VAV is one of those groups who just keep plugging away. I don’t see their name mentioned much in K-pop circles, nor are they a huge presence on music shows. Yet, they’ve held international tours and make frequent comebacks with glossy, well-produced music videos. Their agency’s Chinese connections probably help when it comes to funding, but the group’s work ethic also has to be respected.

With that said, Senorita should be the preemptive nail in the coffin for K-pop’s burgeoning Latin trend. It won’t be, but it should.

Reading the story behind this track practically made my head explode. The original was a hit for German rapper Kay One last year, who took a generic Latin beat and merged it with equally generic Eurodance. Now, VAV have re-recorded the song in Korean, changing very little except the lyrics. So… first we had a German artist ride the Latin trend, and then it was passed on to a Korean act so they could do the same. It really makes you wonder if there is any originality left in pop music.

This might all have been salvageable if the track had been strong from the start. But sadly, Senorita is one nice guitar intro followed by three-and-a-half minutes of plodding thump thump percussion that goes nowhere. The chorus feels recycled from Despacito, devoid of dynamism and energy. The verses offer a spark of life, but are held back by the meager hooks that they frame. This is as uninspired as uninspired gets. VAV (and K-pop) deserve better.

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