In 2011, I really grew to love Secret - one of Korean's current top girl groups. There are literally dozens of girl groups in Korea, which often results in many girl groups sharing a similar image and sound. But if there's one thing about Secret, it's that they're completely different to the rest.
Although debuting in 2009 with an R&B and urban edge, they recieved little attention. Yet roll on 2010 and the release of their second mini album Madonna, and things did a 180 for Secret. With Madonna, they had carved out their own sound which really made them stand out from the plethora of other girl groups of the time. I cannot personally describe their style, but it's just very Secret. They now rock a swingin' 50s or 60s style, with emphasis on drums, guitars and bass which gives their music a "live" feel to it. Secret has 3 vocalists (JiEun, HyoSung and Sunhwa) and a rapper (Zinger, no connection to KFC, though). Each member has an individual tone to their voice and their vocals work perfectly with this upbeat, retro sound. Songs such as Shy Boy, Love Is MOVE and Madonna are the best examples of their retro, 50s sound. And their image often matches their fun and retro style:
For a slower pace, they released Starlight, Moonlight. And although not a ballad by any means, Starlight, Moonlight relies on light drums, strumming guitars and "shubi-du-wa"'s that give the song a cute, old-fashioned feel.
The fact that they use instruments in their music, instead of computer generated dance music, completely set Secret out from the crowd. Hearing drums, guitars and trumpets in K-Pop is so refreshing, but that is not to say that Secret don't have a modern twist. In fact, with Zinger's rapping, a contemporary flavour is added to each song meaning that the old and the young can enjoy their songs.
^^ Secret - Love Is MOVE ^^
I'm not sure where Secret will go next, however. Whether they will continue their successful streak of retro-flavoured hits is unknown to me, but I do hope they do carry on with this direction. I think if Secret were to change their style once more, I'm sure it would be just as successful - so good luck to them!
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