Welcome to the April 2025 edition of Pop Off! This month, Chris and Chantel Nicole go head-to-head with three of the hottest K-Pop and K-Pop adjacent comebacks and new singles: XG with "In The Rain", &TEAM with "Go In Blind" and CHUU with "Only cry in the rain".Weβre breaking down each release across song, video, and performance, giving our unfiltered opinions and plenty of love (and maybe a little shade). Who dominated the month? Who surprised us? And who left us wanting more?
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- 0:00 - Intro
- 2:00 - Round 1 - Song
- 22:43 - Round 2 - Video
- 41:06 - Round 3 - Performance
- 56:42 - Final Winner
References:
- XG - βIn The Rainβ MV https://youtu.be/BydbhAzmAzg?si=ZKTDCSYFwirjpyoC
- XG - βIn The Rainβ Live at Coachella fancam by @powdrrrpuff https://youtu.be/BlzMttpHzfE?si=X7bn3R-y-dBAZiaa
- CHUU μΈ - βOnly in the rainβ MV https://youtu.be/NhoZ_BYqp0I?si=D_eFimtn19Nh-VrZ
- CHUU μΈ - βOnly in the rainβ Live at Show Champion https://youtu.be/-Dz05xDexxE?si=dcwv3g7hax5kb6kx
- &TEAM - βGo In Blind (ζηΌ)β MV https://youtu.be/RjJTiajpyrA?si=xjvnnNzBzpDMDp4V
- &TEAM - βGo In Blind (ζηΌ)β Dance Practice https://youtu.be/yATIYPTjxVg?si=sm-arzSaRCS2To30
00:00:00 --> 00:00:09 We've got crying aliens, an emotional thruple, and wolves with vision impairments. This may sound like a movie, but it's not. It's the April 2025 pop-off.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:42 So if you're new to CCTV and our pop-up episodes, every month we put up polls on our Patreon, X, Instagram, and YouTube community pages at CCTV Pops. And you get to vote for three of K-pop or K-pop Adjacent's biggest releases of the month to battle it out in our song, video, and performance rounds. And yes, K-pop Adjacent includes two of the artists chosen for today. We've been yelled at about this before for XG. We understand they are not K-pop.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 They are adjacent, so they're included.
00:00:45 --> 00:01:14 I would call like Higayo or are underneath a Korean brand of company or even at one date. All right. Let's have this argument in the comments. We can have this argument in the comments. Okay. So if you are a Patreon crew member, you actually get priority choice. So your votes count 10x compared to everyone else. So you can join our crew members, Emily, George, Lily, Louis, Julianne, Jonathan, Jasmine, Darius, Wren, and Hillary on our Patreon at patreon.com slash cc.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:42 CCTV pops. Word up. So guys, this is meant for pure fun. Y'all, it's just music. This is not life-changing stuff here. So don't take it too seriously, or do, but keep it civil. Or I will be at that behind in the comments. Look at these fingers. Yeah, give us comments. Yes, let us know, alright? I don't mind a little debate, alright? But guys, listen, you can join us. Let us know what wins for you in the comments below, okay? But as we say,
00:01:42 --> 00:02:02 Here on the show, viewer discretion is advised. Your fave will be criticized. Yes. So this month, you voted for XG in the rain. Choose only cry in the rain. And and teams going blind. So let's get ready to rumble in the rain. Round one.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:34 All right, so up first we have Player One XG with In The Rain. And this was done by Chancellor Jacobs, Paulina Saria, Knave, and Shintaro Yasuda. And this was included on their AWE project, released in November last year, but was officially released as a single with its own video in April 2025. Yes, so we're including it here. Yes. So yes, round one is all about the song itself, the production, the hook, the vocals, the melodies.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 Do you like In the Rain?
00:02:36 --> 00:03:05 Okay, so now a lot of K-pop fans don't really understand where a lot of K-pop, J-pop, or whatever pop-adjacent music comes from, especially when you hear kind of licks like this. It's an R&B song. It sounds like a classic R&B track. 90s, specifically speaking, maybe a little early 2000s, but the idea is it's supposed to sound like R&B, right? Now, that being said...
00:03:05 --> 00:03:16 It was giving me Janet Jackson. It was giving me all Leah even. Like with the way they were singing, the gentle vocals and things like that. My big thing though is as they are a girl group.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:43 And I love me some XG. But even my sister, who's a little bit older than I am, she visited today. She was like, what's going on? Why do they all sound alike? So with this song, when you hear XG, you hear the rap. You know Junin sounds like this. You know Harvey sounds like that. You know Maya sounds like that. You can hear coconut. You can hear their voices. With this one, the tone was so nasal and so like baby, Britney Spears singing R&B.
00:03:43 --> 00:04:05 They appear in your nose and it's okay sometimes. But then everyone sounded like that. The falsettos were gorgeous, really pretty. But the only person that sounded really different was coconut. And she had what, two lines? And I'm like, oh, it kills me because you're trying to have this whole R&B thing. You have how many girls in this group and you didn't think to actually have harmonies?
00:04:06 --> 00:04:26 harmonizing in perfect harmony. Like if Flo would have gotten the song, Flo was only three girls, they would have eaten up this harmonies. Right? And then like, I wish they had deeper tones. I like that their harmonies are layered in the parts, but throughout this song about being like in the rain and by yourself, they don't have that...
00:04:26 --> 00:04:49 grit like I'm crying in the rain like I'm standing out here by myself you left me here you try to play me are you serious they had some ad-libs but they don't have that person that's giving you that like that real the soul it's the soul yeah I was trying to dance around it but let's be really here because we got dragged for saying that people are saying without soul and they're like what do you mean they don't sing with no soul it means they don't really act it
00:04:50 --> 00:05:03 Not no offense, but like a lot of K-pop groups, J-pop groups, they are tourists in the concept of R&B and hip hop. They don't have like that gospel, that malismic stuff that would happen in a lot of R&B songs. Yes, that's right.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:32 It's from that gospel kind of influence. So whoever wrote the song, like I think Paulina and Chancellor, Chancellor I know is an R&B singer. They don't have that ad lib. They would have kind of taken it there for me with something bigger. This would have been so like, ooh, for me. Because when I heard it, I was like, oh my gosh, I love this. I'm enjoying this. But as it kept going on, I was like, wait, where's the rest of it? What's happening with it? I think the outro with the left me out in the cold with nobody to hold, that ending needed a big, huh?
00:05:33 --> 00:05:57 Something about moment like they can sing their faces off. So let them. The outro of the song, though, I think is so cool. Like with the overlay of the rain in the rain in the legato with the staccato. So there's moments where I'm like, oh, that's so cool. Oh, that was so cool. But then I'm just like, oh, hey, I need my heart broken sing. I need someone to start crying. You need the emotion. Yeah, that's what we're missing. It was pretty, but it wasn't like gritty.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:10 Yeah, they're not really feeling what they're singing. That's what my sister said. My sister does not listen to K-pop at all. Or J-pop or whatever pop. She heard and she was like, are they upset? Are they sad? And I'm like,
00:06:11 --> 00:06:39 Are they getting over somebody or are they heartbroken? Yes. Are they like, where are, like, I have no idea. Like, why are they in the rain? Are they happy about being in the rain? Right. Lyrically, we understand. But vocally, the emotion. That's right. I want to feel like, oh my God, I got broken up with. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. No, I agree with you. I think the song itself is actually really strong. Yes. I love the production of it. I love the moody guitars in there. It's very atmospheric. You know, you can picture it.
