BoA Dazzles in “Starry Night” Return
The undisputed queen of K-Pop has made a December return! Beginning her career back in 2003, BoA is now recognized as one of the most successful singers in the business. With almost 20 years of experience into her musical career, it’s no surprise that her return would be nothing but quality.
The Title: “Starry Night”
Though it’s not specifically a Christmas themed comeback, it’s certainly a song that elicits a feeling of warmth and comfort. The track features the king of R&B, Crush, who is almost a perfect compliment to BoA’s vocal tone. The song features a mid-tempo, groovy melody that remains mostly static throughout, likely to highlight the vocalists over everything else. It’s a classic BoA type of track, though it does have a heavier R&B twist. Crush’s lines are interspersed throughout the song rather than focused on a single verse, which is not standard, but it made this song even better. In addition, he provides some amazing harmonization through the whole track, making the song stand out even further.
The music video tells the story of people living in New York City and suffering daily hardships, with shots of BoA living that life herself while also performing in a dazzling sparkly dress in front of an old-fashioned microphone. There’s a diverse cast of characters, from young and old to different races. The video depicts people experiencing some relatable hardships, from a hit-and-run on your parked car to getting locked out of your home or your dog running away. But there is a really beautiful shift in the message as people watch BoA perform and their luck turns around, leaving a brighter and happier message that is perfect for the holiday season.
The Album
Featuring six new tracks, mini-album Starry Night kicks off with the title track before diving into the first B-side, “Black.” The track has a much more familiar pop-EDM melody that we’re used to hearing from BoA. The driving tempo and electronic keyboard musical elements give this song a catchy tone, even through the somewhat depressing lyrics. “Butterfly” kicks things back up to a happier melody, with a funky melodic base that comes as a perfect mix of the first two songs.
If you’re feeling retro, “I Don’t Mind” will be right up your alley. With a classic rhythm guitar and percussion beat, feelings of early rock & roll seem to be the inspiration behind this melody. BoA’s vocal timbre really shines through in this style of music. We go back to modern in “Think about You” with the typical K-Pop melodic line driving the beat. This is the first song that really switches the sound up at the chorus, providing a nice surprise in comparison to the rest of the album. If you’re into upbeat BoA, this will be a new favorite. Finally, we have “Dry Flower,” and you may be surprised to learn that it is not a ballad. Based on the trend of the album up to here, I was honestly expecting a somber and intense ballad to round out the mini (not to mention the song title feels rather somber as it is), but I was surprised to find a lighter pop track that features brass instruments portraying a sunny disposition.
I can’t imagine that BoA is at a point in her career where she would have a bad release. She has been in the game for far too long and has released far too much music to not hit the mark every time. Starry Night has a classic BoA twinge to it, but with some exploration into other genres as well. As far as albums go, it’s a very good release at the core. That being said, it may not be considered extraordinary. However, those who choose not to bypass this album surely won’t be disappointed.