Reinvention is so often the name of the game in music, but K-pop quintet ITZY have known exactly who they are and what they stand for since the very beginning. After making a splash in 2019 with their now-iconic debut single ‘DALLA DALLA’ – which translates to ‘Different Different’ – Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna have stuck to their guns with dynamic and empowering songs that advocate individuality and being unapologetically yourself.
Over their five-year career, ITZY have been there, done that, be it selling out concerts all over the world, inking ambassadorships with major brands or sweeping award shows across Asia. Between these accolades and achievements, the girl group also released hit after hit every year, from the fan-favourite single ‘WANNABE’ to their first English single ‘Boys Like You’, and they show no signs of slowing down.
The quintet kicked off 2024 on a high with their highly anticipated second studio album, ‘Born to Be’, which came after a month-long roll out that saw the release of solo songs, mind-blowing music videos and more. While ITZY gear up for their next big endeavour – a massive 29-date world tour that’ll run from March to August this year – they sit down with NME to rank their 10 best songs and tell us why.
Honourable mentions:
‘THAT’S A NO NO’ (2020)
‘Snowy’ (2022)
‘NOBODY LIKE YOU’ (2020)
‘Chillin’ Chillin’’ (2021)
‘SHOOT!’ (2021)
‘Psychic Lover’ (2023)
Yeji: “This is a song I would like to perform in a concert someday because I think it would be really exciting on stage.”
Ryujin: “I really like this song because I like the band sound.”
Chaeryeong: “I like the song because it is refreshing and I feel like it was recorded well.”
Yuna: “This song shows a new side of ITZY.”
‘LOCO’ (2021)
Yeji: “‘LOCO’ is the most exciting song at any festival or concert, and I think it’s a great song that can be enjoyed by getting energy with many people!”
Ryujin: “I like it because I think it is the song that everyone can enjoy the most when performing.”
Chaeryeong: “It’s a really fun song to perform on stage, and it’s a song that I started to like more during touring!”
Yuna: “The beat is very addicting and it makes me feel very powerful.”
‘DOMINO’ (2022)
Yeji: “The lyrics are really pretty and it’s a song that makes me cry when I sing it.”
Ryujin: “I like the lyrics because they are touching.”
Chaeryeong: “I started liking this song more during our world tour. It makes me have lots of thoughts.”
Yuna: “The touching lyrics goes well with the melody!”
‘Be in Love’ (2020)
Yeji: “Personally, this is a song I really like. When I listen to this song, I think of MIDZY.”
Ryujin: “I think it was good because the lyrics were more relatable because it was a song we released [during the pandemic] when we couldn’t meet each other in person.”
Chaeryeong: “It’s a song that reminds me of MIDZY when on stage.”
Yuna: “When I listen to this song, I think of MIDZY. Even though we are apart, I feel like we rely on each other and give each other courage! It really is a comforting song.”
‘WANNABE’ (2020)
Yeji: “It’s a song that represents ITZY itself. It’s a song that still gives me strength every time we perform on stage.”
Ryujin: The powerful dance movement and catchy melody gets in my head when I need strength.”
Chaeryeong: “I like it because it makes me feel really good when I see a lot of fans following our dance movement on stage, especially the shoulder dance!”
Yuna: “It is a song that contains the message ITZY always wants to convey, to raise the self-esteem of many people through this song!”
‘BORN TO BE’ (2024)
Yeji: “This is a song that opened our new album with the concept of a mega crew. The song is also magnificent and wonderful. I feel like this is a concept that only ITZY can do.”
Ryujin: “I like it because I think it contains the most ITZY-like performance.”
Chaeryeong: “I had a lot of fun being part of a mega crew. It was also really nice to be able to show a cool performance.”
Yuna: “I have affection for it as it is my first song with a mega crew.”
‘Dynamite’ (2024)
Yeji: “It’s a song with an attractive mid-low voice, and I’m very satisfied because it seems like the members did such a good job as well on the recording.”
Ryujin: “This song is so exciting that I want to perform it on stage right away.”
Chaeryeong: “I think it’s a type of song that ITZY does well. I want to show our fans the stage as soon as possible!”
Yuna: “I think you can tell it’s an ITZY song as soon as you hear it. The tension that arises as the members’ voices change is quite exciting.”
‘Trust Me (MIDZY)’ (2021)
Yeji: “This is the song that comes to mind the most when I think of our fans.”
Ryujin: “Since this is our first fan song. Also because our MIDZY love it everytime we sing it.”
Chaeryeong: “It’s a meaningful song because it’s our first fan song.”
Yuna: “It’s a song that contains my feelings for MIDZY. I like it because I can feel the time I spent believing in it and the aspirations I have for the future.”
‘Mr. Vampire’ (2024)
Yeji: “I think it’s a song that’s easy to listen to anytime, anywhere, and it’s a new concept, so we like it because it’s new to us. I think the cute and hip performance also plays a big part.”
Ryujin: “It’s something we’ve never done before, so I’m attached to it because it’s a song I sang with a lot of thought.”
Chaeryeong: “It was comfortable to listen to and I liked the refreshing feeling.”
Yuna: “I think this is a new side of ITZY, and I like it because it has a good mysterious vibe.”
‘UNTOUCHABLE’ (2024)
Yeji: “It’s the title song of our new album. It’s addictive and I think the performance is attractive.”
Ryujin: “I really like the beat and I like it because it shows our new colours.”
Chaeryeong: “It’s an addictive song, so I keep thinking about it.”
Yuna: “It’s a song that becomes more attractive and addictive the more you listen to it. It’s a song with a confident vibe, and makes you feel confident when you listen to it!”
ITZY’s new album ‘Born to Be’ is out now on all major streaming platforms.
The post The 10 best ITZY songs, according to the girl group themselves appeared first on NME.
