Over the years, I’ve enjoyed Hwasa as a performer much more than I’ve enjoyed her actual music. She has all the makings of an incredible solo star, and her success bears that out. But often, the songs don’t live up to her potential. I Love My Body is her first release under PSY’s P Nation label — an interesting career move that feels in keeping with Hwasa’s strengths.
While I Love My Body‘s concept is a welcome declaration of positivity, the song itself leaves much to be desired. It alternates between brassy, Meghan Trainor-style retro pop and a truly unfortunate, spoken-word centerpiece. Hwasa does what she can with the schtick, but making this song enjoyable is a tall order. Its drop is uninteresting and the verses are too melodically anonymous to stick. Old-school backing vocals show promise and Hwasa gets a few moments to spotlight some nice runs, but ultimately this feels more like novelty than self-empowerment.
I Love My Body‘s shortcomings are emblematic of where Mamamoo’s music has gone over the past few years. There’s far too much silly sing-talk in place of well-developed, memorable melodies. We all know Hwasa can do so much better than this. She needs material that matches her star power.
| Hooks | 6 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 6.75 |
Grade: D+
