RBB (Really Bad Boy)

Last updated
"RBB (Really Bad Boy)"
Single by Red Velvet
from the EP RBB
Language
ReleasedNovember 30, 2018 (2018-11-30)
Recorded2018
Studio SM Studios, Seoul, South Korea
Genre
Length3:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Timothy 'Bos' Bullock
  • MZMC
Red Velvet singles chronology
"Power Up"
(2018)
"RBB (Really Bad Boy)"
(2018)
"Sappy"
(2019)
Music video
"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" on YouTube

"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their fifth Korean (eighth overall) extended play RBB (2018). Written by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie and Sara Forsberg with production by Timothy 'Bos' Bullock and MZMC, "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" 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.

Contents

Upon its release, "RBB" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics who deemed it "controversial" and "unfamiliar" to the public.[ citation needed ] The song however, gained compliments for its "unapologetic" boldness thanks to the group's experimental path. Domestically, it achieved moderate success in its native country, becoming their eleventh top-ten entry on Gaon Digital Chart, while being a bigger success outside of their native country, peaking at number one on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales.

Background and release

Three months after the release of their second summer special release Summer Magic , SM Entertainment confirmed that Red Velvet would return in November with a new extended play, titled "RBB" on November 30, 2018, and its eponymous lead single title. [1] During a V Live broadcast, member Yeri stated that the preparation for the album was longer than their other releases, while member Seulgi noted that the song would be "very different". [2] Following a music video teaser uploaded one day prior, the song's music video was released on November 30, 2018, to coincide with the parental extended play's digital release.

Composition

"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" was composed and produced by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie, producer Timothy 'Bos' Bullock, singer-songwriter Sara Forsberg (known professionally as SAARA) and MZMC. In an interview with Balloon Days, Bullock revealed that "RBB" was the last song to be composed during his 2-week writing camp at Seoul, South Korea, without knowing "who the songs were going to end up going to". The demo version was originally guided by Bullock himself and co-composer Forsberg, with additional Korean lyrics written by Kenzie after. [3] Originally recorded in Korean, an additional English version was also recorded and included as the sixth track of the extended play, marking the group's second song to be recorded in English following their earlier release "Bad Boy".

Described "RBB" as the sequel to their previous single "Bad Boy", "RBB (Really Bad Boy) is an "addictive" R&B and dance-pop track with "funky beat and brassy horns", which draws influence from hip-hop and jazz music. It was their sixth single to follow the "Velvet" sonic concept. [4] With a tempo of 150 beats-per-minute, "RBB" is a fast verse-chorus form song in the key of D major. [5] According to producer Bullock, he "wanted to create something with lots of fun energy" which made the listeners "want to move", thus using 808's for the bass of the song. The main melody was played by a trumpet and a trombone, being one of the first songs produced by Bullock to use such elements. In addition, the bridge was said to take a heavy influence on R&B and jazz music, which "would be a good contrast and add dynamics to the song", said the producer. [3]

Lyrically, the song expresses the charm of a "bad boy" that attracts the girls' attention, no matter how all the other friends say. [6] The group's vocals span from the low note B3 to the head voice note of D6 (D7 in exclamation, being the whistle/scream note by member Irene). Furthermore, the song is heavily ornamented with melisma and vocal harmonization, all of which appeared throughout the song - from the intro to the last head run by member Wendy.

Promotion and music video

To promote "RBB", a video teaser containing excerpts of the song was released on November 28, 2018, 2 days before the actual release date. [7]  A day after, Red Velvet held a special V Live broadcast in which they introduced the preview of all the songs before performing a small part of the choreography for "RBB". [8]  The group then performed the song live for the first time on the music program Music Bank , an hour before the official release time. [9] It was then followed by performances on other music programs and year-end music awards, such as Show! Music Core , Inkigayo, and The Fact Music Awards. [10] [11]

The music video for "RBB" was choreographed by Janelle Ginestra, Kaycee Rice and Choi Sun-hee, [12]  while being directed by director Oui Kim of GDW production team. [13]  whom had previously worked with labelmate NCT on several of their releases. The "whimsical, move-infused" video features a Halloween-theme consists of a werewolf as the main protagonist - "bad boy" of the video chasing and haunting the girls while they are looking to find out the werewolf as well. [14] Choreography scenes are incorporated throughout the video between different retro-inspired and horror-theme sets, with one of them referring to the 1980 film The Shining as members Irene and Yeri reprised the Grady twins image. In several scenes, a Howliwood (a wordplay on the verb "howl" and the famous Hollywood billboard) sign can be seen up close in the background as well.

