Release Date: February 24, 2025
Track Listing
- The Chase
- Butterflies
Review
In September 2022, news broke that SM Entertainment would reveal a new eight-member girl group. This group, which was only known as the “Training Unit,” was surrounded by much mystery. Who were the potential members? When would they debut? What type of music would they perform?
Three years later, on January 12, during the second day of SM Entertainment’s 30th anniversary concert, a video finally revealed the mysterious eight-member group to the world. The group’s official name was Hearts2Hearts, and they would debut in February.
The members of Hearts2Hearts are:
- Carmen (Vocalist)
- Jiwoo (Leader, Dancer, Visual)
- Yuha (Vocalist, Dancer)
- Stella (Vocalist)
- Juun (Main Dancer)
- A-na (Visual)
- Ian (Center, Visual)
- Ye-on (Vocalist, Maknae)
Of course, the video raised more questions about Hearts2Hearts, which were promptly answered when they released their debut single, The Chase, at the end of February.
When you first see this group, they are obviously very young. With an average age of 16.4, they are babies compared to other groups on SM Entertainment’s roster. The safe assumption was that this group would get a youthful, bubblegum-type concept. However, that is not how SM Entertainment rolls.
The music on The Chase is the SM Entertainment-styled blend of R&B and Pop that one would expect to hear from Red Velvet or more recent aespa releases. Image-wise, the group is styled like any normal teenage girl in their age range, matching the style of music presented in this single.
The title track mixes a tight rhythm section with a dreamy vibe. Like many current K-pop songs, it takes cues from the late 90s to early 2000s contemporary American R&B. The members accent that dreamy feeling with their subdued vocal performances.
Butterflies is a mid-tempo R&B song that showcases the Hearts2Hearts members’ vocal capabilities. While none go into chest-thumping diva-like runs or ridiculous vocal gymnastics, they still convey the emotion of the song’s lyrics.
Unlike the last time when SM Entertainment unveiled a new girl group, you don’t need a study guide or reference manual to understand what they and their songs are about. Hearts2Hearts is (so far) a straightforward R&B/Pop group. Whether they stay on that musical course is yet to be determined; this is only their first pair of songs after all.
For a debut, I believe The Chase is an excellent start to the Hearts2Hearts idol journey. However, not everyone will have the same positive outlook about them, and whether the reality of this group meets your expectations will be subjective. I would say it’s worth giving The Chase a few spins to see if either of the songs pulls you in.
