A good portion of my 2023 has been spent listening to and learning about co-ed J-pop group One Love One Heart. They scored two spots in my top ten J-pop songs of 2022 and have released my favorite album of the year so far, which I wrote about in detail here. If you haven’t yet checked them out, I highly recommend you do!

Just a few weeks since the release of their debut album, the group is back for an OST song from a Japanese web drama. Yell For You may not quite be the One Love One Heart we’re used to, but it gives me another chance to rave about the group.

My biggest gripe about Yell For You is that the track only utilizes half of the group. One of the aspect that makes One Love One Heart so unique is the interplay between male and female vocals. They often harmonize in a way that brings a robust sense of drama. It’s like theater kids delivering music that’s kind of edgy and cool. With the male members out of the picture, Yell For You feels more generic and lacks that special spark that first made me take such notice of the group.

However, this is still strong, upbeat J-pop bliss that I became addicted to on first listen. I love the female members’ vocals – especially I-CHI’s confident power. A sprightly pace and punchy chorus helps Yell endear itself. It’s incredibly catchy and charmingly earnest, pushing forward with a sense of sunny optimism. And while it may lack any hint of edge (as expected from the OST to a fluffy web drama), there’s a prominent place on my playlist for straightforward, melodic J-pop in this style.

**If you’re ready to board the One Love One Heart train, I encourage you to watch the first thirty minutes of this interview/performance series. It’s their first official English-subbed content, and the show is hosted by two of their members. If you’re hooked after that, feel free to hit me up. I may have subbed more content, along with tons of videos from some of my favorite underrepresented groups like Genic, Fantastics and The Rampage.

Grade: B