Artist Highlight: December 2021

Happy New Year, y’all!

It’s technically still December so this post counts as the December Artist Highlight. 😌

The group we’re focusing on this month is a super talented girl group, DreamNote! I wanted to highlight them at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022 to really bring in some positivity and some smiles, since I think we could probably use them.

As we will eventually have a starter pack for DreamNote, I don’t want to give everything away here, much like with my LUCY Aritst Highlight for November.

Now, I will say this. A lot of my friends come to me and tell me they can’t do girl groups because they sound, essentially, too girly. Their voices are too happy and bubbly and cheery and they want music with some edge, some grit, because sometimes they just feel like the “girly” sounds and concepts are either:

a) forced happy, and no one wants a disingenuous artist

b) too juvinile sounding, and it makes them uncomfortable to listen to children sing to other children

c) they just don’t like that sound because it’s not their taste, or

d) a combination of some or all of the above

and none of the reasons you dislike a sound or music is wrong. Just in case that ever needed to be said.

However, understand that the more you listen to eastern music, the chances are that you will likely find yourself enjoying genres or sounds you thought you hated. It could be because you find an artist/group in the now that has a more mature sound, you really love them, and, as you go back through their discography, you find their more cutesy, girly concept songs don’t bother you and are actually fun to listen to. It could also be that your tastes just begin to change as you mature as a person. I have seen it happen. Friends who swore up and down they would never like girl groups, especially ones with a sweeter discography, are starting to really enjoy them. You just never know! My whole point to this is simply not to limit yourself and cut off the possibility of you enjoying things before you even reach them.

NOW, back to the queens of DreamNote. I have so much fun when I watch their music videos and content (especially that part-time cafe “vlog” on 1theK, actresses and hilarious, help I love them)! Their sound is bright where it needs to be, but you are getting a more sophisticated style, especially with their newer albums. The members, individually, are super talented as artists and vocalists. Lara does quite a number of covers and her voice is just *chefs kiss*. Of course, that’s not to say that Boni, Sumin, Eunjo, Youi, and Miso are not also talented as vocalists, too, because wow are they??? These women are truly so endearing and sweet and precious. They’re also lowkey hilarious.

Knowing how much this group struggled, after having a hiatus of over a year and a half before their most recent comeback, and, frankly, how difficult it must be to work under iMe Korea, it just makes their effort and their persistence even more admirable. There has been a lot of possible mismanagement and such going on behind-the-scenes, plus being a group that has been around for years, they don’t have the discography to show for it. They usually are only able to put out releases about once a year or so. (As we know in kmusic, this is not the standard, but should it be? That’s another discussion for another post, probably.) Despite all of this, they still work hard and put out the absolute best quality of music they can when they get the opportunity to. This time, they adjusted their concept and worked hard on improving a lot during the hiatus and their dedication is clear (to me) in Dreams Alive.

Their most recent comeback, Dreams Alive, with the title track “Ghost” is, honestly, so good, y’all. The chorus is so damn catchy (”Howl~~~”) and the pure talent these women have is not discussed enough. The choreography for “Ghost” remains a favorite and whether I’m watching the music video or a stage, I’m never bored. Especially comparing their more recent works to their earlier projects and debut where they were more cutesy, more retro, or had the bubbly schoolgirl concepts, you can really see and appreciate their growth and maturity as women and as artists. Also, just looking at their concept photos, they are just impeccable.

For my friends that I mentioned before, who prefer songs from girl groups with a bit more grit or spice, I think their Dreams Alive single album has the perfect amount of sweetness and edge to it. B-side track, “Night”, feels like a sister track to the well-loved, darker disco-vibes of GFRIEND’S “Mago” and b-side track on their Dream Wish album, “Bittersweet”, tucks right into this grouping to make the perfect trio. But, wait, there’s more! If you’re craving a really sweet treat, stay on the Dream Wish album for a second and bask in “Love is so amazing”. Those vocals? The harmonies? It’s so hard to shut up but I gotta before you all leave and never come back.

DreamNote has so many gems that are basically hidden at this point since so few people talk about them. I hope this Artist Highlight did a little bit to bring to light just how amazing they are. Below is their most recent title track MV, “Ghost”, off their newest release, Dream Alive! Please give them and their projects lots of love!

If you have any groups you’d like to see brought into the spotlight, leave a comment and we might just agree with you to feature them! If you’re a Galaxy, hit us up in the forum and let us know in the request section!

Until next time!

Ash✨