Upon its release, the video received positive reacts from magazines and blogs such as Billboard, Idolator and Forbes . The "fun, creepy ascetic" video was regarded as a "B-movie schlock retrofitted to K-pop perfectionism", according to Forbes contributor Caitlin Kelley. [15]

Critical reception

Following its release, "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" received generally mixed to positive reviews from international critics. Writer Mike Nied of Idolator described the song as "the banger" that boasts "a fiercely danceable production" with a "sing-along chorus", [16] while Chase McMullen of The 405 chose the song as the "Track of the Day", praising it for upping "the ante on boisterous, feminist fun" from "Bad Boy", while still staying "in true Red Velvet fashion". [17] In the same article for the video, 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". [15] Crystal Bell of MTV commented that while "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is a song that really shouldn't work. It's a cacophony of sounds, rhythms, shrill ad-libs, complex harmonies, and a whole lot of brass" on the first listen, it was "unapologetically bold and loud" for a lead single that makes it "so unabashedly Red Velvet". She then concluded that with the group's "distinct vocal charms and tight harmonies, no two Red Velvet songs sound the same — and while "RBB" may be a divisive entry in the group's discography, you can't say it isn't 100 percent them". [18] Writer Lo of Seoulbeats described the song as a track "bursting with hook", while applauding its "lighter harmonies". [19]

The song also received mixed reviews, however. In an EP review of writer Kelley Burridge on United K-Pop, "RBB" was said to recall the group's previous hit "Dumb Dumb" with a "small let down of the chorus", though she later clarified that it wasn't "to say that the song is bad". [20] In South Korea, writer Kim Sang-hwa of OhmyStar said the song received mixed reactions from the public but claimed that for those who follow the group and their music, this is normal for a Red Velvet release, that unpredictability is common for their title tracks and "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is no exception. They added further that they're "controversial" because they're "unfamiliar", stating that they're welcome to those who are seeking something new. [21]

Commercial performance

The song performed moderately at its home country. With only one day counted for charting, "RBB" debuted at number 26 on the Gaon Digital Chart for the 48th week chart issue before moving up to number 10 where it peaked the following week, thus giving the group their eleventh top-ten entry on the chart. [22] In addition, the song debuted at number 22 and eventually reached its peak position at number seven on Billboard Kpop Hot 100, marking their fifth top-ten entry on the chart. [23]   "RBB" fared better on the US Billboard World Digital Song Sales nonetheless, as the song became their first to atop the chart thanks to a total sell of 2,000 downloads in the US in the week ending December 6. [24] Elsewhere, "RBB" peaked at number ninety-three on the Japan Hot 100 chart. [25]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of RBB. [26]

Studio

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "(RBB) Really Bad Boy"
Chart (2018)Peak
position
Japan (Japan Hot 100) [27] 93
Singapore (RIAS Regional) [28] 14
South Korea (Gaon) [22] 10
South Korea (Kpop Hot 100) [23] 7
US World Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [24] 1

Release history

Release dates and formats for "RBB (Really Bad Boy)"
RegionDateVersionFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
VariousNovember 30, 2018Korean [29]
English [30]

Related Research Articles

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

Red Velvet is 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 in March 2015, following the release of their first extended play, Ice Cream Cake. Sonically, the music of Red Velvet reflects their group name: their predominantly-pop "red" side experiments occasionally with electronic and funk, while their "velvet" side focuses on '90s-influenced R&B with elements of ballad and hip hop. Their genre versatility and catchy hooks have garnered critical praise.

<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. LDN Noise, Ryan S. Jhun, Denzil "DR" Remedios, Dsign Music, Kenzie, Deekay, Charli Taft, Jinbo, Dem Jointz, as well as others, handled production of the album, with SM founder Lee Soo-man serving as the executive producer. The record primarily showcases the group's "red" image with "fun, peppy" pop-oriented musical styles.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Flavor</span> Song by Red Velvet

"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 composed 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.

"Automatic" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their debut extended play (EP), Ice Cream Cake (2015). Composed and produced by Daniel "Obi" Klein and Charlotte Taft with Korean lyrics adapted by Choi So-young, the R&B and urban song was released as the group's first single from the EP on March 14, 2015, by SM Entertainment. It marked their first release as a quintet since the addition of member Yeri. The song's lyrics tells about unraveling the feeling of attraction to the other person.

"Ice Cream Cake" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their debut extended play Ice Cream Cake (2015). Primarily a dance-rock track with influences from drum and bass, the song was written by lyricist Jo Yoon-kyung, Kim Dong-hyun, Fredrik Häggstam, Hayley Aitken, Johan Gustafsson and Sebastian Lundberg, while production and arrangement were handled by Hayley Aitken and Trinity Music. Following the release of "Automatic", it was released as the group's second single from the extended play on March 16, 2015, by SM Entertainment, along with an accompanying music video. With its parental release, the group showcased their dual sonic concept in one album for the first time as "Ice Cream Cake" was promoted as the "Red" single, in contrast to "Automatic" which was promoted as its "Velvet" single.

