, Kyla, Yehena, Rena, and Nayoung all participated in either composing or writing lyrics on the album. Seeing the members of PRISITIN take part in the production of the album is admirable, considering they are still new to the music industry.

When the teaser photos were posted online, PRISTIN shared both “IN” and “OUT” versions. “IN” portrayed the members in school uniforms (hence in school), while “OUT” showcased the members in casual clothes and outside (outside of school). It was a creative twist to the typical uniform concept, as it was still unclear what sound the group was leaning towards.

The teaser video was released days before the comeback and showed a completely different style of PRISTIN than what people were used to. In the video, the group breaks into a mall, looking badass and confident. The 20-second clip also suggested PRISTIN would head towards an edgier route, and this only heightened anticipation.  

You Like, I Like, We Like?

On August 23, PRISTIN released the music video for “WE LIKE” on their official YouTube channel, followed by their mini-album, Schxxl’s Out. “WE LIKE” is about a girl being confident in herself and wanting the boy she likes to make the first move. The lyrics can be perceived in many ways, either self confident or even boastful. The members talk about how the boys want them and how the boys they have a crushes on should “be lucky” that they chose them. It’s interesting to see PRISTIN pack a punch with the lyrics considering that some members took part in writing the song. What takes away from the aggression of the lyrics is the “du du du du” during the chorus, along with the innocent voices of certain members. It seems to have become a signature style for PRISTIN to use unusual words/sounds (like “we-woo” and “du du du du”) in their songs, and so far it seems to have worked in their favor.

“WE LIKE” has an unusual line distribution, in a good way. The rappers get a lot more room to explore this time around, rather than repeating the same line over and over again. Saying that, this highlights the individual voices of each member, such as Xiyeon’s deep voice and Sungyeon’s vibrato. It’s quite the opposite to “WEE WOO,” as the song is unpredictable and goes through changes in different sections. It’s a bold move to completely change the line distribution, but it works with this song due to its experimentation.

What is odd about “WE LIKE” is the music video, as it has no connection with the concept photos. Many believed PRISTIN would be wearing school uniforms (similar to “WEE WOO” and/or the concept photos), but that isn’t showcased in the music video. Following the teaser video, the girls of PRISTIN break into a mall and throw a party for themselves. The choreography plays a big part of the music video, though it is on the weaker side. The chorus has a simple dance to it, with it building up in the verses, but it is ultimately lacking in power. Making the choreography the strong point of the music video makes sense if it has impact, but it seems PRISTIN wants people to follow along with the choreography. At the end of the music video, the girls are caught by a guard (just one guard manages to catch all 10 members), brought to the police station, and have their mugshots taken. The music video adds quirkiness to the song, making people want to watch the video more than once.

Now, PRISTIN is promoting “WE LIKE” on music shows, which brings us back to the uniform concept. Though there is still no connection to the teaser photo concepts and music video, the members all wear school (ish) uniforms on stage, which I guess is how it all ties in. “WE LIKE” live stages have proved consistent with vocals and energy, with the fanchants getting louder each performance. Speaking of fans, PRISTIN recently announced their fanclub name as “High.” The meaning behind this is that the fans will stay with PRISTIN as they grow throughout their career and reach new heights.

PRISTIN has evolved with “WE LIKE” in many ways, from composing to line distribution. In a way, it’s almost an upgrade to “WEE WOO,” incorporating elements of it with this comeback. “WE LIKE” has already achieved impressive results with the song having charted worldwide. Hopefully PRISTIN will see the success they are achieving and only continue to grow with each comeback to come.