The ladies of super talented Mamamoo have recently made their debut into the K-Pop scene, and so far the feedback is super positive! Often compared to fellow vocal powerhouses SPICA, Mamamoo already stands out from the pack with their obvious singing talent. Unfortunately, talent isn't always what gets you to the top - especially in K-Pop - and only time will tell how Mamamoo will fare in playing the game of fame. But for now, we can at least take an educated guess. So far, I'm really liking what I see and hear. From the strong promotional tactics and funky styles that pique my interest to the sweet and smooth vocals that keep my ears happy, Mamamoo shows a lot of promise and great potential to succeed.

 

The title song "Mr. Ambiguous" coupled with the music video introduces us to the four fresh faces with a unique style and flair. Taking place in what looks like behind-the-scenes settings of the music video itself, "Mr. Ambiguous" invites the viewers to follow Mamamoo as they prep for their colorful debut. We see them prettying up, learning to groove, and we see the big names that believe in them, such as CNBLUE's Jonghyun, Baek Ji Young, K. Will, Bumkey, Rhymer, Wheesung, and Jung Joon Young. Damn, with all that star power you'd think they'd be ready to own! And they do put on some serious 'tude to match their fun tune. A key moment, however, is when Baek Ji Young pranks them towards the end of the music video--telling them that she is not impressed by their performance, then pulling a major "SIKE!"  Mamamoo tears up, showing their anxiety for their debut and winning our sympathy. And so, by giving the audience a peek into the makings of the music video itself, Mamamoo successfully advertises itself as the newbies who have a lot of support and who are also earnestly working hard. 

Name-dropping aside, Mamamoo boasts an awesome style. The wannabe-Instagram-hipster within me adores their mustache rings (and lusts for one of my own). The accessory is quirky and even stylish, seeing that the fashion-slash-internet trend lately is to take everything like a sir. The colorful dresses that the four girls sport are bright and cheerful, perfect for the summer. Wha Sa particularly looks like a bawss in her giant hat and sunglasses, and the four as an ensemble look fresh and funky. The dance moves are fun, too, especially what I shall now deem the "squat-and-wiggle". "Mamamoo, mamamoo--tell me Mista Em-meh-mo-ho~!"

The overall concept looks fun and is actually really refreshing to see--especially in a K-Pop girl world that seems polarized between just two concepts, "cute" and "sexy". Mamamoo brings something semi-new to the table, making them an interesting addition to the K-Pop world rather than just a carbon copy of the many debuting-and-failing girl groups that are out there.

The song itself is super catchy and playful with its sound. Aside from the awesome vocals, the "shoo shoo shoo," bamfin' grunts, and the wordplay with "ambiguous" are great. As they address "Mr. Ambiguous", they juxtapose the sound of "ambiguous"--which in Korean is "em meh mo ho"--with their name "Mamamoo". The words are similar with "Ma-ma-moo" mirroring the sounds of "em-meh-moh-ho" almost exactly. As Mamamoo appears to be addressing their listeners as their "Mr. Ambiguous," it's as if they're asking us to stop being "ambiguous", and switch over to the side of Mamamoo. 

 

In the music video, Jung Joon Young, who plays a random staff member in the background, seems to be our "Mr. Ambiguous". As he stares at Mamamoo in awe, Mamamoo tells him via the lyrics to quit simply staring and actually make his feelings for them known. Aka--"Don't just bask in our awesomeness, become a fanboy today!" In the end, Jung Joon Young is evidently lovestruck and applauds their performance. By ending the music video with just that, Mamamoo seems to be challenging the viewers, asking, "Are you just going to sit and enjoy the show, or actually show your support?"

"Mr. Ambiguous" is a great intro to the group, sprinkled with some funk and sass, and it definitely leaves the listener pining for more. For those of us who decide to take on Mamamoo with their challenge, we find our craving satisfied as their mini-album 'Hello' is a package of more hooks and playful sounds.

I particularly recommend taking a listen to "Hello", "Baton Touch", and "It's My Heart". "Hello" is a great intro to the album; with its soothing, lullaby tune, it eases us into the buttery sounds of both the name "Mamamooooo" and the crooning quartet themselves. Meanwhile, "Baton Touch" is an upbeat, funky jam with the girls playfully "hoo hoo"-ing against the backdrop of blasting brass and piano instrumentals. It's the second most addicting song on the mini-album with both Moon Byul and Wha Sa showcasing their rapping skills. Wha Sa's voice and style particularly remind me a bit of those of SECRET's Zinger--slightly nasally, poppy, cute, and feisty--and I find that it compliments the Mamamoo style well.

We get to hear more of Wha Sa's rapping in "It's My Heart", which is written and composed by the talented member herself. It's definitely an interesting surprise that separates itself from the rest of the album. While the literal English translation of the title is "It's My Heart", it could also translate as, "It's My Business", or basically "I DO WHAT I WANT". And according to the lyrics, Wha Sa is a badass in fishnets who don't care for your opinion because "boy [she likes] to DRINK"! I must say, that's my kind of jam--and a bold move for a member in a debuting girl group as she enters a scene that seems to constantly restrict girls to a picture-perfect image of innocence and purity.

So in conclusion--if this long review wasn't an obvious statement in itself already--I was really impressed with this debut! To answer the question I posed earlier about Mamamoo's fate, I believe it's considerably bright. Not only do they have the connections--as they flaunt with their multiple features--they have the talent, the drive, and the style! It's evident that a lot of thought was put into their album, and I hope that they'll continue to put out fun, interesting songs for the public to enjoy. Now whether they have a long, successful run is, of course, up to us. What do you guys think--are you a Mr./Ms. Em-meh-moh-ho, or are you a newfound fan?