00:06:39 --> 00:07:08 You know, the kind of walking in the dark, in the rain, in the storm. And I like the dramatic bass hits and the percussion and the bass guitar also kind of goes off at select moments as well. Vocally, I actually will say Chisa. Yes. I think actually did stand out. She did. Yeah. I think she stood out the most to me actually vocally with this one. Because I agree with you. Everyone else kind of has the more nasally thing. She at least was a little more breathy with it. A little more fuller with it. Yeah.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:23 Um, yeah, you know, I love harmonies. Anyone who listens to our show, you know, harmonies and background vocals always stand out to me. Yeah. And there are nice ones here. Yes. There's not a lot, but there are present, like, especially there's that stack harmony of the goodbye. Goodbye.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:43 in the verse. Yeah. And there are harmonies, but of course, they don't ever sing those live, unfortunately. Yeah. And I think the chorus itself, the melody is very pretty. Yes. I like the in the rain. I like the repeat. And yes, I also called out the outro. Love the staccato kind of delivery. There are some harmonies there as well. Yes.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:57 So yeah, I think it's a really nice track. I think it fits the kind of springtime, you know, the rainy season that we have right now. So I like that they released it as a second single or another single off the project. But yeah, you're right. If someone with more...
00:07:57 --> 00:08:22 emotion saying this like imagine like mariah carey singing this yeah you know i mean guys if you're it would take it to it would take it from an eight to a ten yes exactly and that's the thing it doesn't mean this it does not mean the song is bad it means no i'm saying this for the people listening watching before you guys yeah i know what you're talking about we do we check the credentials but the point is like there's so many even a solo artist would just
00:08:23 --> 00:08:40 like, eat this up. Sabrina Claudio would have given us something. You know what I'm saying? Like, that would have just elevated it. Because, honestly, they've done slow before. They can do left, right, and there was a high fall settle. So they can do it. I just wish, just push it a little bit more. Songwriters, push it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:57 Okay, moving on to player two We have Chu with Only Cry in the Rain So we've got two songs about being in the rain And this one was done by Ryan June, Peter Wolovic, Daniel Davidson, Kristen Carpenter, Moa, Lisa, and Soji Un
00:08:57 --> 00:09:20 Okay. You know what, guys? I remember doing a ticket giveaway for Chew last year. I was so sad I couldn't. I went to the Woods Show. But I did a ticket giveaway on our pages, our social media. And her sound, because I had to listen, I was like, let me listen to the music before I promote this concert for no reason. Her sound is super consistent. She has this very fresh, bright...
00:09:20 --> 00:09:36 kind of thing. This song reminds me of her other track, Aliens, which is good. You want to have a cohesive sound. That being said, with this one, it wasn't bad, right? I won't go so far as to be like, oh my God, this was like, oh, the best thing I've ever heard. It wasn't terrible. It feels a little safe.
00:09:36 --> 00:10:02 um it has like a retro sound um it has a brighter feel than what its lyrical content you know contains yeah which i appreciate because i like to have a dichotomy in the song the lyrics do speak of like a past love like we we dare to promise a forever love so this is talking about the passage of time and how through time you may lose a love or reconnect or whatever the case may be but something was lost through time um yeah
00:10:02 --> 00:10:18 But she felt a deep connection. Like she says, we are both two psychos. Hate to use that word loosely. I don't care for that. But in the second verse, she does say that. So they essentially are cut from the same cloth, which is why this loss for her feels so strong. But she doesn't want to be caught correctly.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:35 crying about it so she'll just cry only in the rain like on the on the rainy days she'll let it out but when it's sunny she'll remember the happy memories so i appreciate that i think my favorite part strangely enough is the bridge the bridge has this melody where i was like oh okay hang on wait that's cute so with this song i think
00:10:35 --> 00:10:50 They could have leaned a little bit more into the K-pop concept of having like a sub vocal here and there. Like there's certain lines of the song that leaves like empty spaces that could have been a harmony, that could have been an ad of some sort. So I think in terms of how the song was structured, it's not bad. It's safe.
00:10:50 --> 00:11:11 think it could have done really nice with some ad libs here and there some extra vocals some sweetener vocals some hidden vocals as the k-pop fans like to call them where they have to mix down the whole song just to find them but something just to fill up the spaces to add a little bit more of an atmosphere to this already retro kind of sound and it wouldn't have been out of place because again the song sounds very bright
00:11:11 --> 00:11:29 Right. So for me, I think that was like my biggest issue because the bridge came around. I was like, oh, yeah, there we go. Here's some interesting something or others here. But overall, not a bad song. I think it's so funny that we got another rain song. People love the rain. It's the spring. Yeah. Yeah. But it was not a bad song, I would say.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:59 Yeah, I actually like the song. I would say this one probably grew on me the most out of these three. Because I think the first time I heard it, I was kind of like, okay. And then as I kept listening to it, I watched the video, I watched it before, I was like, oh, okay. I actually really like this song. Yeah. Melodically, I think it's really nice. And the whole, yeah, the whole kind of retro kind of city pop kind of thing. There's just something very nostalgic about that sound. And already puts you in a place where you're like kind of reflective. So the whole thing just kind of works. Yeah.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:27 And I think that nostalgia already inherently gives the song some emotion. So even though her delivery is not... It's also not the most soulful delivery. But I think in the instrumental, you kind of already have that nostalgic kind of melancholy in there. So it kind of works with that. I do like how the song builds. I think the pre-chorus has a really nice driving beat. And the chorus is a satisfying...
00:12:27 --> 00:12:51 conclusion to that build yeah that release to that tension um and she does have a nice voice look she has a nice rasp the slight very slight rasp to it that just gives it a little bit more body um and yeah the dreamy kind of thing just works with this type of sound dreamy yeah that's cool um but it was another kind of situation where um
00:12:52 --> 00:13:13 And I think it maybe works more with this song because it's like sometimes she sounds kind of happy. Sometimes she sounds kind of sad. But then it also just sounds very cute at the same time. Oh, yeah. It's like I'm kind of feeling things, but I'm kind of confused about what I'm feeling. So maybe that's actually what they were going for here. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. You know, I feel you on that.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:36 Yeah, there are some nice layered background vocals. Yes, here and there, the pre-hook type. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I agree with you, especially in that last chorus. Yeah. Like, just give it a bit more recline, because it would have been so good. Yeah. But yeah, like I said, it has grown on me quite a lot. I actually do like the melody of it. Now that I'm processing in real time about the vocal delivery, maybe I actually don't mind it.
