RBB (EP)

Last updated
RBB
Red Velvet - RBB.png
EP by
Red Velvet
ReleasedNovember 30, 2018
Recorded2018
StudioSM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre
Length19:21
Language
  • Korean
  • English
Label
Producer
Red Velvet chronology
Summer Magic
(2018)		RBB
(2018)		 Sappy
(2019)
Singles from RBB
  1. "RBB (Really Bad Boy)"
    Released: November 30, 2018

RBB is the fifth Korean extended play and the eighth overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. The six-track EP was released on November 30, 2018, by SM Entertainment with iriver and Dreamus [2] as the domestic distributor. Musically, the EP consists of five new original tracks which varied in different genres, mostly R&B and dance-pop, which became the group's third major release to focus on their "Velvet" sonic concept, following their second EP The Velvet (2016), their second studio album Perfect Velvet (2017) and its repackage The Perfect Red Velvet (2018).

Contents

Upon its release, RBB received positive reviews from music critics for its sonic cohesiveness, how all of the songs in the album are equally "strong" and hailed as the group's most "sassiest offering". The extended play was a commercial success in South Korea, becoming the group's tenth top-three title on the Gaon Album Chart with just one day of tracking. It debuting atop the Top Heatseekers Album chart and became the group's third number-two entry on the Billboard World Albums chart.

Background and release

Following the group's promotion with their second "special summer" release Summer Magic in August 2018, news about Red Velvet's upcoming comeback circulated in October 2018, which was later confirmed by SM Entertainment. [3] [4] On November 9, 2018, SM Entertainment revealed the details of the extended play, its eponymous lead single, titled "RBB (Really Bad Boy)", and the release date to be November 30. [5] During a V Live broadcast, member Yeri stated that the preparation for the album was longer than their other title tracks. [6] In contrast to their previous release schedule, the album was released on Friday, November 30 rather than the usual Monday release for most K-pop acts. The release was a singular version only, containing a CD, a photo booklet, a lyric book and collectibles. [7]

Composition

The lead single "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" was characterized as an R&B pop dance track with a catchy melody. The song was written and composed by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie and co-composed by Timothy 'Bos' Bullock, Sara Forsberg, MZMC with arrangement by Bullock. Lyrically, it expresses the charms of a "bad boy". [8] [9]

The second song "Butterflies" was described as a punk-pop track, its lyrics comparing the sensation of falling in love to a butterfly dancing. "So Good" was characterized as a future bass track with an R&B base that features a piano melody and rhythmical drums in the instrumental. "Sassy Me" is an urban pop dance track that ranges from low to high notes that allow the group to show off their vocal ability. "Taste" is an old-school dance-pop song with lyrics that talk about the choices a person makes and not listening to others' opinions, following their heart instead. It features a narration written by member Wendy. [10]

Promotions

To promote the album, Red Velvet held a V Live broadcast on November 29, the night before its release. [6] The group had their "comeback stage" for RBB on the music program Music Bank , performing both the title track "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" and "Butterflies" live for the first time and an hour before the album's official release. [11] This was followed by performances on Show! Music Core and Inkigayo . [12]

An accompanying music video for "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" with choreography by Choi Sun Hee, Kaycee Rice and Janelle Ginestra was released on the day of the album's release. [13] The Halloween-themed video, which had a "Howliwood" sign in the background (a parody of "Hollywood") featured the titular "bad boy" in the song in the form of a werewolf who chases after the girls throughout the video, moving from various retro-inspired sets such as a pink room with a checker-patterned floor, a pumpkin patch with the sign behind it, and the girls stuck inside picture frames. [14] [15] The music video also references the 1980 film The Shining in a scene where members Irene and Yeri are dressed up as the Grady twins. Forbes called the music video "B-movie schlock retrofitted to K-pop perfectionism". [16]

