Kpop Review: Somi's "What You Waiting For"

YG's newest princess made her comeback on July 22nd with her bubbly single, "What You Waiting For."

The Song:

I think this was a really strong comeback for Somi and fit her style and youthfulness well. I personally like it a lot better than her debut, as it was more subtle and less in your face. "Birthday" was a little too much like Taylor Swift's "Me!" for my liking. Teddy, YG's main producer, tends to lean more towards the mainstream pop side of music with very hard-hitting backing instrumentation. While this song isn't anything too far out of Teddy's comfort zone, it is a lot lighter and more unique than just being a carbon copy of a Blackpink song which is a carbon copy of a 2ne1 song. (Not saying that's a bad thing! Teddy just has a very specific genre that he produces.)

I usually don't like non-vocal parts of songs, but I actually really liked the instrumental bridge. The beat is fun and bubbly and exudes the bright happy feeling of summer! The lyrics focus on a love interest that doesn't seem as interested in her. She begins to doubt herself, wondering if she is the reason he isn't making a move, asking him "what you waiting for?" Once again, this song is not reinventing the wheel with these lyrics but it doesn't need to in my opinion. They are relatable at any age - anyone can relate to the situation in which they find themselves wondering what could possibly be the reason someone is interested in them romantically but isn't doing anything about it.

I do with this had at least been a mini album though instead of just a single. I want to see more b-sides from her! I know she has so much more to offer and I hate having to wait for it. I'd like to see her do more songs like "Out of My Head" from her first single album because I like the RnB style it had and how she branched out from the typical pop sound.

The Music Video:

This video is so different from her debut and I loved seeing both sides of her! The video for "What You Waiting For" has almost an artsy feel to it. It is very unique and different from anything else being produced currently. It involves Somi's glamorous alter ego bursting through walls and saving herself from boredom. I don't have a clear grasp on what exactly was happening in the video or what it has to do with the song, but that is rarely a concern for me.

Some of the effect were a bit cheesy though. If they are going to come out looking so clearly synthetic, I would rather not have fancy effects at all because I think videos are better off in the end. I also felt like the filming was too dark at some points. There was a weird filter on all of it that made some scenes hard to decipher and almost gritty at times. Neither of these things took away from the success of the video though, as it was still very well done and fun to watch.

Her styling in this video was impeccable! She looked so gorgeous and there was a good mix between glamorous and trendy outfits. I am always glad to see YG artists dressed in outfits that actually look good because sometime they can be styled in kind of.....questionable fashions. Somi looked amazing though and I felt like the styling fit the concept well.

I really liked this comeback from Somi and am already seeing growth in her as a solo artist. She impresses me every time I see her perform and can't wait to see how she continues to change and improve!