IVE has definitely been on a hot streak for a good while now, from their skyrocketing stardom with the viral “I AM” to the versatile releases in I’VE MINE, the sextet has been killing the K-Pop game recently. The girls have done a great job at displaying their versatility with musical genres, and that trend continues with the new title track “해야 (HEYA),” which feels very different from their previous title tracks. 

Upon first listening, the most noticeable difference in “해야 (HEYA)” is the amount of rap lines in the track. While the previous title “BADDIE” got a lot of attention for being their first pure hip-hop release, “해야 (HEYA)” is more of a mix between pop and hip-hop that has the sort of blended composition that you’d expect from K-Pop, rather than a single genre-focused melody. When the song opens with a rap verse, it’s a bit unexpected given the lighter opening melody. That difference definitely hits though and hooks the listener in for the vocal verse, which is then again contrasted with a rap verse. What really made this track stick in my head though was the mixing at the chorus, which packs a powerful punch. I think IVE’s strength, besides being so versatile in their musical releases, is that each listen of the song becomes even more addictive. 

The music video for this track has a dreamy, otherworldly feel punctuated by bright pinks, blues, and yellows taking the main focus of the sets. The way the video is shot is very eye-catching, to the point that the production value seems particularly grandiose, even if it’s not. A lot of CG is used to fit the concept, which also keeps it particularly fresh, and even if there’s not a particular storyline going along with the song, the creative composition really keeps you engaged with the video. I particularly liked the outfits where they all wore belts with colorful skirt strands that accentuated the choreography. The video really punctualizes why IVE is a group at the top of their game right now.

Check out the video for “해야 (HEYA)” below!

Edited by Vivian N.