Everything About Hwasa’s “O” Is Sizzling Host, And Then Some
It’s clear that with her second mini-album, O, Hwasa intended to leave a mark, and boy, did she nail it once again. Released on September 19, the comeback record was anticipated by the title track “Na” (it’s the transliteration of “나,” which means “me” in Korean), a catchy tune that became a social media hit thanks to the sexy/fun dance challenge promoted by Hwasa herself.
Everything about O expresses a strong sense of the singer's identity: she keeps on shaping her presence as a solo artist, while MAMAMOO’s activities have slowed down, and is thriving under the care of PSY’s label, P Nation. The record features seven tracks, and even just reading those short titles gives you a taste of what you’re in for: “Road,” “HWASA,” “NA,” “EGO,” “OK NEXT,” “just want to have some fun,” and “O.” There’s no space for doubt: Hwasa’s second mini-album is all about defining herself.
So, how does this Hwasa sound? She’s fierce and sophisticated; the warmth of her tone and the depth of her dynamics conjure the image of a confidently seductive woman. Hwasa feels uncompromising but doesn’t hide her more fragile side.
“NA” is the song where PSY’s touch is probably more evident: the earworm-like melody is his signature, just as much as the lady’s voluptuous voice. When Hwasa met the press upon the release of the album, she said: "I feel like this album is more shining. I'm back with a title track called 'Me'. It's been a year since my last activity. I spent a lot of time focusing on myself and had a lot of stages and good times. If I had to describe this song, it would be simple: it's a song about me. It's not about being strong and being the best, it's just about being the person I want to be, I just want to show myself. It's a song that expresses the feeling of wanting to be free to show yourself without being judged, and to be crazy about yourself."
“Road” opens the record with idle country music vibes, followed by the pounding rhythm of “HWASA” (anyone else thought of K.T. Tunstall?). After “NA,” we’re clubbing with “EGO” and “OK NEXT,” and then comes “just want to have some fun,” which is super pop and playful (can we expect a very colorful music video?), and finally comes “O,” probably the most interesting song of the lot, exuding a laid-back sensuality with a playful edge on the backdrop of the most melodic arrangement of the album.
In the same press conference, Hwasa also explained what the title “O” means: "I wanted to express myself clearly. I realized I’m a flexible person — positive, yet the album title also represents the world within the circle I’ve drawn. While searching for a word that could hold various meanings, I landed on "O." She also said that the song bearing the same title of the album was the hardest to write and record, “There were so many revisions and re-recordings. I wasn’t satisfied with myself. It felt awkward.”
The artist commented on her outspoken and free-spirited public persona: “Sometimes I feel stressed by my honesty… I want to sugarcoat things, but I just can't. I find comfort in being straightforward, and being honest suits me best. However, my boldness has also caused me stress. At some point, I realized it made me even more sad to be overly conscious of others. So now, I’ve just accepted it and told myself, ‘I’m not meant to be loved by everyone.’ I’ve come to understand that if I’m happy, others will feel that too, and I’ve finally found balance within myself.”
Hwasa celebrates here newfound balance in this album, and it’s for us it’s a total treat!
Edited by Rachael Lovette