TWICE has been one of the most prominent K-Pop girl groups in the world for many years now. They first popped onto the scene back in 2015 after coming together on a tv show called Sixteen. Since their debut, TWICE has dominated the K-Pop world; they have become one of the most successful K-Pop girl groups of all time. TWICE has broken many records and won many awards in Korea; they have been at the top of the charts there for many years. TWICE is also one of the only Korean girl groups to have a massive global impact. They have won multiple awards given out by Billboard, and their 2021 EP Taste of Love is the only project by a Korean girl group to top Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart; this EP was also the only one by a Korean Girl Group to break into the Billboard Top 200. In addition to the success of their EPs as a whole, they have had many singles go viral online. TWICE is well known for their incredible dance routines, and they have spawned many viral dance crazes on social media over the years. After a busy 2022 where TWICE released a Japanese album called Celebrate and a Korean + English called BETWEEN 1&2, TWICE is already back with another mini album called READY TO BE. This is how I feel about TWICE’s new project. Let me know in the comments below how you feel about READY TO BE and comment on what your favorite songs are.

TWICE gets this project off to a funky and energetic start with ‘SET ME FREE.’ For the most part, this song has a very retro feeling. The way the synths are arranged makes the song sound like it has a real string section, which really gives it an old-school feel. Like with so much of their music, the vocals are so diverse. I love how the girls complement each other with their tones. There is a brief breakdown during the bridge where the beat switches and three of the members lay down a rap verse. It gives the song a modern boost that it benefits from and makes sure it doesn’t sound too monogamous. ‘SET ME FREE’’ is a high-octane banger that’s perfect for any dance floor. ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE’ was the only single released before this record came out. ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE’ is a bright and colorful banger that puts me in a good mood whenever I hear it. This track is a House-tinted modern Synth-Pop track that fits perfectly in the Pop music landscape of 2023. Unlike the last song, it is sung entirely in English, which makes it appeal even more to American music fans. ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE’ is one of the year’s best songs so far. In fact, I just wrote about it in a post about new music I love last week, as this song has been on repeat for me since it came out(go check out that article after this for more good new tracks). ‘GOT THE THRILLS’ keeps the high-energy Synth-Pop and house feeling the song has before it and amplifies that feeling. I didn’t think there would be a song that is even more sweet, catchy, and fun than ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE,’ but this track takes that crown. I enjoy the funky bassline that drives this song, as it gives the song such a joyous feeling. The song has a 90s Hi-NRG Dance music sound which I love. It is impossible to hear this one and not be put in a good mood. ‘GOT THE THRILLS’ is the kind of track I could imagine partying the night away on a hot summer night at some outdoor bar. ‘GOT THE THRILLS’ has my favorite vocals from this project so far. I really love the ranges that are being hit in the chorus of this song, as they add to the delightful feeling it has. The rap section of this song also stands out, as it provides some texture to the track. I wouldn’t be surprised if this track becomes a sleeper hit from the record because ‘GOT THE THRILLS’ is just so good.

‘BLAME IT ON ME’ provides a complete switch-up from anything we have heard on this project so far. It is pretty different from anything I have ever heard from TWICE. To be honest, I did not know they had this kind of music in their repertoire. ‘BLAME IT ON ME’ is a Country track with a modern Pop twist to it. For the most part, the instrumental sounds like 2010s stadium Country music, similar to artists like Carrie Underwood; there are brief periods of the track where the instrumental morphs into weird modern Synth-Pop. I enjoy these sections of the song, as give the song an extra element it benefits from. I am not going to lie, this kind of Country music is not normally my cup of tea, but I do appreciate the fact that ‘BLAME IT ON ME’ shows a side to TWICE as an artist that I never expected to hear. ‘WALLFLOWER’ is another song with a sound that I did not expect to hear from TWICE. Compared to the first four songs on the project, this song is significantly calmer. It gives the project a brief buffer from the high-octane nature it has to this point, and I enjoy that sentiment. ‘WALLFLOWER’ has a melody and beat that kind of fuse 2010s Funky Pop music and 2010s Latin Pop music. This is a fusion I did not expect, and I appreciate this kind of risk as it shakes things up. The sound of this song is like Maroon 5 meets Shakira. The vocals on this song are a bit subdued and toned down, which goes with the calmer energy of the song well. ‘WALLFLOWER’ is a song that shows a laid-back side to TWICE that is nice to hear. ‘CRAZY STUPID LOVE’ is another track that shows off a side of TWICE that i have never heard before. This song has a Tropical Pop-Trap sound, which is something I would not have expected from TWICE but is something I heavily appreciate. Similar to the song that precedes it, this track has a bit of a Caribbean feeling to it. The melody has a tone that makes me think of being on a beach somewhere drinking and living it up. This track reminds me of the Pop-Trap music that was popular in the mid-2010s. Vocally, TWICE absolutely kills it on this song. All of the members show off their respective ranges and talents, and some of the notes that are hit are so phenomenal. The vocal performances on this track add so much life to an already extremely vibrant and lively song. READY TO BE closes out with an English version of ‘SET ME FREE.’ To me, the fact that this version is in English does not add or take away anything from the track to me. I am sure some people appreciate this version, and it is not bad in any way, it just does not do anything special for me. To me, the real closer of the track is ‘CRAZY STUPID LOVE,’ as it is an energetic banger that shows off a new side to TWICE that I love.

For years, TWICE has been at the top of the K-Pop industry. They have always been phenomenal at staying ahead of the curve in the music scene they are known for, and have always known how to appeal to their fans. On READY TO BE, TWICE shows off many sides to their artistry that many people may not have expected to hear from them. They seemed to want to show off their diversity and try to appeal to a wider audience. To be honest, judging from the music choices that they made, it does feel like they were trying to appeal to an American audience. From the Latin and Caribbean influences to the Country-Rock to the Disco-tinted Synth-Pop, it is apparent that TWICE was making an effort to expand their Western audience. Regardless if you think this record was sort of meant for an American audience, this project is very high-quality and it shows how talented TWICE is and shows why they are so popular. READY TO BE is an EP i will be coming back to frequently in the coming months, and it makes me very excited to see what this group does next.

FAVORITE TRACKS : MOONLIGHT SUNRISE, GOT THE THRILLS, CRAZY STUPID LOVE

7.84/10