In terms of artistic progression, you could say A’wesome is HyunA’s most personal album to date. The sultry South Korean songstress contributed lyrics to all the tracks in her fifth solo EP.
That’s a solid statement, especially when one considers how manufactured and impersonal the whole mainstream K-pop scene is.
But then again, the stakes are higher for the 24-year-old rapper-singer (whose real name is Kim Hyun-a) this time around. A’wesome is released post disbandment of 4Minute, the five-member girl group that HyunA’s a part of since 2009 until recently.
Showcasing her individuality – in the absence of her former girl group act – therefore, is more important than ever. And this six-track collection is a step in the right direction.
Opener U & Me is a pleasing introduction of HyunA’s new mature side. It’s a pleasantly subtle number, especially when you factor in the grittier stuff that she’s done in the past.
Over sultry synths and elements of dance pop, the K-pop star lets her softer vocal range take the lead.
But on the following track and lead single How’s This, HyunA reverts to the bold songstress that has tantalised the genre numerous times in the past with her provocative image. The song is an electrifying number that further underlines the singer’s propensity for making hits that are deliciously fierce in the melodic department.
That boisterous soundscape continues on numbers such as the urban flavoured Freaky and cheeky Do It!
The singer wraps things up with Wolf, a sensual tune that shows that she’s perfectly adept at balancing demure and sexy. If anything, A’wesome is indication that HyunA will do just A’okay on her own.
HyunA
A’wesome
Cube Entertainment
