It’s safe to say that there are few acts in K-pop that have been as astute in creating and safeguarding their ethos and identity as MAMAMOO. A decade on, the group deserve credit as not just vocal powerhouses, but also for how they have successfully turned their music into an extended self-portrait and critique of larger industry itself.
Whether it’s Hwasa’s raw reconciliation with her insecurities on ‘Maria’, Solar’s unapologetic spotlight on vogue femme on ‘Colors’, the group quite literally calling out mainstream media on ‘HIP’, MAMAMOO have been unrelenting and unabashed in taking the flimsy veneer of perfection and ripping it to shreds.
As the iconic quartet mark their 10th anniversary, we look back on the 10 best tracks by the K-pop girl group group, who have set the benchmark for navigating show business on their own terms.
Honourable Mentions
‘Diamond’ (2020)
‘I Miss You’ (2016)
‘HIP’ (2019)
‘Sleep In The Car’ (2018)
‘Destiny’ (2019)
Egotistic (2018)
A stark contrast from the soft, poetic romanticism of its predecessor ‘Starry Night’, ‘Egotistic’ tore through post-breakup blues with a fiery, horn-fuelled frenzy. The song’s smooth latin-inspired melodies slot in perfectly with the group’s strong, expansive vocal range as they reclaimed their agency, making this one of their most memorable title tracks to date.
Wind Flower (2018)
Where ‘Egotistic’ wrenched back control from the cold, dead hands of a relationship, ‘Wind Flower’ leaves it behind for good. As the winter chill creeps in, the group stands amidst the self-inflicted wreckage of a breakup, yet there’s no indication of falling back into the same old patterns or reneging on their personal progress. Instead of self-pity or compromises, the journey from regrets to reassurance is marked with a quiet resolve: “Like flower petals that will bloom again”, they decide to “get better day by day”
Starry Night (2018)
Like a lone spring bud sprouting from the frozen ground, MAMAMOO focus on those small, private moments of romance, before simmering down and settling into something akin to hope – “It seems different from usual, I like this feeling. Maybe tomorrow will be a different day”. Pair that with the track’s sensual latin-inspired progression, and it becomes easy to see why this is one of their most iconic tracks.
Words Don’t Come Easy (2016)
The jazz arrangement and fairly simple progression on ‘Words Don’t Come Easy’ are a seductive push-and-pull, while the sensual dance of lyrics, feelings and irrefutable hunger elevate it to something remarkably memorable. Here, MAMAMOO turn us into voyeurs looking in on a primal conversation of bodies and touch. Words may not come easy, but we understand what’s been said nonetheless.
Rude Boy (2018)
It’s always welcome when MAMAMOO’s hilarious personal dynamics bleed into their music, but it gets even better when it’s Hwasa and Moonbyul side-eyeing each other as they warn Solar and Wheein that the guys they’re dating are most definitely fuckboys. The back and forth between the rosy-eyed girls in love and their straightforward friends who see through the bullshit makes for a highly engaging and entertaining track, even more so because of how relatably it captures an acutely everyday insight.
Chuck (2020)
Leading with clever wordplay – the title takes from the Korean term ‘Cheok’, literally translating to ‘pretence’ – the fast and purposeful ‘Chuck’ is as blunt and direct as the action itself. This translates into a swift and stern divestiture from a person who was not only leading them on emotionally, but also too much of a coward to admit it. So, they did what they had to do: rather than keep up the pretences, they chuck them out of their lives.
Bad Bye (2019)
Goodbyes are bad enough, but what’s worse is seeing the impending inevitability of it step closer and the innate knowledge that you’d be the only one getting hurt. Despite the crushing weight of the knowledge, MAMAMOO keep ‘Bad Bye’ buoyant on their vocal harmonies, putting much-welcome modern R&B influences on this ballad.
Better Than I Thought (2018)
In a world of ballads overflowing with tears and regrets, ‘Better Than I Thought’ emerges as the voice of those who find themselves skipping the pain altogether and confounded at their own indifference. “I’m going through a painful breakup, but strangely, there aren’t any tears,” the group sing, but at the same time, they don’t discount the validity of the relationship at all. Just because you find yourself moving on more easily than you thought doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth anything – sometimes things just peter out, but that’s okay.
Rainy Season (2018)
Showers of separation come unexpected and unannounced on this pop and R&B ballad, washing everything away in the sweet melancholy of loneliness. As MAMAMOO reckon with a sudden onslaught of confusion and agony, clever lyricism reveals that this may not have been as unforeseen as one might think. “It seems a little too early to break up”, they remark, hinting that they’d rather work on their relationship than go separate ways, but what an ideal world would it be if they had a choice.
Piano Man (2014)
When people talk about MAMAMOO’s acute rejection of expectations and societal norms, it’s important to also consider the group’s wholehearted embrace of female sexuality. The wildly charming and delightfully suggestive ‘Piano Man’ is an exhibit. A retro-inspired swing and jazz binds an atmosphere sizzling with playful chemistry and unconcealed desire as the group is hopelessly taken by the titular Piano Man and his fingers. It was a surefire way to set the stage for the act they would eventually become: headstrong, bold, direct, fierce and proudly accepting of who they are.