aespa Deliver Hyper Pop Earworm With “Supernova”
On May 13, aespa (made up of members KARINA, WINTER, NINGNING, and GISELLE) returned with their highly anticipated pre-release single “Supernova.” “Supernova” is a dance-infused hyper pop single produced by Dem Jointz that meshes a wealth of synths with catchy melodies. Renowned songwriters Parisalexa and KENZIE also took part in creating the track. This release came ahead of their first full-length album Armageddon, which is set to drop on May 27 with 10 songs.
aespa At Their Prime
From their inception in 2020, aespa have been crowned a “monster rookie,” winning Rookie of The Year at several Korean award shows. Since then, they have taken the world by storm with hits like “Next Level” and “Spicy.” While touring last year, the group made history as the first K-pop group to perform at the Governors Ball. This year, the quartet is turning heads with teasers to their new music. After all, their metaverse concept, coupled with punchy, expansive electronic soundscapes, make them stand out in K-pop. On its own, “Supernova” is quite the departure from the title track of their last record, Drama, which debuted at #33 on the Billboard 200 chart. “Drama” was a melodramatic, EDM and Rock song that brought Kill Bill to K-pop with awe-inspiring cinematic direction. Here, aespa offer wacky and playful vocals, bending the beats to their will while making full use of KARINA’s lower register.
With lyrics like “Nova, can’t stop hyperstellar,” it’s near impossible to not sing along and jam to the track. Here, the group drops rapping for a more laid back talk-singing approach during verses, where GISELLE especially shines.The otherworldly alien-like synths make aespa fitting candidates for a video game soundtrack. It would be a welcomed addition to aespa’s many notable soundtrack placements like Tetris with “Hold On Tight” and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon with “Die Trying” in collaboration with TOKiMONSTA. Through their discography, aespa often include bridges with impressive high notes sung by WINTER and NINGNING. However, “Supernova” takes a different approach. Sampling Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force’s “Planet Rock,” the bridge is hypnotic, as the members chant over the dance beat. The song never loses momentum even in its last chorus.
An Otherworldly Visual Feast
Chaotic, comedic, and playful — these are the three words that fit the “Supernova” music video. The video plays with the idea of artificial intelligence (AI), fitting as KARINA herself has been hailed as “human CG” for her visuals by fans. Each member is given a specific power through the video. KARINA starts things off by falling on a car unscathed. Through the video, she makes light work of heavy objects, lifting cars and breaking phones through the video. GISELLE can control time, which is represented through her phone. The video plays with the idea of AI with GISELLE solving a reCaptcha tool quiz, and the members having their faces animated with AI near the end of the song. NINGNING has pyromancy, where her fingers are represented as lighters. And of course one can’t forget WINTER’s anti-gravity powers. This particularly has been a hot topic online as WINTER is seen swinging on a pole only to be sent flying once she lets go. To top it off, the group pairs bright visuals with choreography that is equally as fun as the song.
“Supernova” is infectious from the start as listeners are greeted with “I’m like… some kind of Supernova, watch out.” Part of what makes aespa so continuously interesting is their ability to reinvent themselves, get their hands dirty, and stand apart from their peers with experimental earworms. With such a catchy song as a pre-release, one can only wonder what aespa has in store for fans once Armageddon is released. Fans who are excited for the record can pre-save the album now.
Want to read more about aespa? Check out our coverage of their appearance on Anderson .Paak’s Apple Music show .Paak House Radio here!