00:13:37 --> 00:14:00 It's not that. I think it's just very sweet. She sounds like a young girl singing about young love. And maybe that's what they were going for, though, actually. School days. It feels school days. Even at the end, it's like, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then relying on the instrumental to kind of bring in the melancholy, like, that kind of actually works. Yeah. So maybe, yeah. Yeah. This song is a grower, not a shower. Like, when you first hear it, you're just like, oh.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:30 okay. Yeah. Okay. Okay. I will say the video did change my mind a little bit and the performances changed my mind, but maybe not in the same way. So we will get there. Yes. You know, so there's a line in the song where she goes, cuckoo, my sister, again, my sister came all the way from Florida just to visit. She, she latched onto that part. Cuckoo. That was like all throughout the house. So there are moments in the song, but like fully, Hmm. We'll see at the end of this round.
00:14:31 --> 00:15:00 Okay. Okay. The third and final player is Anteam with Going Blind. And this was done by Supreme Boy, His Noise, Soma Genda, and Christopher Similius. Okay. Okay. Sorry, that name almost threw me off. Sorry, guys. That's why I paused. All right. This one was interesting. How do you feel about it? Because I feel like you know Anteam a little bit better than I do. I am here for them. Yeah. I am here for them. Like, I think...
00:15:01 --> 00:15:20 First off, shout out to Julianne, who's one of our crew members, who loves Ann Demon, has been teaching us about them. Yes, so generous. So generous. I do recognize some of these boys because they were in the same competition as in Hypen. Oh, yeah. So I do recognize a lot of them, and it's been awesome seeing them grow. So I was...
00:15:20 --> 00:15:34 paying attention to what Antim was doing as they released stuff. And it's insane how much they've improved just over the past couple of years. Like, arguably, they're more talented than Enhypen. I'm sorry. I love Enhypen, but just as a group.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:59 you oh i know what you mean like at the collective yeah and i'm here for the rock thing yeah it's like i i definitely went through my punk rock phase you know in middle school yes and so there's always elements and you know i always go on and on about wanting a live band i want more guitars i want real drums like i'm always kind of so that's kind of where that comes from so to have that with and team honestly throughout a lot of their discography it's a lot of real instruments
00:15:59 --> 00:16:18 which is so refreshing in this kind of Asian pop sound that we have at the moment, which is just so electronic. Yes. So I love the double electric guitar riff that kind of runs through the whole thing. I love the way they've used the drums throughout. There's just so much drama to this entire song. Oh.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:48 a word yeah and vocally too you know we've we've been saying that the past two songs you know the vocal delivery was not the most emotional yeah however and and team yeah you get a lot of emotion like especially in that chorus because especially because you all you get like five or six of them getting to sing kind of one after the other for the chorus and you get a different combination too but you get some sassiness you get some sadness you get like some anger like there's like so much going on in in that chorus they get to show off their head
00:16:48 --> 00:17:08 voice a little bit. Yeah. You know, so it's kind of amazing how much they show off in this song. Yeah. Yeah. And so, yeah, I think especially after listening to the other two songs, this one makes a little bit more of an impact just because they're kind of like really going for it with the delivery and the drama of it all. Yeah. My biggest...
00:17:09 --> 00:17:25 gripe with the song is how short it is. Oh, the ending was so weird. Because literally, the ending is so weird. I wish we got a real little instrumental break with a proper electric guitar solo. It like feels like it kind of wants to go there and then it doesn't. Even a halftime breakdown going?
00:17:25 --> 00:17:55 There's not a real bridge. It's more of just kind of like an outtrip. And then it just ends. Yeah. And I'm like, no. I was like, this could have been the perfect three minute 30 second song. FYI, 3.30 is the key for a good pop song. It's a sweet spot. Honestly, if your song is that good, if you love your members and your group so much, let them have their three minutes. Yeah. Like I wanted another chorus. And I feel like they could have then switched, you know, made it even more intense.
00:17:55 --> 00:18:22 You know, they could have really gone for it. So that was my only thing. I was like, dang, it like didn't get exactly, you know, to the full max that I wanted it to. But I like it a lot. I also do want to shout out, though, there's another song on their project called Run Wild. It's more disco-y. It's so good. And I was like, okay, that should have been saved for the next single. I was like, you guys should not have let that just be a b-side. But no, I really like this song. Yeah, I'm here for it.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:39 Respect. Respect. Okay, talking about my sister again. I had to review all this and I wanted to spend time with her. So I was like, I'm going to be watching these videos over and over again. Listening to these songs over and over again. Yeah. She has the same kind of feeling that you had, actually. Everything you just said. She was like, okay. Yeah. Okay. Oh, okay.
00:18:39 --> 00:19:07 okay like everything was oh oh she's very shocked um i think the tough thing about this pop-off because every genre of these songs are very different like none of them sound like a true k-pop song they all sound like they've had western influences with their labels being like let me tweak it here and there right so um like we had the r b we had like a little dream pop retro situation and now we're here with this rock song so yeah the dynamics is going to be different we know guys we get that but
00:19:07 --> 00:19:24 but a rock song in K-pop could also sound like crap. We've heard some and we're like, wow, that was not good. This is not the case here. And I can honestly say that. I think each one of these songs are not crap in their respective genres. Let's be real here. But specifically for this, I think K-pop kind of accidentally slips into like trying to make a rock song and you're just like,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:54 stop this doesn't feel like that the textures of the voices match that's what's really important it's not like trying to sound pretty and pop it like the the lyrics are about going to war the lyrics are about being wolves the first line says crimson moon that sounds like blood that sounds like jacob that sounds like twilight that sounds like you know you know yeah we're ready to fight this the cuffs and they're singing like that there's there's there's risk and reward with this song um
00:19:54 --> 00:20:11 In the verse, I don't know that kid who's singing that for me, he's singing like this. And I'm like, what the heck is that? Who told him to do that? I love that. Because he's pushing. Like, not in a bad way, but he's pushing in a way where it sounds raspy, sounds gritty. It sounds really cool. Yes.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:33 I will say the lyrics are a little cheesy in terms of like the wolves and the howling and the moon, but it's on brand with them. We just in a reaction video for our Patreon subscribers just reacted to their first video. They've been doing the wolf thing for the past two years and I didn't realize. But now that I've seen it and now I'm seeing it like this is like the little puppies are now like these full voiced. Yeah.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:52 howling, singing, giving it. Second verse is probably my favorite in terms of like how it sounds. I do not know any of these kids' names yet, but the second verse is more wrapped. Like there's more of a trap feel to it, but they're still singing full voice. There's no falsetto until the topiary hook.
00:20:52 --> 00:21:11 Yeah. Thank you. So again, it raises the stakes. You go up and down, up and down, ebbs and flows. I think the falsetto in the, was it the post-chorus? The after going blind? Love that. Yes. Love that. Again, the little dance break at the end. I appreciate it.
00:21:11 --> 00:21:24 I appreciate to a certain extent. Whatever. You guys are chanting, we go, we going blind, whatever. But I also wish it was a little bit longer because that ending came along and I kept listening to the song in the loop and I was like, wait, that's the ending?
00:21:26 --> 00:21:48 My song kept cross fading it and I was like, that's the ending. So again, that's my biggest gripe as well. But yeah, I think in terms of like mixing the genres of like the trap and the rock and the great work. I think it's solid. I think it's solid. Okay. Okay. So that ends round one. What wins for you? Oh, no. Shoot. You asked me so fast. God dang it. What?
