There’s been a lot of talk in the K-Pop world surrounding LE SSERAFIM’s impending debut, especially after it was announced that the new girl group was in the works shortly after GFRIEND disbanded. As controversial as the discussion around the ethics of said disbandment within SOURCE MUSIC, the two groups are different and LE SSERAFIM shouldn’t be compared. With a lineup including former IZ*ONE members Chaewon and Sakura, there was much attention surrounding their return to the music scene in this new group. Title track “FEARLESS” is accompanied by a five track mini-album of the same name.

The Title

As a song, “FEARLESS” is somewhat polarizing. We’ve already seen reactions both on social media and YouTube declaring how underwhelming the song is and how this debut was not worth GFRIEND’s disbandment. However, I feel that the dance pop track is extremely catchy, likely due to the hook used throughout the song. The striking beat can easily draw you in, and there’s a pretty clear tell based on the vocals that there is experience in this group. Is it the most exciting debut track? Probably not, but it has all the right elements for popularity with an addictive hook, driving beat, solid vocals, and lyrics overflowing with confidence.

Initially in the teasers there was some concern of oversexualization of the members, especially regarding those that are minors, but that doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue in the music video. The girl crush concept within the video is a bit more toned down in the sense that the girls radiate a certain chic aura, but it is mixed with an elegance. There are some dance moves that could be seen as more sexualized, but for the most part the camera tends to cut parts out and doesn't showcase them as much. This could be due to the backlash from the teasers, so it's nice to see that the concerns from fans were acknowledged. The settings match the tone of the lyrics, with black and white being the main colors used to add to the feeling of sophistication. From stylish workout outfits to classy evening wear, we love the outfits adorning the girls.

The Album

Mini-album FEARLESS kicks off with “The World Is My Oyster,” an EDM-heavy, mostly instrumental track meant to set up the lead to the title. It has a runway type of feel, with the trance-influenced beat accompanied by spoken word phrases. Interesting choice of words in my opinion, but it does fit with the motif of the title as it leads directly into it.

“Blue Flame” has a groovy melody that seems to mix the retro R&B sound with a driving pop beat. It’s hard to describe such two different influences coming together, but the girls somehow flawlessly meld them to create another smooth and self-confident track. It has quite a different tone from the title, yet maintains the same overall feeling to it. Next comes “The Great Mermaid,” a track that has a totally different feel from the first two. Something about it feels more complex melody-wise, like that unique sound takes more of the spotlight than the vocals. There are many uses of accidentals as well in the vocals, which add more character to the sound. The album concludes with “Sour Grapes,” a slower tempo R&B track that has a softer aura and gives us yet another different angle from the group. This type of sound works very well for the group, and though vastly different in tone and style from the title, is a great addition to the mini and ends it off on a softer note. 

Overall I find this debut to be a great one, from the B-sides quality to the catchiness of the title track. There was a lot of pressure on this girl group and their debut, and I believe they delivered well despite any pressure or disagreement on the quality of the title track. So far this year it is the first debut to really catch my attention, and I’m excited to see what LE SSERAFIM has for the future.

Edited by Rashelle B.