Reception

Internationally, RBB received generally positive reviews from critics. Natalie Morin of Refinery29 opined that while their last album Summer Magic was "an expression of their bright, fun "red" side, RBB highlights their soft, sultry "velvet" side". She added that the EP acted as "a sequel to their January mega-hit 'Bad Boy'". She also said the group "has a penchant for high drama, and the video for "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" plays right into it. Set in a retro "Hollywood" movie set — imagine being so powerful that you bring back Halloween on the cusp of winter". [17] Caitlin Kelley of Forbes remarked that "As a whole, "RBB" is like if cocktail music became anthemic pop and then soundtracked a horror movie. The harmonies are complex, and vocal ad libs fill every nook and cranny of empty space". She also talked about the rest of the album and stated that "Red Velvet has a reputation for never skimping on their B-sides", asserting that "All of the songs on the six-track RBB EP are strong enough to stand on their own" and called "Sassy Me" the standout track from the album, saying it's a "self-empowerment anthem" that imbues the group's "flair for experimentalism". [16] The album ranked fifth on Idolator's '10 Best K-Pop Albums Of 2018' list. [18]

Commercial performance

Upon its release, RBB quickly topped over seventeen countries' iTunes chart. [19] Comparing to the group's previous release Summer Magic, the extended play was less commercially success in their native country. With only a tracking day due to the album being released on Friday instead, the extended play debuted and peaked at number three on the Gaon Album Chart and finished as the eighth best-selling release on the November 2018 issue of the Gaon Monthly Album Chart, having sold over 84,092 copies. [20] [21] By this, the EP was the group's tenth consecutive top-three entry, but their lowest peak to date on the chart. It eventually placed 49th on the 2018 year-end Gaon Album Chart, having sold a total of 94,367 copies.

The extended play, however, achieved bigger success for Red Velvet in the United States, topping both the Billboard Top Heatseekers Album chart and the World Digital Song Sales chart for the first time with the release of "RBB (Really Bad Boy)". According to Nielsen Music's report, RBB sold a total of 5,000 equivalent album units in the week ending December 6, with 3,000 in album sales, earning the group their best sales week in the States. It also charted at number two on the Billboard World Albums Chart, becoming their third top-two entry on the chart. [22] Elsewhere, the album debuted at number fifty-one on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart, number ninety-two on the French Download Albums chart, and number sixty on the UK Album Downloads Chart, becoming the group's second entry in the United Kingdom following the release of Summer Magic. [23] [24] [25]

Track listing

RBB track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."RBB (Really Bad Boy)"
  • Timothy "BOS" Bullock
3:08
2."Butterflies"
3:29
3."So Good"
3:26
4."Sassy Me" (멋있게;Meositge;lit. Beautifully)
  • Moonshine
3:06
5."Taste"
3:04
6."RBB (Really Bad Boy)" (English version)
  • Timothy "BOS" Bullock
3:08
Total length:19:21

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
French Download Albums (SNEP) [24] 92
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [26] 33
Japanese Hot Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [23] 51
South Korean Albums (Gaon) [20] 3
UK Digital Albums (OCC) [27] 60
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [28] 1
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [29] 8
US World Albums (Billboard) [30] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2018)Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon) [31] 49

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Velvet (group)</span> South Korean girl group

Red Velvet are a South Korean girl group formed and managed by SM Entertainment. They originally debuted on August 1, 2014, with the single "Happiness" with the four-member line-up of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy and Joy. A fifth member, Yeri, joined the group in March 2015, following the release of their first mini album, Ice Cream Cake. Musically, the work of Red Velvet reflects their own group name: their predominantly-pop "red" side experiments occasionally with electronic, funk and hip hop, while their "velvet" side focuses on '90s-influenced R&B with elements of ballad and jazz. Their genre versatility and hooks have garnered critical praise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Velvet discography</span>

The discography of the South Korean girl group Red Velvet consists of three studio albums, thirteen extended plays, one reissue album, one compilation album, twenty six singles, one promotional single and seven soundtrack appearances.

<i>Ice Cream Cake</i> (EP) 2015 EP by Red Velvet

Ice Cream Cake is the debut Korean extended play by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released digitally on March 17, 2015, and physically on March 18 by SM Entertainment and distributed by Dreamus,marking the group's first proper release since their initial debut in August 2014 and their first release as a quintet since the addition of the group's fifth member Yeri. The extended play was released in two physical versions, named after the two singles and contained six tracks which introduced both the group's "Red" and "Velvet" sonic concept. The duality was further demonstrated by its two singles, "Automatic" and "Ice Cream Cake", with the latter becoming the group's breakthrough commercial success. S.M. founder Lee Soo-man served as the EP's executive producer, with Hayley Aitken, Trinity Music, Daniel "Obi" Klein, Charli Taft, Jam Factory, Kenzie, Teddy Riley, Cha Cha Malone, MonoTree and others contributed lyrics and production.

