KATSEYE, like VCHA before them, present an interesting challenge for this blog. They can’t really be considered “K-pop,” but they were formed on the competition show Dream Academy co-managed by HYBE Corporation. Time will tell if I keep writing about their music, but for now I think it’s important to touch on their debut as part of the industry’s broadening global fortunes.
Speaking of debuts, “Debut” marks the first teaser of how an American HYBE-produced girl group might sound and — more tellingly — what the company thinks an American audience wants from pop music in 2024. Clearly, they don’t have much respect for our collective attention span. At a grand total of two minutes and three seconds, Debut must be one of the shortest K-pop-adjacent singles on record. “Short” doesn’t automatically mean “bad,” but Debut‘s lack of space to develop seriously hampers its prospects.
To me, this feels more like a demo or work-in-progress than a fully-realized arrival for KATSEYE. The potential is enormous, especially given the fact that America hasn’t churned out a blockbuster girl group in years. I hear more than a little Pussycat Dolls and Fifth Harmony in Debut‘s slick, rhythmic sound. That’s a great starting point and the song really comes alive when we move past the trite sing-talk of the verses into the fleshed out chorus. But if I’m comparing this to a recent single like Nayeon’s multifaceted ABCD, the song could really do with an extra idea or two to help it stand out. It’s half of a good start, if that makes sense.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8 |
Grade: B-
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
i hate the rap verses but the rest is ok
7.75/10 for me
LikeLiked by 2 people
Please cmiiw, but I’m somewhat sure this is an intro song to their debut EP that’s coming out in August. It really doesn’t help that they titled this “Debut” though lol cause there is a lot of confusion especially in the MV’s comment section.
This was a pretty solid track. It fits perfectly into a Bratz OST which rocks because it touched my inner child who used to be an absolute Bratz fanatic. But I hate that it can barely be digested. It’s almost impossible to fully remember since it ended before I could even blink! I can’t recall the sing-talking parts at all since they were gone before my brain could process them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
nope this is their debut single, not an intro. they’re releasing their second single next month, and their debut EP on August.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. They can do so much better, but I fear their Geffen team might be out-of-touch with what an American audience wants to hear. Music quality is most important these days, especially since no one over here is checking for a girl group, but I cannot hear this song charting well or becoming a radio or streaming hit. Cute music video though, although short.
LikeLiked by 5 people
What I was thinking. Popular Western Music feeds off ‘genuity,’ it’s gonna be difficult to convince the public that a girl group invented by a huge industry conglomerate from a survival show is gonna be worth their time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
kids bop songs are popular in the US they do sell CDs on the TV
LikeLike
feels like an almost rejected 5H song 8/10 would love to hear this in a disney channel original movie
LikeLiked by 1 person
I waited for these girls for 6 months and I’m so disappointed. the verses are a massive chop, the chorus is great but they’ve teased it multiple times already, and the fact that it takes up more than half of those 2 minutes and THREE seconds. HxG fumbled this so badly. they have three good vocalists and they weren’t even utilized well. I hope the second single is a lot better, I really want these girls to succeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve waited months for these girls to debut too, but I have hope for their debut EP in August 🤞🏾. I’m neither surprised nor shocked that HxG gave them a song this short and fleeting
LikeLike
The intro really throws me off as the la la la notes reminds me of the Knock refrain from Chaeyeon (copied below), a super guilty pleasure of mine.
As for the song here, it does nothing to move pop music along. It is timeless, in a bad way. Also faceless. The trend in American pop is swinging firmly towards individuality, characters, personalities, viz Chappell Roan. Or classic throwbacks executed perfectly viz Sabrina Carpenter. This song here is a basic girl song from a couple of generic college girls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I made a prediction that “it might be a fearless situation where the song’s built around (1) phrase, and that the song might not be 100% lush fleshed out pop perfection like i hoped for”, and yeah, called it.
the chorus is an excellent pop statement, and the start of the verses showed great verve and sass, but it’s just missing some pre choruses and/or a good bridge (note: chapelle roan).
it’s just a few lil diamonds away from hitting a home run!! (Or how the american metaphor goes)
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was hoping this would be a pop version of XG and got really disappointed. Also, all the members sound very similar to each other (and canned) so it’s hard not to think of kidz bop. It’s a below average debut for me.
LikeLike
There is plenty of Kpop not being produced in Korean so the language of the track should not dictate whether or not it’s considered K-pop… If it’s owned/produced by a Kpop company it’s Kpop…
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so incredibly confused. English and Japanese songs are inherently not kpop. The group MIGHT be a kpop group, but the music is certainly not. That’s just copium from delusional fans that so desperately want foreigners to be taken seriously in this genre.
The group’s company is totally irrelevant. There are kpop groups and other foreign artists run by huge Japanese companies and there are now foreign artists being run by Korean companies. If they don’t put out music in the language the respective genre, then it isn’t the kind of music you wish it was. That’s just the reality.
XG for example is a Japanese group owned and ran by a Japanese company, that sings English songs and promotes in Korea. Other than where their feet stand, nothing about them or their work has anything to do with the K in kpop. It’s just pop or just rap. They WANT you to think it’s kpop because they want to get more attention and seem unique.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great chorus but everything else is severely lacking. It’s a shame because I really like the members & lineup but the production couldn’t be any lazier
LikeLiked by 1 person
The “what the company thinks an American audience wants from pop music in 2024″ was a really bold statement from HYBE lol. Still I think this is defintely a good start. I do think the song needs a little more developing, it feels like it was cut short. Maybe an extra chorus and some adlibs would’ve helped.
I do see the resemblance to the Pussy Cat Dolls here and there with a sprinkle of the mess that Fifth Harmony was. I can say that, in comparison to VCHA, this would probably fit the taste of those who aren’t too much into the bubblegum side of things.
LikeLiked by 1 person
i can imagine this song being sung by Babymonster (fits their past blunder with the “this ain’t a debut” line)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not at all impressed.
Also, I don’t believe a K-pop group, no matter how tuned to American tastes will go mainstream in the US, ever. Maybe have a hit or two, but not more than that.
LikeLiked by 1 person