Author: Abby Graham
From debuting with Apple earphones as in-ear monitors in 2015 to smashing the charts worldwide in 2024, SEVENTEEN has overcome every obstacle and yet they still find ways to astonish fans; this time with a re-release of past music, mixed with 4 brand new songs. SEVENTEEN is a 13-member boy group formed under Pledis Entertainment, the members’ names are: S.COUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, DK, MINGYU, THE8, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON and DINO. Now if you’re wondering why the group had 13 members with a name like 17; the short story is that they ate the other 4 members, the plausible explanation is that they have 13 members, 3 sub-units (vocal, performance and hip-hop), and they are 1 family! So 13+3+1=17.
On April 29th, 2024, SEVENTEEN released a new album, “SEVENTEEN BEST ALBUM ‘17 IS RIGHT HERE’ “. The new songs are as follows, “Maestro,” “LALALI,” “Spell” and “Cheers to youth”. The main title track, “Maestro” also pairs with a music video (credited down below) that left fans stunned by the members’ visuals as well as the group introducing a new concept that they have never done before: dystopian cyberpunk. As a VERNON and WONWOO bias, I literally had to run around my room 3 times like a puppy whose owner just got home before returning to watching the rest of the music video. From the iconic opening line “SEVENTEEN right here,” I knew this song was gonna be a hit. And if you listen to SEVENTEEN, you know how iconic it is for THE8 to have a rap verse, paired with WONWOO ending the song. At the end of the video, it closes out with the question:“Who is the real Maestro?” This is the idea that emphasizes the futuristic aspect, an homage to Artificial Intelligence; AI can copy or create anything, so who is the real artist? The musicians, or AI?
The next song is a special song performed by the Hip-Hop unit members (S.COUPS, WONWOO, VERNON and MINGYU). I love this song. No bad thoughts whatsoever. From Vernon’s iconic rap intro to MINGYUs “Bounce for me” line, this song truly feels like one of the best marching band-esque songs out there. This song is like the group ATEEZ and the Blue Devils made a song together; it’s just like magic. The next song “Spell” performed by the vocal unit (JUN, THE8, HOSHI and DINO) is a slow and beautiful R&B song that shows off each member’s vocal abilities. Though the performance unit is primarily dance-based, they also are very talented singers and rappers, and this song proves it all. HOSHIs smooth buttery vocals make this track so sweet, almost like they all put a spell on me (pun intended). Bruno Mars and the performance unit had a love child, and the baby’s name is “Spell”. The last new song “Cheers to youth” is sung by the vocal unit (DK, WOOZI, SEUNGKWAN, JEONGHAN and JOSHUA). Slow yet upbeat, “Cheers to youth” is a good song to listen to when you feel nostalgic about life, school or relationships. The lyrics say “Where on earth is my happiness?” These lyrics show that life’s complexities aren’t bad, but they aren’t always good, so you have to live life as it is – which is beautiful. It almost reminds me of a silly rom-com movie where the 2 main characters realize they love each other and are trying to find each other in a crowded area.
So, I urge you to listen to these songs if you have 15 minutes of free time. This album is filled to the brim with variety from the re-release of the song “HOME” to the youthful tune of “Spell”. You can listen to this album on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube Music! Or, you can purchase the album from Target, Walmart, Amazon or any KPop store near you. Again, if you are just getting into K-pop or already a fan and just need new music, consider SEVENTEEN! They are so talented and deserve all the hype they have right now. I cannot tell you how excited I am to see what they accomplish in the near future! Especially since they are going on tour soon! Now, I leave you with one question: Who is the real maestro?
Abby Graham | KXSU Music & Arts Reporter