BoA 'The One' 7th Album

The Queen of Kpop is back!!!! Seriously, she's the Queen of Kpop! She's started it all, the first to lead the Hallyu wave, the first to be extremely successful in Korea AND Japan! Since her last album in 2010, BoA's been on hiatus but now she's back! YAY!!!!

Only One: This is a soft ballad and it's pretty good, not gonna lie! I was expecting for her lead single to be more upbeat, but she might promote multiple songs like she did in 2010. But the song is nice. She has 2 different music videos, the Dance Version WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and the drama version featuring one of my baby's daddys Yoo Ah In. Check 'em both out:

The Shadow: This is a pop, sort of dark and mysterious, sexy song. It sounds like something Michael Jackson would do!! It's really good!!! She's improved so much vocally, this is the best she's ever been.

네모난 바퀴(Hope) Square Wheels: It has a Kelly Clarkson vibe to it! It's really good, a ballad, her voice sounds realllly good in those high notes. Also, her low notes are pretty solid too. But this has a Michael Jackson/Kelly Clarkson vibe. Does this make sense lol.

Not Over u: This has like 4 different songs in one, a typical SM hybrid BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD! It starts off with an acoustic sound with the guitar, add in the upbeat background, but when she gets to the chorus, it has the electronic build up. IT'S AWESOME! All the while, she still stays in the ballad, crying vibe. Really good! Who produced and composed this it's awesome! Did BoA compose everything on this album?? Leave a comment and let me know!

The Top: This is like a back in the day pop song. Like end of 90's early 2000 era but still has a modern twist to it. It's ok, the chorus is really good, but what makes this song is when she raps. Or rather just speaks the part hahahaha. I like how in kpop, you have actual RAPPERS, and then you have people that are selected to be the rapper in the group because you can't sing all that well, or you have people that just speak their part. Rapping isn't for everyone but BoA sounded decent. Stick to singing hahaha, love you though.

Mayday! Mayday! (너에게 닿기를 간절히 외치다): 'Shout out to you eagerly reaching' I think is the translated part. This is another ballad. She sounds very mature on this album and like I said, vocally, this is the best she's been! Her voice is amazing in this song!!

One Dream ft Henry of SJM and Key of Shinee: This was for the Kpop Star theme song once it was coming to an end, a collab. It's a nice uplifting song.

The last 2 songs are instrumentals so it seems that she'll be promoting 'The Shadow' as well.

Overall: This is a good, solid, mature album. I've never been a huge huge fan of BoA's kpop stuff, I jam her English album all the time, but I do respect her as the Queen of Kpop. I'm going to thank her because if I wasn't into her Japanese stuff when I found it, I would not be into her English stuff. And if I wasn't into her English album, I would not be into Asians right now at all. I mean Utada and Namie Amuro started it all for me, but BoA is the first Korean I was into before I even knew she was Korean hahaha. So I've only been following her since 2009 and I'm not all that familiar with her hits but I enjoy what she's put out in the past 3 years. Vocally, I always thought she was mediocre, I loved to watch her dance, that's the only reason I got into her! Because I saw her music videos, I was impressed with her dancing and found her songs for Inuyasha and eventually found her English album. But vocally, she sounded ok. But now, she's improvedddddd sooooooo much! She sounds amazing!!! Like she has that fast vibrato when she sings it's awesome. Good album, not much upbeat fast stuff but it's still good, very mature sounding!!