AOMG’s Princess: Hoody
When mentioning K-Hip-Hop monster label AOMG, artists that often come to mind are the likes of Jay Park, Simon Dominic, Gray, et cetera. But one name has been in the mix for many years, though maybe not in the spotlight compared to the others, and that’s AOMG’s first and only female artist, Hoody.
Kim Hyunjung, stage name Hoody, began her musical career in 2013 as part of the all female underground hip-hop crew Amourette. She was signed onto the famous agency in 2015, and since then has been featured on a number of largely popular Jay Park songs, along with releasing her own solo music.
The first taste of Hoody’s music came in 2016 in the form of single “Like You,” a calming R&B track with a chill beat that showcases Hoody’s beautiful vocals in a very impactful way. She definitely brought a fresh new sound to the traditional AOMG expectations, building intrigue for what she had in store moving forward. Before releasing her first full album, Hoody was featured on Jay Park’s album Everything You Wanted, with heavy features in popular songs “Me Like Yuh,” “All I Wanna Do,” and “Solo.” With the help of Jay Park’s notoriety and her own musical prowess, more attention turned to the singer. Her first album, On and On, was released in late 2016 and managed to peak at 54 on the music charts.
Between then and now, Hoody has only released a handful of singles and been featured in about as many as well. That is until recently, with lead single “MIRO” for the latest album Departure dropping a few months ago and the full album within the last two weeks.
Departure is a full-length album with 11 new tracks, marking the singer’s first substantial return. Beginning with the perfectly mellow R&B tempo in opening track “Perfect Timing,” the tone is set for the album as a whole. Hoody’s vocals shine through in this slow tempo masterpiece before transitioning into “Stay,” a more upbeat and modern pop song that features Ugly Duck. Despite shifting rhythmically from the first song, the track still fits Hoody perfectly. “Love Again” keeps the mood uplifted before the melody slows back down in “Thank you,” back to the feel of the beginning of the album. The transitions between these four songs is silky smooth, and it’s not hard to become entranced as you listen.
The fifth track, “MIRO,” is a personal favorite as well as the pre-release of this album. The unique syncopated rhythmic sequence used throughout the track is truly addicting, and Hoody’s use of off key notes in her singing also adds to the charm of this track. It differs slightly in that there is a touch of EDM influence, but the girl makes it work with her style.
“Something Missing” marks the halfway point of the album as a simple interlude, containing just a basic set of chords and Hoody’s vocals for the span of a minute. This leads into “What Shall I Do,” an R&B track that balances the sound and feel of the first two songs on the album. Truthfully, any of Hoody’s R&B heavily influenced tracks are just a treat.
Next up comes “Adios,” a Cha Cha Malone produced track featuring fellow AOMG member Gray. The beat is very distinctly Cha Cha, and if you’ve ever listened extensively to either Jay Park or one of the artists who has commissioned this producer, you know exactly what I mean. Because of the additional feature of Gray, this is one of the more popular songs off the album. As we drift closer to the end of the album, Hoody brings out “Dance,” a track most memorable for the sporadic whistle used in the rhythm. It’s something unique that definitely leaves an impression, especially since the rhythm of it doesn’t seem very logical at first. I found the whistle particularly distracting for this reason, but whether that’s considered a bad thing comes down to personal taste. The track also features rapper Jclef.
Marking the tenth spot is “Good and Evil,” a track that has a memorable melody in that the persistent use of what sounds like hi-hats is overlayed on top of a calmer R&B beat. It creates somewhat of a confusing contrast between the tempo of the song and the quick pace of the rhythm, making for a very interesting outcome. Finally we have “Complex,” an R&B ballad that wraps up the album and shines the spotlight on Hoody’s gorgeous voice. It’s a nice cool down from the few shifts in the rest of the album and leaves a pleasant feeling in the chest as the song fades out.
There’s no doubt that Hoody has some amazing talent. It’s somewhat of a shame that she is one of AOMG’s lesser known artists, especially considering that she was the first woman signed to the label. With the release of Departure, Hoody makes her full album debut and leaves an impression on the K-R&B genre that certainly can’t be replaced. If you’re into R&B and haven’t heard any of her songs yet, it’s time to become familiar.