aespa Wants to Strike Gold with Rich Man EP
Photo: aespa Official X
It’s been 11 months since aespa last released an EP, but Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning kept busy with their singles “Dirty Work” and “Dark Arts,” brand collaborations, and tours. Last week, the group kicked off their SYNK : aeXIS LINE tour, which premiered many tracks from their sixth EP, Rich Man. The EP came out on September 5 with six new songs. While aespa has no doubt achieved riches of their own, the title track “Rich Man” focuses on a different type of value: self-worth.
TRACKLIST:
“Rich Man”
“Drift”
“Bubble”
“Count On Me”
“Angel #48”
“To The Girls”
The Concept of “Rich Man”
“Rich Man” references a famous 1996 interview pop icon Cher did for the American news show Dateline. Speaking to journalist Jane Pauley, Cher recalled how her mother encouraged her to marry a rich man to fund a movie. Cher’s response of “Mom, I am a rich man” grew into something much larger than a simple statement: it told women that they could stand on their own, and that men do not dictate their value. Instead of purely monetary capital, women can also feel rich in emotional capital.
aespa delivers a music video rich in personality to go with this title track. The idea of self-sustaining women translates into aespa taking charge in traditionally male-dominated fields. The members portray their own type of self-assurance in roles like an American football player, a mechanic, a camera operator, a woodworker, and a monster truck driver. The video’s constant action keeps transitions engaging.
The Sound of Rich Man
Unfortunately, while “Rich Man” sports a strong message, the song’s instrumental fails to match that energy. aespa’s rock band-themed concept photos and album packaging implied a heavy rock sound, but the electric guitar here feels minimally integrated. It needs to amp up the intensity to create an inspiring mood that complements the lyrics. Though the guitar makes itself more prominent in the last 30 seconds, this only further highlights what the rest of the song lacks. Emulating an acoustic drum sound, such as the strikes of a snare, would drive the rock concept further.
The B-sides of the Rich Man EP continue building up confidence. aespa encourages listeners to go full speed towards their dreams in “Drift,” a hip-hop song with a whistle-filled hook. The group also shows addictive raps in the pop track “Bubble.” “Count on Me,” yet another great display of aespa’s vocals in the R&B genre, stands out the most. As the only song on the EP with a somber tone, the story of a breakup allows aespa to tap into a more expressive quality.
aespa sings fully in English for the dreamy pop track “Angel #48.” Its title may reference the concept of angel numbers, considered “messages from the spiritual universe” to provide direction in life. The final song, “To The Girls,” uses a soft rock instrumental to unite women. It calls back to the fact that Rich Man is all about the strength of women. This connective thread between the title track and its final song feels perfect.
aespa’s vision for Rich Man ultimately sounds excellent, but its execution unfortunately falls short of expectations. While the B-sides come off fine on their own, the title track weighs down the overall impression of the EP. It may take a few more listens for me to warm up to it.