ITZY’s Declaration of Love with “Motto”

Photo: JYP Entertainment

Six months after their last release, the girls of ITZY have returned with an upbeat summertime concept to get us ready for the season. Showcasing a stark contrast from their previous title track “TUNNEL VISION,” ITZY returns to show their musical versatility with a cuter, dreamy concept in “Motto.”

EDM seems to be the trend in K-Pop lately, so it’s rough out here for the girlies that miss the girl crush concepts. I was apparently the only person who really loved ITZY’s last comeback, so for this one we see them pulling a 180 in concept. “Motto” is an upbeat pop-EDM track with lyrics that convey a sweet relationship, shifting from their last title track all about personal power. It’s a classic formula, a timeless one for popularity, so it’s easy to see why this is what came after “TUNNEL VISION.” A catchy hook in the chorus could certainly create an earworm, and ITZY’s vocal talent always shines through no matter what type of track they perform. One thing I’ll always praise is the title tracks moving away from the shortened two minute run time, and “Motto” gives us the classic setup of verses, pre-chorus, bridge and full chorus. Even if this genre isn’t my cup of tea musically, I’m happy to see the formula of the song going back to a longer form, even if only by a minute.

The video has an interesting dreamy concept, complete with heavy nautical themes for summer. Much of the creative expression that has defined ITZY is still present, which is most noted in Chaeryeong’s precarious position next to a swinging piece of concrete. I like the more subdued makeup choice to match the nautical theme, since white is the unifying color of the concept. The artistic expression of ITZY is always top-tier, and that remains true with this comeback.

Check out the music video for “Motto” below!