The third generation of Produce 101 groups has hit the music scene! The 12 winners of Produce 48 debut as IZ*ONE with lead track “La Vie en Rose” and mini-album COLOR*IZ, featuring seven tracks. The music video has already broken records, achieving more than 4.5 million views and making it the most-watched debut music video by a Korean act in 24 hours.

“La Vie En Rose”

For groups that come through the Produce 101 funnel, there’s lots of expectations around the debut. Fans often eagerly wait for the announcement of the final group members. Musically, “La Vie en Rose” is pretty much the K-Pop standard for a girl group, with a catchy pop beat and a focus on vocals. Standard shouldn’t have a negative connotation, since the song definitely qualifies as a bop. The vocals are very strong and stable, which can’t always be said of a newly-debuted group. However, if you’re a fan of rap, there’s not much to be found in this track.

Visually, the music video mostly focuses on soft pastel colors, save for a bright red to go along with the rose concept. The red and black outfits contrast quite a bit with the overall soft and pastel aesthetic in the majority of the video, but that makes it the best feature, in my opinion. The choreography is also very eye-catching and creative, making use of all 12 members in a well-rounded way. The best part of this debut is definitely the choreography.

The Album

COLOR*IZ features seven tracks, the final three “We Together,” “Suki ni Nacchau Darou?” and “Yume wo Miteiru Aida” being the final group version of previously performed Produce 48 songs. The feature of Produce 48 in comparison to previous seasons was the mix of Korean and Japanese contestants; the album also highlights this with songs in both languages.

The album starts with “Colors,” a traditionally upbeat girl group pop track that has a catchy beat. The song never loses pace and keeps up the energy into the next track. “O’ My!” is a song that has a bit more funk influence in comparison to the other tracks we’ve heard so far. The funky beat makes it particularly addicting, and as a result it is my favorite track on the album. Next we have the lead track, followed by a surprisingly slow and emotional ballad in “Memory.” This song really showcases the vocal prowess of the group in a way the previous tracks haven’t been able to accomplish, and adds a new dimension to the musicality of the album. It would fit much better as the concluding track of the album, since it’s so different from the rest of the album musically.

IZ*ONE has certainly made a strong impact with their debut. While the group’s sound is traditional in many ways, there’s still some uniqueness to the members that set the group apart and make them memorable. Be sure to support IZ*ONE during their promotions!