<i>The Red</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Red Velvet

The Red is the debut studio album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released on September 9, 2015, by SM Entertainment and distributed by Dreamus, marking their second proper release in 2015 following the debut extended play Ice Cream Cake in March 2015.

<i>Russian Roulette</i> (Red Velvet EP) 2016 EP by Red Velvet

Russian Roulette is the third Korean extended play by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released on September 7, 2016, by SM Entertainment.

<i>The Red Summer</i> (EP) 2017 EP by Red Velvet

The Red Summer is the first special extended play and the fifth overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. Marketed as the group's first "special summer" release, the five-track EP was released digitally on July 9, 2017, and physically the following day by SM Entertainment. Primarily a dance-pop and EDM record, it is the second major release from Red Velvet to focus solely on their "red" concept, following their debut studio album The Red (2015). It was later proceeded by Summer Magic as both the second "special summer" extended play and the third major "red" release.

<i>Perfect Velvet</i> Album by Red Velvet

Perfect Velvet is the second studio album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. Released by SM Entertainment on November 17, 2017, the record incorporates R&B, soul and hip-hop with influences from future bass, trap and synth-pop, and saw contributions from various songwriters and production teams. The album is a portrayal of the group's "velvet" concept, making it their second major release to follow this sonic direction since their second extended play, The Velvet (2016). The album reissued as The Perfect Red Velvet on January 29, 2018.

"Red Flavor" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their first Korean special extended play, The Red Summer (2017). It was released as the lead single from the EP on July 9, 2017, through SM Entertainment and was distributed by Genie Music, along with the accompanying fruit-infused music video. Written by SM collaborator Kenzie and produced by Daniel Caesar and Ludwig Lindell, it is primarily a dance-pop song with synths and percussion. The song reflects the summer funky vibe, while the lyrics hint towards a young relationship with summer references. A Japanese version of the song, adapted by songwriter Kami Kaoru, was later included on the group's first Japanese EP, #Cookie Jar, on July 4, 2018.

"Peek-a-Boo" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their second studio album, Perfect Velvet (2017). An up-tempo dance-pop track with tropical house elements, it was written by Kenzie, Ellen Berg Tollbom, Cazzi Opeia, and duo Moonshine, while production was handled by the latter contributor. The song was released in conjunction with its parental album on November 17, 2017, through SM Entertainment. It was later re-recorded in Japanese for the group's second Japanese extended play Sappy, which was released on May 29, 2019.

"Dumb Dumb" is a song by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their first studio album The Red (2015). It was written by Seo Ji-eum of Jam Factory and Kim Dong-hyun, while production and arrangement was handled by LDN Noise, Deanna Dellacioppa, Tayla Parx, and Ryan S. Jhun. An uptempo dance-pop track, its lyrics conveys a girl expressing her awkwardness regarding her feelings towards the object of her affections. It was released as the lead single of The Red on September 8, 2015 by SM Entertainment, along with an accompanying music video.

"Russian Roulette" is a song by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their third extended play of the same name. Written by Jo Yoon-kyung and produced by Albi Albertsson, Belle Humble and Markus Lindell, it is primarily an 8-bit influenced synth-pop and dance-pop song which lyrically compares the process of winning someone's heart to a game of Russian roulette. The song was released as the lead single on September 7, 2016, by SM Entertainment along with an accompanying cartoon-themed music video which saw the group mimicking cartoon tricks to pull a prank and harm each other as the video progressed.

