Here at CelebMix, we love a good hit single. However, some singles never achieve the success they truly deserved. Therefore, we present to you our latest weekly feature – ‘Hidden Hits’. Within this feature, we will discuss a ‘hidden hit’, discuss the success it achieved, the success it should’ve achieved and why it should’ve achieved that success.
Music is a medium of expression. It helps people say things that they usually find difficult to talk about. In recent times, we have come across some dark narratives but the stories discussed are so relatable that we can’t help but pay attention to them.
In the year 2015, Pledis Entertainment debuted a group named Seventeen. Comprising of 13 members, SVT is divided into 3 sub-units: Vocal Unit, Hip-Hop Unit, and Dance Unit. The group is well known for their single “Don’t Wanna Cry” and have already bagged awards and recognition, both within and out of South Korea. While they are yet to win an award internationally, their popularity has soared in past few years. What make Seventeen popular is their deep involvement in the creation and production of their music so, one gets to see traces of boys’ personalities in the songs.
Last year, all the three subunits released their individual singles to give a glimpse into their artistic talents. But there was one song that could have received the level of attention it deserved. Considering that even today it sounds so fresh, we decided to remind music lovers of its existence and why should they pay attention to it.
“Trauma” was released by Hip Hop subunit (Mingyu, Vernon, S.Coups and Wonwoo) on 1st October, 2017. Till now, the music video has accumulated around 9 Million views and a highly positive response from fans.
The single begins by talking about two specific narratives and eventually moves on to narrate generic tales of “trauma”. The first stanza talks about Vernon’s “trauma”. With the clever use of brevity, the rapper sums up his childhood in two lines. As a racially different kid, the artist had to leave his schooling. The action was also a consequence of his decision to pursue the life of an idol. (Source: Genius)
“I dropped out of school in 8th grade
Basically had no friends”
Later, Wonwoo shares how his past will always find its way into the news and affect his present. It’s speculated that the artist was once a part of an anti-fan group due to which he had to face a lot of backlash and criticism from netizens. (Source: Genius)
Each stanza explains how music is the only medium using which people can sing through their pain. Unlike other songs, this song does not end on a positive note which goes onto reiterate the fact that life does not provide solutions immediately. One has to face and overcome the problems to move onto the next phase.
The theme and the medium is in line with the tradition of folklore. The beauty lies in mixing the narrative with the genre of hip hop. As a result, the music produced is fresh, which makes it easier for listeners to retain it in their memory.
The music video is a different experience altogether. Each prop complements the lyrics and the mood of the video. Ropes, ceilings and dark room add layers to the narrative and it will require more than a single listen to understand the meaning behind the song.
In the recent years, a lot of K-Pop groups have released songs that break away from the conventional style of the genre and industry. It is important for us to pay attention to these groups and support them in their endeavours.
Have you heard the song? Share your thoughts about it via tweet @CelebMix. Also, make sure to check out our past features in the series.