BoA - "Only One"

The Queen of Kpop is back with her new single "Only One," as well as a new album of the same name releasing on July 22. I honestly was unaware of her comeback until the MV came out, but I definitely was not disappointed. BoA has always been reinventing herself with each single she releases, and "Only One" is no exception.

Unlike most of the new kpop songs coming out, "Only One" is a slow tempo track built on a fleeting piano melody. I found the slower tempo and simpleness of the track to be a breath of fresh air compared to the fast-paced dance songs being released now. The bareness of the track allows listeners to focus more on BoA's strong, clear vocals instead of a chaotic instrumental. Also surprising is how sparingly synths are used throughout, considering they're all the rage right now. This isn't a bad thing, though; the amount used is enough for the track to appeal to the evergrowing electro taste without being overbearing.

The style of "Only One" allows BoA to really shine compared to her earlier songs like "Hurricane Venus" and "Copy & Paste." Auto-tune is used significantly less, and her vocal skills are better showcased. The composition also exhibits her maturity as an artist and realization that songs don't have to be riddled with complicated melodies to showcase musicality. Also noteworthy is the fact that the track is composed and written by BoA herself. If "Only One" is any indication of the quality of the rest of her upcoming album, I'm definitely looking forward to it. 4.3/5.

The choreography is, as always, also really impressive!