00:21:49 --> 00:22:14 I do super much enjoy Anteam's Going Blind. I enjoy it a lot. A lot. But I think for me, what I will go back to is In the Rain. With my complaints. With my little ishy complaints. I've been singing that one more in my head than Going Blind. But the drums are going blind. Almost snatched me up.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:44 Okay. Yeah, I'm between those two as well. I do like the two song, but yeah, I think the other two are a bit stronger. I think in terms of what I would want to listen to again, though, it probably is Anteem. So I'll give it to Anteem. Okay. I don't blame you. Guys, it's hard because Anteem. Listen. Because there's just a lot going on. There's like a lot to listen to. Yeah. They almost snuck up on me, y'all. I'm not going to lie. Well, they might win another round. So moving on to the video.
00:22:44 --> 00:23:04 Round two. The video round. Yes. So back to XG in the rain. I love this video. Oh, my God. I love this video. I mean, you mentioned Janet earlier. This was giving Janet like kind of I get lonely-ish. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is one of my favorite songs of hers. Yes. Oh, sickening.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:32 Yeah, super sleek and smooth. I loved the setting of it with the suit store and the offices. And then we finally get to go outside, too. Because at first I was like, oh, are we staying indoors? Like, wet indoors the whole time? But no, we get to go outside. And just the way they did the shots and stuff was just really cool. Like, the lighting was all dark and moody. Sometimes you're, you know, especially that second first where they're just, like, panning. And, like, people are in, like, their different...
00:23:32 --> 00:23:36 spots. Oh, so, so cool. Um...
00:23:36 --> 00:24:04 And you know, it's tough to dance in water. It's tough to dance with cross. We'll get more into the choreography later. But it's just so, it's executed so well. Like they all are on the same page about kind of emotion and kind of the whole vibe of it all. Yeah, I love this video. I was very happy watching it over and over again earlier this week. Yeah, really. I remember watching it and I was like, oh my god, they're so cold. They are so cold. Like, oh my god. So...
00:24:04 --> 00:24:22 Going back to my sister, she saw the video first, and she was like, okay, I don't get it. But then I showed her the other XG videos, and she goes, why would you sit here and show me In the Rain first and not show me, like, Woke Up or, like, Puppet Show? And it's so interesting because it's like, I wasn't expecting herβagain, she's older than both of usβtoβ
00:24:22 --> 00:24:41 react to in the rain like oh that was kind of met but then see woke up and like puppet show and think this was amazing wow she's like she's like i was gonna rag on them had you shown me this first so to kind of have all of that just going back to what i was saying about them like to have all of that happening and then come to this very simple
00:24:43 --> 00:25:07 liminal space of the apartment but have it be colored the store slash apartment but it looks so warm on the inside which is so crazy because you're thinking about this very sad thing about a breakup and it's not working out and you're like dang this sucks but then the coloring is warm sick thing and then they do the tomboy thing so again the whole 90s r&b thing
00:25:07 --> 00:25:31 Nicole Rae, look that up, y'all. Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, SWV. Like, most Black artists were dressing like this. Like, now it's a thing because Billie or something like that. But the whole thing is, like, I was watching it and I was like, I appreciate the touristy-ness of them visiting, but also embodying and dressing and not trying to pretty up people.
00:25:31 --> 00:26:00 Like Baby Monster, for example. Your name is Baby Monster, but nothing has been monstrous about your visuals. XG, you don't know what to expect. But they've been sitting on this alien thing for so long that now they're wearing these, like, I call it like the Quaker Oatfits. Because they like Quaker Oatmeal. Like, the outfits were given Quaker Oats. Like, the high knees and the little Dutch slippers that one of them were wearing. I was like, get out of here. I love this Quaker Oatfit. So, I like that they stripped it down.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:24 have this video, have their little umbrellas, and then the outdoor reminded me of 21's It Hurts, Namalapa. Oh, yeah. That whole gothic, like, or even behind these hazel eyes. Oh, yeah. Or, like, because of you, like, that whole, like, dark, cold. You went from this warm space to this cold space, and when they opened up their jackets and had their arms all open, I was like, oh, my God, you better go off. Yes.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:37 But yeah, I think the idea of having that warm environment of an indoor kind of keep you shelter, it symbolized that seemingly safe space. You go outside, you're left with nothing. And Hinata, she was sitting there dancing, her ponytail's all wet. I was like...
00:26:39 --> 00:26:56 This is what I mean by quintessential R&B. No good R&B breakup song. Goals without a rain scene. Yeah, I mean, second verse, like you said, is a highlight for me. Love the suit looks. Julia, I can't lie. She looks like Lord Farquaad, but I'm not mad at it. I did not like her lip syncing in this video, though.
00:26:56 --> 00:27:13 No, Juden is Juden. Juden? I don't like her lip syncing. It was a little off. But yeah, aside from that, the gray with the warm and the outdoor and the somber tone and the... It was delicious to look at. But so simple. Probably like the quote-unquote lowest budget that they've had for a video. Yeah. Like...
00:27:13 --> 00:27:31 It's more like practical set pieces as opposed to CG. So I don't know what the pricing was. I don't know. I mean, it's a follow-up single off of, you know, it's not a lead. So... Not bad. That's very interesting, though, that your sister wasn't that... Because I feel like if this were the first time I watched XD, I actually would be like, ooh...
00:27:31 --> 00:27:53 Because I'm used to kind of those like old school kind of R&B. I'd be like, oh, it's like that. I feel like I would like it. It wasn't clicking for her. Yeah, that's very interesting. Because the lip flops weren't matching at first. Because Juren came in and her lip flops weren't matching. That was her first comment. So when we came back, I gave her the whole like, this is K-pop. This is blah, blah, blah. Like, these are the girl groups. She sat here and she was, she came back around and was like, hang on.
00:27:54 --> 00:28:09 They're singing in English? I said, yeah. She goes, oh, wait, hang on. Oh, okay. Interesting. So she kind of had to come back around and she ended up liking it. But she does still like the other videos a lot. But I mean, most people don't watch a music video more than once, though. So the fact that it's...
00:28:09 --> 00:28:38 didn't convince her the first time around is very i don't know that's just not what i would have thought yeah i know she listened to but she was just like hmm so i think she was waiting for that when i explained her like a flow would have sang or like a destiny child how they have done it she was like oh she was waiting for the vocals yes that was her complaint yeah she loved the video she loved the video though okay okay got it just the vocals so yes oh this video is a good one so all right the next one with chew all right this one had a story now did you get you get it did you understand it
00:28:38 --> 00:29:03 Well, I actually went down a rabbit hole with this one because Pete lots of... I don't know. Did you go through the comments? Like lots of different theories in the YouTube comments. Also went down a Reddit hole as well. Lots of different thoughts. I went to Reddit. Well, now the fact that you didn't do that. Now I'm curious what you interpreted. I went to Reddit after I came up with this theory. Okay, so you did go to Reddit. Okay. Yes, I did. Yeah, but not with the comments. Not the comments right away. I tried to figure out... I mean, a lot of people on Reddit were saying what the YouTube comments were, so...