"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.

<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 music 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>RBB</i> (EP) 2018 EP by Red Velvet

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 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).

"Zimzalabim" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play The ReVe Festival: Day 1, which acts as the first installment of the group's The ReVe Festival trilogy. Primarily an EDM-influenced electropop track that resembles a "colorful parade" and showcases an extravagant soundscape, the song was composed by production duo Caesar & Loui, Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with Korean lyrics written by lyricist Lee Seu-ran, which tells the listeners to "unfold a dream" that is "held deeply" in their heart. Accompanied by an amusement park-themed music video, it was released on June 19, 2019 by SM Entertainment as the lead single for Day 1, and subsequently the first single from The ReVe Festival trilogy.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queendom (song)</span> 2021 single by Red Velvet

"Queendom" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play (EP) of the same name. Composed by minGtion, Anne Judith Stokke Wik, Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker, and Ellen Berg with Korean lyrics adapted by Jo Yoon-kyung, the dance-pop song was released as the titular EP's lead single on August 16, 2021, by SM Entertainment, along with its accompanying music video.

References

  1. "레드벨벳, 30일 5번째 미니앨범 'RBB' 발표…2018 대미 장식 [공식입장]".
  2. "[V라이브 종합] 레드벨벳, 2018년 마지막 장식할 'RBB' 스포일러". 2018-11-29.
  3. 1 2 "Today I asked: Timothy 'Bos' Bullock". Balloon Day. 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  4. "Red Velvet Tease New Single "RBB" Ahead of EP Release | Billboard News". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  5. "SpotOn Track - The Spotify Tracker". www.spotontrack.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  6. Red Velvet – RBB (Really Bad Boy) [English Ver.] , retrieved 2019-06-20
  7. SMTOWN (2018-11-28), Red Velvet 레드벨벳 'RBB (Really Bad Boy)' MV Teaser , retrieved 2019-06-20
  8. "[V LIVE][FULL] R알수록 B볼수록 B보고싶은 레드벨벳 컴백 LIVE!". www.vlive.tv. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  9. 입력 2018.11.30 09:11 (2018-11-30). "레드벨벳, 'RBB' 컴백 동시 '뮤직뱅크' 첫 무대". 중앙일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. 엠스플뉴스 (2018-11-30). "'컴백 D-Day' 레드벨벳, K-POP 프린세스로 돌아왔다". 엠스플뉴스 (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  11. "All The Winners From The First U+5G The Fact Music Awards". E! Online. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  12. "레드벨벳 '뮤뱅'서 'RBB' 첫 무대…줄넘기 퍼포먼스 히트 예감". www.xportsnews.com (in Korean). 2018-11-29. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  13. GDW (2018-12-03), RED VELVET - 'REALLY BAD BOY' , retrieved 2019-06-20
  14. "Red Velvet Debuts New Mini Album, Spooky 'RBB (Really Bad Boy)' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  15. 1 2 Kelley, Caitlin. "HalloweenIsn't Over As Red Velvet Mash Monsters On Campy 'RBB'". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  16. "Red Velvet Drops Their "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" Video & 5th Mini-Album". idolator. 2018-11-30. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  17. "Track of the Day: The queens of K-pop creativity Red Velvet return with the effortless glee of 'RBB'".
  18. Bell, Crystal. "Red Velvet Want You To Be 'Whoever You Want' When You Listen To Their Music". MTV News. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  19. "Red Velvet's "RBB" is a Really Good Mini". seoulbeats. 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  20. "[Album Review] Red Velvet - RBB (Really Bad Boy)". UnitedKpop. 2018-12-04. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  21. "신곡 두고 또 갑론을박... 레드벨벳의 흥미진진한 음악실험". 오마이스타. 2018-12-01. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  22. 1 2 "Gaon Weekly Digital Chart - Week 49/2018". gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  23. 1 2 "Billboard K-pop Hot 100 - December 15, 2018". Billboard .
  24. 1 2 "Red Velvet's 'RBB' Earns Group's Biggest U.S. Album Sales Week, First No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  25. "Red Velvet RBB (Really Bad Boy) Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  26. RBB (booklet) (in Korean). Red Velvet. SM Entertainment. 2018.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. "Japanese Music: Top Japanese Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  28. "SingaporeTop 30 International Streaming Chart Week 49" (PDF). Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2018.
  29. 곡 정보 - RBB (Really Bad Boy) [Song Information - RBB (Really Bad Boy)] (in Korean). Melon. November 30, 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  30. 곡 정보 - RBB (Really Bad Boy) (English Ver.) [Song Information - RBB (Really Bad Boy) (English Ver.)] (in Korean). Melon. November 30, 2018. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.