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(G)I-DLE Is Reborn with “I Never Die”

Kai Franco

March 23, 2022
• 3 min read

(G)I-DLE goes in for the kill in their first full-length album

The girls of (G)I-DLE are always known for switching it up with each comeback. They’ve done explosive and sensual with Oh My God, and they rocked the bright moombahton summer anthem with DUMDi DUMDi. They forayed into Sassy Latin-pop through Señorita and gently expressed pain and tension with HWAA. But for their first full-length album, the girl group further expands their range by venturing into a new kind of edge.

With I Never Die, (G)I-DLE goes in for the kill.

After being beaten down, (G)I-DLE rises from the ashes in I Burn. But through I Never Die, their heroine embraces their new beginning after rebirth. The girl group explores the unbridled confidence that comes with age through this album. As much as maturity can be associated with the mastery of stoicism, the girl group emphasizes that there’s more to growing older than relinquishing control and mourning over loss. With age comes trust in oneself, setting clear-cut boundaries and putting yourself first. While many might view an unapologetic attitude as selfish, (G)I-DLE encourages listeners to wear it like a badge of honor.

In a press conference, leader Soyeon shares, “I Never Die is an album that contains our emotions and thoughts [about] all prejudices in the world.” And the selection of TOMBOY as the title track proves to be a fitting lead for an anthemic album. The electric guitar-heavy song pierced with an addictive pop break for the bridge is reminiscent of early P!nk and Avril Lavigne. Saccharine-sweet but badass, loud and unapologetic. (G)I-DLE turn into confident, “I-could-care-less” modern Nasty Women as they push back against expectations, stereotypes and criticism. Miyeon describes their persona as “a rebellious and bold heroine,” one we see through eight cohesive tracks.

Never Stop Me, co-written by Soyeon, sounds like TOMBOY’s cheekier little sister, as they sing about the freeing feeling after a breakup. Meanwhile, LIAR (co-written by Yuqi) tells the story of people proclaiming you’ve “changed” after seeing another side to you that’s always been there. As (G)I-DLE uses rock influences throughout the album, they explore different ways to infuse it through the songs. The girls play with the genre to further examine the layers of one’s personality. An individual can be calm and laid-back, carefree and fun-loving and straightforward and careless all at the same time.

But aside from the external facades, the group also examines the different vulnerabilities they no longer wish to mask. I Never Die offers sonic palate cleansers that also turn inward, paring down the electric mood set by TOMBOY. POLAROID, another song co-written by Yuqi, reminisces (G)I-DLE’s youth through the enduring timelessness of a photograph. “Don’t be sad / Let’s forget everything with the flash,” sings Miyeon. They continue to look back at their favorite moments, ones that shaped them into the people they are today. Meanwhile, Minnie also co-wrote ESCAPE, a song that narrates the need to break free or run away. She explains, “Everyone gets tired and gives up on ESCAPE. It’s a warm consolation song for those people.” This soft and airy ballad boasts the group’s colorful vocals while providing their listeners a shoulder to cry on.

(G)I-DLE ends the album on a high note with MY BAG. Leader and rapper Soyeon shares the torch to Yuqi, Minnie, Miyeon and Shuhua as they rap—a first and hopefully the beginning of many more. This track shows off the group’s multitalented skillset with melodic rap-sung flows for the chorus and verses. Like what its name suggests, they brag about the accolades and skills, ones that set them apart in the K-pop industry as five rare red diamonds.

From here on out, it’s (G)I-DLE’s world, and we’re all just living in it.

(G)I-DLE’s first full-length album is available to stream on all music platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music.

Special thanks Reels Corporation and CUBE Entertainment

Art Alexandra Lara

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