00:29:03 --> 00:29:22 All right. So the video guys, you know, I like to put my little tin hat on. So this one was interesting because it's like at first I didn't understand what was going on. Right. My sister, again, was watching it with me. She's like, this is a throuple, which is why I made the throuple joke earlier, guys. Yeah. So she's like, are they? I mean, it could have been. That's one of the theories.
00:29:22 --> 00:29:46 Right. She's like, does she like her? Or does she like him? And he likes her and they like each other. So that was the kind of joke that we made. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, you get the whole BFFs. They meet a cute guy. He's essentially the third wheel. But then the friend Hina, the bestie, seems to like the guy. And Chu looks and notices it, but never says anything. So it's like there's a schism that's caused, but she doesn't say anything.
00:29:46 --> 00:30:13 Like, are they gonna, what's happening? But then everything seems fine. Like, they're like the Three Musketeers, they're studying, they're hanging out, they're going shopping. Well, mostly Hina and Chu are going shopping for those matching keychains. But then you have like these B-rolls of like exams and then passing and failing and they're burning it. It seems like the friend got preoccupied to a certain extent, or maybe she did. I don't know. In the middle, it kind of got lost in translation for me a little bit. Okay.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:30 But yeah, I was watching it and I kept watching it over and over again. And me and my sister were like, hmm. And then my friend was with us and I was like, girl, what's going on? She goes, is she dead? So we thought that she had passed away because we were watching the animation. We see wings, right? And tell me what my sister was watching it.
00:30:30 --> 00:30:52 That was one of my thoughts at that moment too when I saw wings. Yeah. Right. You know, my sister did. She's like, she's wearing rings in the other scene. I was like, you're watching the video. She was not paying attention. I don't know what the hell this girl is saying. I hear the cuckoo, cuckoo. But I think, literally, this is her words. But I think the wings are like her spreading her wings. Like she's leaving them. And she's like sad about leaving them. And I was sitting there like.
00:30:52 --> 00:31:09 Not you having that aha moment before I did. But again, you know, like my sister's the one who got me into the type of music that I like. So she would be the one to figure it out. But yeah, it doesn't represent passing away. It represents spreading your wings and moving on and being sad about it. So even though the lyrics might give off, I broke up with this person.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:27 the video doesn't necessarily have to lean toward a romantic love. It could be a platonic. It could be romantic love. It could just be like, Hey, I'm moving on. I have to leave these people behind because I got accepted to college or like I got accepted to school or whatever. I got an exception. Someone got a rejection, but I have to live my life.
00:31:27 --> 00:31:50 Because even the town that they were in, I think it was in Japan, it looked super small. It looked like a cute little hick town, like, in the sticks. And my girl had to take the train to follow her dreams. Like, we don't get, like, an epilogue. Or, yeah, we don't get an epilogue. But, like, it's, I was like, oh, she's not dead. I thought that girl died. But the first time I watched it, I also was like, wait, is this, like, a weird, like, yeah. I also thought that, too. But, yeah. Yeah.
00:31:50 --> 00:32:12 So there was, I guess, an exhibition or something where Chu and her creatives were able to actually give more of an explanation. So they did say, rather than a straightforward story, it's more of an emotional record of how memories fade. And the video is like a closing scene of a small and quiet film about youth.
00:32:12 --> 00:32:29 Okay, that's valid. All right. So I think you're right. It's kind of like, yes, she went to college or she just left her hometown and she left her childhood friend or friends. Unclear about the guy. And then she comes back and it's like just not the same. And that's why she's crying.
00:32:29 --> 00:32:55 in the rain because like the friendships have just changed. I think it's also possible she came back and then the two of them got together while she was gone and then now their dynamic is weird or they got together, they broke up, but then now the dynamic is weird. I don't know. Something happened while she was gone and now their relationships are just not the same and they're getting older and all that. And I liked that it wasn't really clear what was romantic and what was platonic and kind of...
00:32:55 --> 00:33:22 what the group dynamic was i liked that yeah because you can interpret it in so many way different ways and i think depending on your own experience you could relate to it in a different way so i like how vague it was yes i thought it was interesting i thought it was beautifully done like i wanted to keep watching it over and over again to try and and and try to see more of what was going on because me and my friend were like she's passed on i said oh my god she's a ghost we kept going
00:33:22 --> 00:33:35 No, that was my first interpretation as well. The first time. Yeah. Like, you know, like the, um, the, the, the new jeans video where they were filming and the girl like wasn't there or some other crap like that. Like, that's what I was like. She's dead.
00:33:36 --> 00:34:02 But not a bad video. I think that's probably one of the more creative. I loved this video. I thought it was so cool. It made me like the song more. I think because of the way they did it where you can... Because I think, like we were saying, you can't really hear the sadness in the song itself. There is some melancholy there and a touch of it in her vocal delivery. But seeing her actually crying, like wailing in the rain...
00:34:02 --> 00:34:15 and having her friend like you feel the emotion so much more with the visual so it did make me appreciate the song Mario word up word up okay so moving right on to the third last one and team with the
00:34:16 --> 00:34:42 this was dramatic yeah this was a lot um you look you mentioned the werewolf thing they look i appreciate the commitment to the werewolf thing it definitely border a lot borders on cheesy and some of the graphics are so oh my god not good all budget went to the cgi
00:34:43 --> 00:35:07 Right, but it's like, ooh, I don't know, like some of it I almost wish that they just left it just kind of properly animated. Because we do get that one little moment that's like just animated. The twisting, yeah. I was like, you probably could have used a little more of that instead of trying to do the CGI stuff that just does it just like a bad video game, some of it. That's just me being, you know, a little nitpicky. But it was distracting, to be fair, some of it.
00:35:07 --> 00:35:36 But there are some really cool shots throughout. I love the beginning with the hooded figures. Oh yeah, the alchemist circle. Yes, love that. Very striking. However, there's a moment when they are performing and you have these weird wolf head men. Oh my god, I love that scene. Boy like this in front of them. Oh my god, it's so weird. It is weird. I do love in the second verse those white robes. The Star Wars-esque robes with the long hair. Kathleen.
00:35:36 --> 00:35:58 Yes, it's so good. It's so good. Again, it's so dramatic and so over the top, but I love that. That's actually what I think maybe stood out the most to me throughout this whole thing. And of course, I love the giant sandstorm wolves. Oh my god. It was like the mummy. You seen the mummy from the 90s? Yes. Yes, it was like the mummy. Oh my god. My sister used to scare me with that movie all the time. Like, this is like...
00:35:58 --> 00:36:20 oh god nightmare fuel yeah but so i enjoyed a lot of it and like i said it does definitely border on a little cheesy but i i appreciate that they just kind of go full tilt on this of this concept yes uh i will say though like the song it feels like you don't really get a climax to what's going on yeah it's just a fact the fact the fact
00:36:21 --> 00:36:50 Yeah, I'm like, oh my god, when the sandstorm, the big wolves come and they jump into the eclipse-looking thing or the black hole thing. Yes. I was like, oh, there's going to be a battle. Right, the tempest and then just lightning. Yeah, it's just, they're just, yeah. They broke the glass ceiling. What do you mean? I was not satisfied with the ending. No, me either. It was going to be a video game. You're right. Even with the faces in the glass, it reminds you of when you finally finish the game. And the credits run. Yeah, just go.
