Release Date: September 20, 2024
Track Listing
- Push Your Love
- Starry Night
- Starry Night (ENG Version)
- SOS
- SOS (ENG Version)
- Gravity
Review
FIFTY FIFTY is a group that has undergone many changes since its debut two years ago. After the release of their global pop hit Cupid in 2023, the original four-member version of the group began to fall apart just as they were on the cusp of breaking through to global superstardom.
A nasty legal battle over alleged contract violations and blatant talent poaching from The Givers left FIFTY FIFTY’s future uncertain. This group’s story could have become about wasted potential. However, one original member (Keena) returned to ATTRAKT to carry on the FIFTY FIFTY name rather than waste away her idol dreams and incur massive legal debt.
In early 2024, ATTRAKT reorganized FIFTY FIFTY with Keena as its centrepiece. FIFTY FIFTY 2.0 would be a five-member group, and its fandom would be renamed from “Hunnies” to “Tweny.”
The new members of FIFTY FIFTY are:
- Chanelle Moon (former R U Next? contestant)
- Yewon (former R U Next? contestant)
- Hana
- Athena
With the new FIFTY FIFTY in place, there were numerous questions about them. What type of music will they make? Will any of the latest members be able to match or exceed the unique vocals of Aran and Sio? What would their image concept be?
Anyone who has followed this group from their start knows that the songs from THE FIFTY and, of course, The Beginning: Cupid are excellent pieces of pop music, because of that the expectations might be a bit high for the 2.0 version of the group to have equally strong material.
The first hint of the direction of the new FIFTY FIFTY came in the form of Starry Night, the pre-release single from Love Tune. This uplifting pop song is unlike anything FIFTY FIFTY has released in the past, and while it doesn’t have powerhouse vocals to put it over the top, it does have a sweet charm. But this is probably not the best introduction for the new FIFTY FIFTY, as the song can feel too safe and middle of the road.
SOS is the more appealing of the two promotional songs on Love Tune. It has a mellow groove that quickly catches your ear like Cupid. It’s closer to the type of material that listeners expect from FIFTY FIFTY, which should please those who are averse to change. I also believe this song fits the members’ vocals more than Starry Night.
There are two more new songs on Love Tune, Push Your Love and Gravity. The former is similar to SOS—soft, mellow instrumentation and a dreamy atmosphere that wraps itself around the listener. The latter lets the members stretch their vocal chops, showing they can do more than cute, wistful songs.
So how did this new version of FIFTY FIFTY do with Love Tune? Traces of the sound that made the group’s first version famous are all over each track, which is a good sign. They’re still getting good songs, which hasn’t changed. I feel the vocals are a bit of a downgrade (it’s challenging to replace vocalists like Aran and Sio), but there’s plenty of time for all these girls to show their inner diva in future releases.
