Star (Loona song)

Last updated
"Star"
Single by Loona
from the EP [12:00]
Language
  • English
ReleasedDecember 21, 2020
Recorded2020
Genre
Length3:18
Label Blockberry Creative
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jesse Saint John
  • Georgia Ku
  • Trackside
Loona singles chronology
"Why Not?"
(2020)
"Star"
(2020)
"PTT (Paint the Town)"
(2021)
Music video
"Star" on YouTube

"Star" [lower-alpha 1] is a song released by the South Korean girl group Loona. It was sent to US radios on December 21, 2020, as the second single from their third mini-album [12:00]. The song was released as a response to the support the group received globally. It is the first English single released by the whole group (sub-unit Loona Odd Eye Circle previously released an English version of their song, "Loonatic") and is the English version of the song "Voice", from the same album.

Contents

Release

Loona unveiled the official music video on November 18 to mark the start of promotions for the song which according to Forbes seemed to indicate larger intentions in the US market. According to Forbes the synth-pop production on the song was similar to those utilized by chart-toppers like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa, and the song also sonically aligns itself well alongside some of groups's most beloved tracks like their 2019 single "Butterfly". [1] On December 21 of the same year the song was also sent to contemporary hit radios across the US. [2]

Composition and lyrics

"Star" is a synth-pop song composed in F♯ minor and has a tempo of 158 bpm. [3] The song is charged with "cosmic energy" until the very last chorus explodes with perfectly blended vocal colors and dazzling choreographic synchronization. The lyrics captures the precarious and once-in-a-lifetime nature of the group's global fame and their understanding of how much they owe their unprecedented nugu stardom to the rapidly growing community of their fans that gravitates toward them. [4] The song has also been described as retro, having a low addictive repeated beat that captures the uncontainable excitement of being in love.

Commercial performance

In January 2021 the song entered media base top 50 US radio chart becoming the group's first song to do so. [5] In February the song officially entered the Mainstream Top 40 chart becoming their first song to enter the chart. With 671 spins, "Star" landed at number 39 on the list, which is tracked by Mediabase. This made Loona the first solo Korean girl group and only the second overall Korean girl group in history to reach the milestone alongside Blackpink who entered the chart in 2020 with their Selena Gomez collaboration "Ice Cream". [6] The song peaked at number 31 becoming one of the highest peaking K-pop songs on the chart and spent nine weeks on the chart becoming the longest running song on the chart by a Korean female artist. [7]

The song was one of the only two songs by any Korean female artists to enter the Billboard Pop Airplay chart in 2021, the other being Lisa's "Money" which peaked at number 35. [8]

Music video

The video for the song was directed by MOSWANTD and directed by Bravo Peak. [9] [10] Inspired by the midnight festival, Sleeping Beauty and the cosmos, the ethereal music video follows the members of the group as they wake up within a dream and chase their goals and aspirations after discovering themselves in a mysterious space. The group members put on a dreamlike performance in a private midnight festival, paying homage to the light of stars which give them strength and confidence. The stars that appear throughout the music video represent the group's fans called "Orbits". It implies that as the members of the group chase their dreams, they are illuminated by their fans all over the world. [11]

Accolades

Year end lists

Critic/PublicationListRankRef.
Paper The 40 Best K-pop Songs of 202033 [12]
BuzzFeed 35 Best K-pop Songs of 202033 [13]
CNN Philippines Best K-pop Songs of 2020N/A [lower-alpha 2] [14]
Nación Rex20 K-pop Songs That Dominated 202011 [15]
South China Morning Post The best 15 singles from K-pop groups in 2020N/A [lower-alpha 3] [16]
K-pop StarzBest B-Sides of 20201 [17]

Charts

Chart performance for "Star"
Chart (2021)Peak
position
US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) [18] 31

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
VariousOctober 19, 2020 Blockberry Creative
United StatesDecember 21, 2020 Contemporary hit radio

Notes

  1. Also titled "Star (Voice English Version)".
  2. All songs listed are unranked.
  3. All the songs are alphabetically listed with no ranking.

Related Research Articles

"After School" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Weeekly. It was released on March 17, 2021, as the lead single from their third extended play We Play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackpink</span> South Korean girl group

Blackpink is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment and consisting of members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. Cited as the "biggest girl group in the world", they are considered the most successful Korean girl group internationally and a leading force in the Korean Wave. They are stylistically associated with the "girl crush" concept in K-pop—exploring themes of self-confidence and female empowerment.