00:36:51 --> 00:37:10 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. That or you just gave up because you didn't want to press continue. You know, like that's what it was giving. So I used to be a gamer, y'all. So don't be like, it's an insult. Video games are amazing. They get animated very beautifully. But this was giving very much like continue. Eight. Seven. Six.
00:37:10 --> 00:37:35 I feel like whoever did this video was really trying to throw everything but the kitchen sink in here or everything, including the kitchen sink in here. Woo, Jesus. So the first line says crimson moon, hence the visuals of the crimson red. So I get that. I do appreciate that there are some pictures in here they want to symbolize here and there. And I'm like, okay, it's giving escaping the system.
00:37:35 --> 00:37:54 You know, the hooded figures are watching. We're going to break out. We're going to go to war and rebel. It's giving insurgent, divergent, whatever the other, allegiance, those books. I think my favorite scene is when they're dancing on that red circular stage and the hands are on it. That's the most simple scene in this video.
00:37:56 --> 00:38:16 But it stands out because they're standing on this crimson moon dancing. Yeah. Right? So I was like, ooh, I like that a lot. Love it. One scene that was really spooky was so funny. It was when the wolf hands were hanging over their faces. Yes. My friend didn't like that. I didn't like that. I'm crying. I don't. Yeah. The hands are kind of crusty looking, but they're werewolf hands. Yeah.
00:38:16 --> 00:38:43 Right? They're werewolf hands. But I think what happens is there's an uncanny, doesn't match, looks superimposed Netflix CGI. That's what it was. Yeah, that's the thing. I think for this video, they relied a little too heavy on the CG. I will say I appreciate some of the concept. Like in the second verse, the guys are dancing, and in the water, there's three wolves. You know, things like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Seven Shadows are not cast, but I'll let that go. What do you want?
00:38:45 --> 00:39:10 But yeah, overall, I think what sold it from, even when my sister watched it, again, what sells it is their performance. And we're going to talk about that later. But everyone understood what the heck they were singing about. Let's just say that. Everyone understood in this video. Everyone performed really well in the video. Silverhead Boy, don't know his name. Leave it in the comments and team fans. The Silverhead Boy stole my attention quite often. The one with the short hair that's kind of like quicksilver going on. Yes.
00:39:10 --> 00:39:31 Yeah. Yeah, he stole my attention for sure. Yeah, this made me like the song, actually. The video did it for me. It made me like the song more, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Honestly, I would say that for all three of these. True. Yeah. Yeah, so go team Jacob. Let's go. That's true. Actually, Demond and Hypen are literally Edward and...
00:39:32 --> 00:39:58 jacob oh it's delicious we love a good like twilight moment i love it oh my god are we at that we're already at the end of this so this round this is hard so for me this time i think it's actually between oh wait i actually like all three of these oh wow even the the sand wolves i mean they don't win but i was entertained yeah you know yeah um oh this is tough
00:39:58 --> 00:40:23 I guess in terms of just like creativity, I'd probably give it a two. Oof. Yeah, because I was the most intrigued by that video. Right, I would say. Oh, yeah, I had to find myself watching it more. You know what's so funny? I think for the last time we had XG when the fans were getting mad, we called them K-pop. I actually let them win almost every round, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, they didn't care about that.
00:40:24 --> 00:40:45 Yeah. Yeah. If y'all gonna start alphas, listen, if you're gonna start some mess, actually be accurate with the mess you start in. And also, if you've made it this far, be sure to hit that subscribe button because we always have episodes like this and we have a fun cat's eye episode coming up. Oops, spoiler. But yeah, for simplistic reasons and for what it represents,
00:40:46 --> 00:41:08 I'm going to give it to in the rain. Because I did like this video. I will say like choose video. I did like, I think it's very creative, but I think mentally my head just keeps going back to the colors. That's fair. The colors got me. So yeah, I'll give it to them. Yeah. Okay. Moving on to our final rounds. Oof. Performance and choreography. Round three.
00:41:11 --> 00:41:25 Okay, so back to XG. So, I mean, I said this earlier. Dancing with props is really hard. Oh my god, yes. For anyone who has never tried to do this, like in a dance crew or, you know, with more people...
00:41:26 --> 00:41:55 It's so tough to get it right. It's so hard. And with this one, too, you have to throw them and catch them. And you're swinging them. You're trying to match exactly how fast you're swinging it. Yeah. So they clearly practiced a ton to make this look super smooth. So major respect, because I know how tough this is. Disgusting. For sure. And honestly, I watched a few of the performances, because they have performed this at a lot of the gigs recently at Coachella with that wind. That wind was...
00:41:55 --> 00:42:23 those umbrellas were not happening yeah but they handled it so well they handled it so well they got it to close when it needed to close they left it all wrangled if it needed to be open everyone was sitting dancing with an attest to her costume yes one of them didn't catch it at once and she was just whatever just empty hand yeah giving it her all so yeah major respect for that yeah
00:42:24 --> 00:42:53 You know, I love this type of choreography. It's so smooth. Yeah. It was all those little formation changes where they're just stepping. And the grooves. Yeah, with the grooves, the shoulders and the hips and holding the umbrellas, just like either on the shoulders or just like on the sides or whatever. Love all of that. And I love the way this was done with all the little, you know, just like little breakouts that happen. You get duos, you get trios, you get different combinations of all of them. And it just keeps it interesting for a song that, you know, is quite low-key. Yes.
00:42:53 --> 00:43:20 I am glad they also ditched the umbrellas midway actually as well. I actually don't think that they randomly come back for like two eight counts and then go away again, which I didn't think was actually necessary. Because I think you kind of accomplished what you needed to with the first half. It's all very impressive. And so I feel like it can just kind of go off a bit more. And I like the off taking the jacket off the shoulder for the last courses. Yes. See, I loved I love watching them perform this.
00:43:20 --> 00:43:45 Yeah, honestly, I have the same note. I was like, oh my God, it's not the Coachella week at number one. They were fighting. They were fighting for their lives. Oh my goodness. But yeah, I guess when I saw that umbrella attached to her costume, I said, baby, no, keep going, keep going. She did. I was like, thank goodness. But that must be such a pain in the butt. And the camera's on you like. At least they aren't singing live. They weren't.
00:43:46 --> 00:44:12 Wait, no, I'm sorry. You said they were... They were not singing live. No, no, no. I didn't realize what you said. No, you're right. They weren't. That annoys me a little bit. That's what kills me. This song is so slow and the choreography is not that difficult that they could have... It was just footwork and grooves with the shoulders. Not saying that would not affect your diaphragm when you're dancing, but it's not like, you know, woke up. You know? It's not puppet show. They could have handled it. But yeah, the performance is great. The video...
