IU kpop music always rings excitement for kpop fans across the world. This time around, the Korean pop star recently released a new single, “에잇 (eight)”, featuring SUGA of the kpop boyband BTS. “Eight” does not appear to be attached to an album by either artists, and instead was released as an independent single by IU and SUGA.
Prior to “Eight” IU released her “Love Poem” EP that produced the popular, upbeat single “Blueming”. Let’s explore the sound IU will follow with her latest single collaboration.
Lyrics: A
The lyrics behind “Eight” paint a picture of both love and regret. Two people reminisce about a carefree time that they once shared together, but now only lives on in their memories:
Under an orange sun
We dance with no shadows
There is no such thing as decided farewells
Meet me in that memory that was once beautiful
Forever young
Tasty:
“Eight” captures the perfect balance between happiness and melancholy in the message of the song. As others have likely experienced, remembering fond memories of the past with someone else produces a warm feeling of nostalgia, but also sadness at the thought of never experiencing that moment again.
Like what someone said as they were consoling me, passing
It isn’t that easy to forget a memory merely big as a handspan
Even as time goes by, still
At that place which takes hold of me
SUGA’s lyrics compliment the theme of the song well, where he has a poignant line:
…the word “forever” is a sandcastle
A beautiful metaphor that captures the essence of the song and provides an interesting, but sad, take on the promises made in life.
Production: A
“Eight” by IU and SUGA is a mid-tempo song where the vocal performance of both leads carries the song above all else.
Tasty:
IU and SUGA’s collaboration on “Eight” sounds very organic and thoughtful. The song carries a unique sound and energy throughout the verses and chorus that creates an innocence about it.
While the lyrics describe the mixed feelings faced by two people longing for a past memory, IU and SUGA provide convincing delivery of the lyrics to propel the meaning forward even more. When IU sings, “Forever young”, the emotion behind the line is captivating.
Replayability: A
“Eight” is an easy listen with its tepid melody and clean sound that matches previous IU kpop. Because it does not sound like anything else in the pop realm right now, the song does not become exhaustive after multiple listens. Instead, “Eight” pulls you in to fully understand the message of the song which may not be captured on the first listen.
Final Grade: A
“Eight” by IU and SUGA is a beautiful collaboration between two artists who clearly have a strong grasp on their craft. “Eight” delivers in all areas of a great pop song, and makes a nice addition to the growing catalog of IU kpop hits. SUGA adds a nice dynamic to the song with a meaningful verse that should be listened to more than once.
Color Vibe: Turquoise
Season Vibe: Fall, Spring
Mood Vibe: Reflective, Wistful
Mocha Quality: A
Tags: Pop, K-Pop
Check out the music video for “Eight” linked below.
IU performs an acoustic rendition of “Eight” live, watch here.
