MISAMO Deserves Applause and “Confetti” for Their First Full Album, PLAY
Photo: TWICE JAPAN OFFICIAL X
On February 4, TWICE’s Japanese sub-unit MISAMO released the final installment of their art-inspired album trilogy. The trio’s first full album, PLAY, finishes the themes established in their previous releases, 2023’s Masterpiece and 2024’s HAUTE COUTURE, with a musical theater-inspired concept. As described on TWICE’s Japanese website, PLAY “marks the final act of MISAMO’s artistic triptych—a performative culmination where the artist transcends the artwork itself.” Mina, Momo, and Sana explore the idea that life requires improvisation to make the most out of its unpredictable trajectory.
TRACKLIST:
“Confetti”
“Hmm”
“Not a Goodbye”
“Deep Eden”
“Red Diamond”
“Catch My Eye”
“Kitty (MOMO)”
“Ma Cherry (SANA)”
“Turning Tables (MINA)”
“Identity”
“Do not touch”
“Message”
“Confetti”
Masterpiece and HAUTE COUTURE revolve around building self-love and setting boundaries, and this leads to an abundance of confidence in PLAY. The album’s title track, “Confetti,” acts as a final stage in the trilogy’s narrative with its joyful band instrumentation. An optimistic attitude exudes from its lyrics, which say that no matter what unscripted events happen in life, people can adapt and still find fulfillment.
In contrast to the serious real-world framing of music videos for “Do not touch” and “Identity,” “Confetti” depicts a more imaginative, fantasy-like world. True to the song’s themes, MISAMO appear as theater actresses ready to take on any role. With costumes that seem like references to previous TWICE music videos—Momo’s action hero look from “Cheer Up,” Mina’s pirate look from “TT,” and even Dahyun’s bunny costume from “TT”—MISAMO seamlessly transitions from scene to scene. From start to finish, the music video delivers a cinematic experience just by its visuals alone. “Confetti” wraps up this trilogy with a performance worthy of a standing ovation.
B-sides to Play Over and Over
Mina, Sana, and Momo also receive new solo songs in this album. Momo starts the solos with “KITTY (MOMO),” a playful hip-hop track with whistle sounds. “Ma Cherry (SANA)” follows with an impactful, energetic impression. This track curiously lacks in length compared to Momo and Mina’s songs, as it ends at 1:48, a minute shorter than the other two. It comes as a shame as “Ma Cherry (SANA)” could easily evolve into one of the album’s best songs with an additional section. “Turning Tables (MINA)” also comes with a hip-hop flair, accentuated with trumpets in its instrumental.
Other songs on PLAY include the dreamy “Not a Goodbye,” the serious and classic string-backed “Deep Eden,” and previously performed tracks “Red Diamond” and “Catch My Eye” (unveiled during MISAMO’s 2024 Japanese dome tour). PLAY also slots in “Do not touch” and “Identity” to bring back the trilogy’s themes before its final track. The soft ballad “Message” ends PLAY with lyrics of eternal encouragement.
From high-fashion to theatrical performances, MISAMO delivers a piece of art through PLAY. Thematically, it all feels cohesive and the music at its core showcases sides of the members that differ from their images with TWICE.
With the completion of their artistic album trilogy, PLAY closes this chapter for MISAMO in an open-ended way. What concept awaits them next, and will it also mark the start of a new trilogy? If the narrative of “Confetti” means anything, the uncertainty and imperfections of the future can turn into an incredible experience.
Edited by Sandy Ou