00:44:13 --> 00:44:24 definitely shows a great deal of the umbrella of choreography. But having watched it on stage, they're doing a great job. Like they're not strangers to dance performances. Like we all know they can dance. Like it's not,
00:44:25 --> 00:44:55 And ain't no secret. Ain't no secret whatsoever. But yeah, I think the twirling, like you said, the twirling, the little skipping in the rain. Gene Kelly would have been proud. And if you don't know who Gene Kelly is, then if we're sitting there critiquing the dances and you don't like what we're saying, then maybe you should know who Gene Kelly is. I am shading. Dip the shade in the teeth. It makes you feel better. But I think the best thing about this is that I love the pictures. I love the ripples and the ability to maintain fluidity. Yeah. But certain moves require angles.
00:44:55 --> 00:45:13 you know I think you actually kind of mentioned this on um X where people were like um Bada and Kai were dancing stiffly together and you were like you know how hard this is yeah it is uh-uh people should not comment on dancing if you've never done it oh hello
00:45:14 --> 00:45:40 I mean, people are going to do it regardless. I mean, here we are making comments, but we actually dance. No, but we're dancers, though. Dancers, singers, instrumentalists. We've done it all, y'all. But yeah, I think for this one, it definitely is a huge contender. I'll just say that. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's a contender for like... Well, I'm very curious what your thoughts are on Chew. What did you think of her performances? You know...
00:45:42 --> 00:46:03 Shout out to my sister, bro. I've been talking about her all day, but it's so funny because she was like, I did, I, when I said I did not realize how much attention my sister was, was paying until she was like, oh, those wings mean that she's spreading her wings. I was like, oh my God. We were watching performances and I kept watching them over and over again. And she's like, are those the same socks from the Vinti video? When I tell you the socks that that girl was wearing in one of these performances was a quick B cut,
00:46:04 --> 00:46:19 Good. Yo, that's awesome. Does she want to come on our show? Literally, we should. Honestly, she would be so funny. But yeah, she she she peaked the choreography as well with the clock.
00:46:19 --> 00:46:49 I, again, I was watching it. I was just watching her, just trying to see how she was performing it. I was like, okay. I watched it one time. My sister was like, oh, the little clock hands. I said, how are you so fast? But it's true. She was saying shigan, which is time, over and over again. So to see the different versions of clock, the hands, the handography in this is so sick. Even the, what is it, crying in the rain? You have like this weird little thumb pinching. And what is this, Chris? What is this, crying in the rain? It's an eye, lash, and here's a tear. Yeah.
00:46:49 --> 00:47:15 it took me a second i was like oh my god i love that so much um the pictures created with the dancers are probably the biggest highlight of this i do appreciate the lack of the lack of i do appreciate the emphasis on her just actually singing and performing because she does it well and it's pretty consistent throughout it has this youthful innocent vibe to it um the fashion fit the sound fit the youth concept so i appreciate that
00:47:15 --> 00:47:30 I would have liked to have heard her sing it with a mic in her hand because she's not dancing that aggressively where she couldn't have done it. But the handography would have been an impediment, I think. It would have impeded some of it. But yeah, I think this song, she definitely could have sang it with a mic. And I would have loved to kind of see her do that. But that's just me as like a...
00:47:30 --> 00:47:54 Like a fan of music and wanted to hear live singing. Live vocals. But we know it is in K-pop. Yeah, we know it is. Yeah. But it was super cute, intricate as F. I don't know why it was so intricate. But again, this right here, sick. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. The point dance. Yeah. I appreciate the attempt at storytelling in it. Like in the verses, right? Like you have her kind of...
00:47:54 --> 00:48:11 Yes. Acting out the kind of friendship and kind of youthfulness of everything because it was all very cute. Yes. And yeah, I think the overall movement was very natural. It felt very comfortable for her to execute, which was good. Even though, yeah, like it was quite intricate, but she she made it look quite smooth and easy. Yeah. Just good.
00:48:12 --> 00:48:41 However, I do think the way this whole thing was done, it does the opposite of the video, where I think the video added so much emotion to the song. This takes it all away. Yeah. All the kind of more melancholic side of it completely just appears. Because even in the chorus, she's being all cute and winking and smiling about crying in the rain. You know? Uh...
00:48:41 --> 00:49:08 So I just felt like the whole thing was just too cute. It just seems disconnected from the message of the song. The song has something that everyone can relate to. It's the passage of time and memories fading and losing friendship or whatever. Stuff that happens. And you get none of that. You get none of that. And that makes me really annoyed because I think that's what makes the song...
00:49:09 --> 00:49:14 interesting you know what and if people are like well what are you supposed to do think g friend
00:49:15 --> 00:49:39 Like Glass Beat or like what are their other songs? They're dancing like schoolgirls, but there's a drama. There's reaching. There's like almost like ballet. I think that's what it is. Some contemporary aspects of it would have been really helpful. Yeah. A little more lyrical. You're right. Because I'm saying how cute she looked. You're so right. Yes. And I think if they had done it where the verses were super cute and then she steps away and it turns into a more kind of artistic kind of lyrical...
00:49:39 --> 00:49:56 moment for the chorus. Pictures are being made around her or something. Yeah. Like, I think there's a way to balance it the way they did in the video, actually. Yeah. So, yeah, I was kind of annoyed by that. I think she executes what she was given fine. Mm-hmm.
00:49:56 --> 00:50:17 but there's nothing about this that Macy wants to watch her perform it over and over again. And I think it takes away from the song. I genuinely do. No, that's valid. That's valid. I don't think I was actually paying attention to what the song was as much as I was paying attention to the pictures and the choreography being good. Like it was good choreography, but had I muted it, it would have not been the song that was playing in my ear.
00:50:17 --> 00:50:41 Yeah, I think it's just annoying because I feel like with the video, it's like, oh, wow. They're, like, really thinking about, you know, how deep this is. Yeah. And then you have the crack. And then the performance, it's like, oh, you don't know what the song's about at all. Okay, crack first. Step your cookies up. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Yeah. All right. Well, we got Anteem as our last. This one was funny. This is...
00:50:41 --> 00:51:02 choreography had my sister go, oh, oh, she said, she was reading the lyrics, she was listening, she said, I don't know who they're mad at, but they want whatever smoke, they are calling whoever, she was so into it. She was like, okay. She even come off the bench, she was like, hang on, it's giving me something, it's giving me something, and then they did a lead in that dance break, she goes, oh yeah, Michael Jackson. I was like,
00:51:03 --> 00:51:15 She was super into it. And again, I keep mentioning my sister because she just had so much insight and helped me actually come up with my review. But she sat here and was like, oh, yeah, no, these guys, they're giving me something.
00:51:15 --> 00:51:37 And I was like, oof. Because with XG, are they hitting the moves? Yeah. Are they grooving it? Yeah. Are their faces giving me, like, my heart's broken? Or, like, kind of sexy? No, it's kind of like this flat. Yeah, it was stoic. My beard was supposed to be stoic with that one. It was supposed to be stoic, yes. Yes, yes, yes. You know, but I'm used to, I get so lonely, right? True. You know, okay.