"Rookie" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their fourth extended play of the same name. The song was released on February 1, 2017, as the lead single from the EP by SM Entertainment, and contains contributions from multiple songwriters. A pop-funk dance track, its lyrical content compares a girl's lover to a rookie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Boy (Red Velvet song)</span> 2018 single by Red Velvet

"Bad Boy" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet from their second studio album reissue The Perfect Red Velvet, released by SM Entertainment on January 29, 2018. A hip hop-influenced R&B number, its lyrics were written by JQ and Moon Hee-yeon whilst production was handled by The Stereotypes, Maxx Song, Whitney Phillips and Yoo Young-jin.

<i>Summer Magic</i> (EP) Extended play by Red Velvet

Summer Magic is the second special extended play and the seventh overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet, marketed as their special "summer" EP following The Red Summer, which was released in July 2017. The EP is also the group's third major release to focus on their "Red" concept, following The Red Summer and the group's debut studio album The Red (2015). Released on August 6, 2018, the EP contains seven tracks, including the lead single "Power Up" and the English version of "Bad Boy" as a bonus track, making it their first song to be released in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Power Up (song)</span> 2018 single by Red Velvet

"Power Up" is a Korean song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their second special Korean extended play, titled Summer Magic (2018). Characterized as an electro-pop song with elements of chip-music, the song was penned by Kenzie and was produced by production duo Moonshine, Ellen Berg Tollbom and Swedish singer-songwriter Cazzi Opeia, whom worked on the group's previous single "Peek-a-Boo". It was released on August 6, 2018, as the lead single of Summer Magic by SM Entertainment and iriver as the South Korea distributor, whilst the Japanese version was later released as the third and final single from the group's second Japanese extended play Sappy on April 24, 2019, by Avex Trax.

<i>The ReVe Festival: Day 1</i> 2019 EP by Red Velvet

The ReVe Festival: Day 1 is the third special extended play and the tenth overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. Released on June 19, 2019, through SM Entertainment, the extended play served as the first installation of the group's The ReVe Festival trilogy, which was later followed by Day 2 and Finale. An electro-pop and dance-pop record, the EP contains six tracks that sees the group exploring new genres. Its production was handled by various songwriters and production teams, including Caesar & Loui, Ollipop, Moonshine, Trinity Music, Ylva Dimberg, Cazzi Opeia, Ryan S. Jhun, amongst others.

"RBB " is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their fifth Korean extended play RBB (2018). Written by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie and Sara Forsberg with production by Timothy 'Bos' Bullock and MZMC, "RBB " is primarily an "addictive" R&B and dance-pop song with influence from jazz and hip hop, with the lyrics expressing the charm of a "bad boy".[6][7] It was released as the lead single from its eponymous extended play on November 30, 2018, by SM Entertainment and Iriver Inc as the distributor, along with an accompanying horror-themed music video.

<i>The ReVe Festival: Finale</i> 2019 compilation album by Red Velvet

The ReVe Festival: Finale is the first Korean-language compilation album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. The album was announced and became available to pre-order on December 12, 2019, before being released by SM Entertainment on December 23, 2019, with Dreamus serving as the South Korea distributor. As the third and final release of the group's trilogy The ReVe Festival, the set contains all twelve tracks taken from two previous extended plays The ReVe Festival: Day 1 and The ReVe Festival: Day 2. With SM founder Lee Soo-man serving as the executive producer, Finale includes four new songs—"Psycho", "In & Out", "Remember Forever", and a previously unreleased "La Rouge", with the first being the lead single for the album. The album was released in two versions with different packaging artwork, while a digital EP including only the four new tracks was also released on the same date.

"Umpah Umpah" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their seventh Korean extended play (EP) The ReVe Festival: Day 2, which serves as the second installment of the group's The ReVe Festival album trilogy. The song, alongside its vacation-themed music video, was released on August 20, 2019, as the lead single from Day 2. Written by Jeon Gan-di and composed by Christoffer Lauridsen, Andreas Öberg and Allison Kaplan, "Umpah Umpah" is described as "an uptempo dance song with disco house rhythms", with the group's "lovely and cool vocals doubling the freshness". The songwriting, which includes swimming motifs, portrays somebody falling in love with the eyes and charms of the girls, using the phrase "umpah umpah" as if their love interest was learning how to control their breathing while swimming.

