Hwasa is a singer that's a part of the well known group female Mamamoo. The group is known for their dynamite stage presence and soulful powerhouse vocals. They kinda remind me of a new generation version of Brown Eyed Girls, minus the arthouse visual music videos. I have to admit that i'm not a big fan of Mamamoo. Talented as they are, Mamamoo's music doesn't do much for me. Hwasa's solo music has impressed me though so, when she dropped her first mini album, I listened to it as soon as I could.
Track List:
01 Intro : Nobody else
02. 마리아 (Maria) *Title Track*
03. Kidding
04. WHY
05. I’m bad too (Feat. DPR LIVE)
06. LMM
07. 멍청이(twit)
Hwasa's first mini album was introduced in an interesting way which made me hopeful as a listener. Hwasa teased fans almost a year ago with the digital single entitled Twit. My ears perked up right as I ran across the track. It's pop urban production packs a solid punch in the dynamics of the beat rhythm that no other Korean pop song had going for it at the time. The instrumental also hugs Hwasa's vocals comfortable enough to cause her performance to shine. Such a good track already held Hwasa's first compilation to a high standard. She keeps the expectation met with her newest single Maria: a pop dance number featuring an infused Spanish tempo change midway through the song that's very fun to listen to. Kidding also falls into this mature womanly vide that I was looking forward to from the singer. Things started to get a bit messy after these songs however…. I'm Too Bad would have been passable but the chorus is too noisy thanks to DPR Live overproducing a track that really only needed her vocals and his rap part. Same thing happened to Why. Loud beats can kill a track's potential. Some producers need to learn how to lower the instrumental a little bit. LMM is a good song vocally if you like ballads. You know all the same dynamics appear here, Piano then some Violin that sounds pretty at the track's closing. Overall, Maria came slightly below my expectations. She should be a bit more opinionated in the studio next time…. Her mini album kinda lost control toward the middle.
I can see Hwasa having a long career as a solo singer even after Mamamoo is over. She sings in a style that's all her own but also heavily influenced by Black music(Like most Korean artists). I would like to hear her challenge her vocal range more. I'm not certain what she can do cause her solo music doesn't give all that she clearly can offer. Not that she doesn't sing well in the music she's released so far…. To me, her best vocal performance was Twit.
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