00:51:37 --> 00:52:07 Or even Kehlani, for example. She sings like a... You know, Kehlani will give you... She can do it in the ring. Oh, yeah. She could, actually. Like, really well. Kehlani. Where are you at? That's what I should have mentioned. She looked at us and she was like, Oh, wow. Because for her, as an outsider, we get it. We get what they were trying to do. Stoicism. Cute. But for her as an outsider, doesn't listen to K-pop. She's Jamaican.
00:52:08 --> 00:52:36 this stood out to her. She's like, they were grooving, they were moving. And when they pulled out them blindfold, she said, okay, going in blind. They're blind. I was like, shut up. But that's the whole thing. It gets someone who's not into K-pop excited. And usually we do have complaints about the choreography being too much. What I will say here is that in the verses going off, going super ham, chorus comes around, hit the drums, hit the drums,
00:52:36 --> 00:53:04 swing around a little bit. Yes, that's actually my note too. Groove your body here. Love that. Love that. If you don't sing nothing else, at least sing the chorus. Or don't make the chorus like backflips and crap because the verses, honey, they spun, they shot down, they came up. In the second verse, they're freaking doing all these internal pops and head bobbing. And I was like, holy crap. This is a lot. Like they're hitting the bass lines and the 808s. And I'm like, this is a lot. But then that chorus comes around and I was like...
00:53:04 --> 00:53:29 Very nice. You punctuate at the end. The blindfold in the mouth, making it kind of sensual. They're too young for me to call it sexy. We're not going there. But it made it almost like, what is this song about? Oh my god, yes! And then the blindfold go on. Perfect. I love a little bit of corneography, especially if it's good. That was, like, it's so on the nose. Lean into it, though. Yes. That's right. So when they're dancing and they're like...
00:53:29 --> 00:53:50 Oh my god, it was so exciting to watch. The dance break outro is probably the best part of the choreography. That's what made my sister go, oh, my old house. So I enjoyed it. I enjoyed that. And I'm not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. I don't really pay attention to the hype of boy groups. Not because I don't like hype. I just I just kind of falling out of boy groups.
00:53:50 --> 00:54:06 But this might make me come back a little bit. You know? It was nice. I watched it a couple times. Almost too many times. I will say that. Yeah, I watched everything. I mean, there wasn't too much. You know, they did Studio Choom. They performed on a few kind of like Japanese shows. Walk along. It was crazy. It was crazy.
00:54:06 --> 00:54:35 Yeah, I mean, I had kind of the same note. I was like, I love that the verses are actually where the tougher choreography is. And the chorus is more just kind of, they can kind of groove it out a bit more. And it's a bit more, it's easier to watch. Because it does get a little much, I will say, in the verses. It's a lot. It is. But they are so talented. Blind. The dancing is really, really good. Like, they are hitting so hard. Yeah.
00:54:35 --> 00:55:01 You need a really strong core to execute this choreography well. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. They kill it for sure. And I was even trying to like look at some of them more individually. And honestly, all of them are killing it. Like there was like no real dud here. That's the thing. No black hole in this group. There's no black hole. And yeah, there are some cool musicality moments. And I think that's where some of the extranists comes in because they are hitting some of the more subtle parts are just like...
00:55:01 --> 00:55:28 It'll be like one little percussion moment that they're all doing the absolute most for. But yeah, I appreciate the drama of it all. I loved the cheesiness of the blindfolds. And it's memorable. Like when I hear this song, I will think of them holding those blindfolds. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then putting them on. It's so dramatic. Yeah, I don't know. I enjoyed this one.
00:55:28 --> 00:55:44 Me too. So I don't think it's any kind of surprise about who's going to win it. Sorry. Unless you might surprise us. But I, for me, am going to go for Anteam because of the difficulty. Yeah. Yeah.
00:55:44 --> 00:56:07 But also of the, because of the, like the dynamism of it. Cause it wasn't just hard the whole time. It was just kind of like hard throughout the verses. And then the ending was still giving you something. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. I mean, in terms of entertainment value and team has to take it. Yeah. Like I like the XG one, but do I want to watch them perform it over and over again? Not really. Yeah.
00:56:07 --> 00:56:27 you know what, my sister said the same thing. She goes, are you watching the same thing again? But she didn't do that with Ante. Like, it's a nice moment in their show. Yes. But it's not, like, a highlight moment. But Mulberry is, I think, going blind would be. Yeah, and she was like, we was watching it. I was like, what the hell, are you going to watch this again? I'm watching the dance practice. She goes, okay. She did not care. But the umbrella, she's like...
00:56:28 --> 00:56:45 which doesn't mean it's bad. It doesn't mean it's bad, but she was just like, okay, they're grooving. It's about impact. It's about impact. Yes. Yes. It is about impact. So alphas calm down. So calm down alphas. Relax. Relax. Okay. So overall thoughts, winner and winner.
00:56:45 --> 00:57:12 Ooh, okay. So again, as I mentioned before, you have R&B, you have like this dream pop retro situation, and you have rock. It is difficult to compare them. We understand. We get that. But we're talking about the full package of the singing, the dancing, the performance, and the video. So for me, this is a tough one for sure. Because obviously I gave XG a lot, right? Yeah. But I think, oh my God, it's so difficult.
00:57:12 --> 00:57:38 is difficult. Oh, because one's really simple, and then you have another group, like, through everything, body... Yeah, no, I'm having the same debate in my mind. I didn't give XG anything, but I do, in terms of these rounds, but I actually do like the song quite a lot, and as an overall package, it's actually very, very strong. I would say it's actually the most consistent of the three. Because, like, Anteem does border the extra...
00:57:39 --> 00:58:08 sometimes yes with you know yeah so um yeah so i i can kind of see the dilemma too i like the song but yeah the performance is really really edited for me with that one yeah again it's not because we hate it guys it's because we need a whole cohesive project yeah i guess i i think just for just for consistency purposes i think for me it does go to and team but it is close
00:58:08 --> 00:58:30 Oh, it goes the Anteam for you? Oh, I thought you were going to pick XG. Oh, my God. Oh, no. I mean, you can. I will. So, I will. I am, don't get me wrong, Anteam, I love that. The dancing, they win that round, for sure. But I think because I gave it to XG so much, I think that overall, I like it.
00:58:32 --> 00:58:58 Anteem is right there. Had actually not made it this month, Anteem would have gotten it, which is surprising too because I didn't think I was going to like the song. I'm not going to lie to you. But I actually like the song a lot, but not as much as In the Rain. So In the Rain wins, the video wins, choreography with the props. Again, Hinata in that rain, dancing by herself, sold it for me. I think she won it. A little inch. A little inch. That song actually ends on a button. Yeah.
00:58:58 --> 00:59:15 That's fair. I'm joking. That's fair. I'm being petty. I'm joking. All right, y'all. No, it's tough. This was a tough round for sure. And we would like to hear what you all think. Let us know what wins for you in each round and overall in the comments below. You can also DM us at cctvpops.com.
00:59:15 --> 00:59:35 all of your thoughts as well. Make sure to hit the follow and subscribe buttons. We have some really fun episodes coming up and we do do this every month. So you should also follow us on socials so that you can also vote for what we discuss in these pop-offs. Until next time, that's Chantel. That's Chris. And we're signing off from CCTV, the non-stop pop show.