"Psycho" is a song that was recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet and was released as the lead single from their first compilation album The ReVe Festival: Finale (2019), which is the third and final installment in the group's album trilogy The ReVe Festival. The song was composed by Andrew Scott, Cazzi Opeia, and EJAE; was arranged by Druski and long-time SM Entertainment record producer Yoo Young-jin; and the Korean lyrics were written by Kenzie. "Psycho" is an R&B track that incorporates elements of pop, trap and future bass, and is about a couple who are in a complicated romantic relationship. A gothic-themed music video accompanied the single's digital release on December 23, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "RBB".
  2. ↑ "RBB - The 5th Mini Album / Red Velvet (레드벨벳) - genie". www.genie.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-04-30.
  3. ↑ Myung, Hee-sook (October 11, 2018). "[단독] 레드벨벳, 11월 전격 컴백…겨울까지 접수한다". My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ Kim, Mi-ji (October 11, 2018). "[공식입장] 레드벨벳 측 "새 앨범 준비 중…정확한 일정 추후 발표"". X Sports News (in Korean). Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  5. ↑ Hong, Se-young (November 9, 2018). "레드벨벳, 30일 5번째 미니앨범 'RBB' 발표…2018 대미 장식 [공식입장]". Sports DongA (in Korean). Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Yoo, Eun-young (November 29, 2018). "[V라이브 종합] 레드벨벳, 2018년 마지막 장식할 'RBB' 스포일러". X Sports News (in Korean). Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Red Velvet - Mini Album Vol.5 [RBB]". www.ktown4u.com. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  8. ↑ Sun, Mi-kyung (November 22, 2018). "레드벨벳, 올 겨울도 평정한다..'RBB'로 2018년 트리플 히트 예고". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  9. ↑ Kim, Hye-soo (November 22, 2018). "Red Velvet teases new album 'RBB'". Kpop Herald (in Korean). Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  10. ↑ Lee, Ha-na (November 23, 2018). "'대체불가 매력' 레드벨벳 아이린, 새 앨범 'RBB' 티저 이미지 공개". Seoul Daily (in Korean). Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  11. ↑ Hwang, Ji-young (November 30, 2018). "레드벨벳, 'RBB' 컴백 동시 '뮤직뱅크' 첫 무대". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  12. ↑ Kim, Do-hyung (November 30, 2018). "'컴백 D-Day' 레드벨벳, K-POP 프린세스로 돌아왔다". MBC Sports Plus (in Korean). Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  13. ↑ Jeon, Won (November 29, 2018). "레드벨벳 '뮤뱅'서 'RBB' 첫 무대…줄넘기 퍼포먼스 히트 예감". X Sports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  14. ↑ Nied, Mike (November 30, 2018). "Red Velvet Drops Their "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" Video & 5th Mini-Album". Idolator. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  15. ↑ Bajgrowicz, Brooke (November 30, 2018). "Red Velvet Debuts New Mini Album, Spooky 'RBB (Really Bad Boy)' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  16. 1 2 Kelley, Caitlin (December 4, 2018). "Halloween Isn't Over As Red Velvet Mash Monsters On Campy 'RBB'". Forbes. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  17. ↑ Morin, Natalie (December 1, 2018). "K-Pop Werewolf Drama? Red Velvet Were Just Looking For A "RBB (Really Bad Boy)"". Refinery29. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  18. ↑ "From SHINee To BTS, The 10 Best K-Pop Albums Of 2018". Idolator. December 31, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  19. ↑ Kim, Na-ra (December 1, 2018). ""글로벌 인기"…레드벨벳 'RBB', 아이튠즈 종합 앨범 차트 '17개 지역 1위'". My Daily (in Korean). Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  20. 1 2 "Gaon Album Chart – Week 48, 2018". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Gaon Album Chart – November". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  22. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff (December 13, 2018). "Red Velvet's 'RBB' Earns Group's Biggest U.S. Album Sales Week, First No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  23. 1 2 "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: December 10, 2018" . Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Téléchargés(Top Albums Downloaded)". December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100 (7 December 2018 - 13 December 2018)". Official Charts. December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2018-12-17" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Red Velvet Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Red Velvet Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Red Velvet Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  31. ↑ "2018년 Album Chart". Gaon. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
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