"Whistle" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released through YG Entertainment on August 8, 2016, simultaneously with "Boombayah"; both tracks are on the group's debut single album titled Square One (2016). An acoustic version of the song was also included in the group's second single album Square Two (2016). "Whistle" was written and produced by YG Entertainment collaborators Teddy, Bekuh Boom, and Future Bounce, with additional lyrics penned by labelmate B.I of iKon. Musically, the song consists of a minimal drum and bass beat over a "booming", "exotic" hip-hop melody and integrates a variety of instrumentations, including heartbeats and whistles—alluding to the title of the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loona</span> South Korean girl group

Loona is a South Korean girl group formerly under Blockberry Creative. The group is composed of eleven members: Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul, Vivi, Yeojin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry, Yves, Go Won, and HyeJu. Originally a twelve-member group, Chuu was removed from the line-up on November 25, 2022, due to a contract dispute. Starting in October 2016, as part of a pre-debut project, each member was introduced to the public through a solo promotional single over the following 18 months in a periodic fashion. The group debuted as a full ensemble on August 19, 2018, with the extended play (EP) [+ +], supported by the lead single "Favorite" and the title track "Hi High".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ddu-Du Ddu-Du</span> 2018 single by Blackpink

"Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on June 15, 2018, through YG Entertainment, as the lead single for the group's first Korean-language extended play, Square Up. The Japanese version of the single was released through YGEX on August 22, 2018, and was distributed in three physical formats. Described as a pop rap song infused with trap beats and bubblegum pop sounds, the track was written by YG collaborator Teddy, while production and composition were handled by Teddy, 24, Bekuh Boom and R. Tee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa (rapper)</span> Thai rapper (born 1997)

Lalisa Manobal, known mononymously as Lisa (Korean: 리사), is a Thai rapper, singer and dancer. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, which debuted under YG Entertainment in August 2016.

"Butterfly" is a song released by South Korean girl group Loona. It was released on February 19, 2019, as the title track from [X X], the repackage of the EP [+ +], which was released in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kill This Love (song)</span> 2019 single by Blackpink

"Kill This Love" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on April 4, 2019, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as the lead single for the group's second Korean-language extended play of the same name. The Japanese version of the single was released through Universal Music Japan on October 16, 2019. It was written by Teddy and Bekuh Boom and produced by them alongside R. Tee and 24. The single has been described as an electropop song, whose lyrics talk about the girls' decision to end a toxic relationship.

<i>The Album</i> (Blackpink album) 2020 studio album by Blackpink

The Album is the debut studio album by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on October 2, 2020 by YG Entertainment and Interscope. It is the group's first full-length work since their debut in 2016. For the album, Blackpink recorded over ten new songs and worked with a variety of producers, including Teddy, Tommy Brown, R. Tee, Steven Franks, and 24. Eight songs made the final tracklist, including two collaborations: "Ice Cream" with Selena Gomez, and "Bet You Wanna", featuring Cardi B. The album explores the themes of love and the complexities of growing up. Musically, The Album utilizes pop, R&B, hip hop, EDM, and trap elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How You Like That</span> 2020 single by Blackpink

"How You Like That" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on June 26, 2020, through YG Entertainment, YG Plus and Interscope Records, as the first pre-release single from the group's debut studio album, The Album (2020). The Japanese version of the single was released through Interscope Records and Universal Music Japan on July 27, 2021. An EDM, hip hop, trap, club and pop song, it was co-written by Danny Chung, R. Tee, 24, and Teddy, while the latter produced the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ice Cream (Blackpink and Selena Gomez song)</span> 2020 single by Blackpink and Selena Gomez

"Ice Cream" is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink and American singer Selena Gomez. It was released on August 28, 2020, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as the second pre-release single from the group's debut studio album, The Album (2020). The song was written by Selena Gomez, Teddy, Tommy Brown, Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, Bekuh Boom, 24, Steven Franks, while Brown, Teddy, 24 and Franks produced the song. "Ice Cream" is an electropop and bubblegum pop song with elements of trap. Lyrically, the song mainly consists of ice cream-related double entendres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovesick Girls</span> 2020 single by Blackpink

"Lovesick Girls" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on October 2, 2020, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as the third single from the group's debut studio album, The Album (2020). The Japanese version of the single was released through Interscope Records and Universal Music Japan on June 4, 2021. It was written by Teddy, Løren, Danny Chung, and group members Jisoo and Jennie, while Teddy produced the song alongside 24 and R. Tee. "Lovesick Girls" is a dance-pop and electropop song with elements of EDM sound. Lyrically, the song deals with the pain after a heartbreak.

<i>12:00</i> (Loona EP) 2020 EP by Loona

[12:00] is the third extended play by South Korean girl group Loona. It was released on October 19, 2020, by Blockberry Creative and distributed by Kakao M. Like their previous album [#], the EP was produced by SM Entertainment founder and producer Lee Soo-man, and the group's leader HaSeul once again did not take part in this album release to focus on her health.

"Panorama" is a song recorded by the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One. It was released on December 7, 2020 as the first single from their fourth mini-album One-reeler / Act IV. "Panorama" is an electropop and house song that bounds forward on a propulsive dance beat, melded with aggressive synths and sprightly bass. This was the last single released by Iz*One before their disbandment in April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Do U Love? (Monsta X song)</span> 2019 single by Monsta X featuring French Montana

"Who Do U Love?" is a song recorded by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released on June 14, 2019 and the first single from their first English-language album All About Luv. It peaked at number 26 on the US Billboard Mainstream Top 40 Airplay, becomes the group's first single to peak inside the said chart. It was also nominated for Best K-pop at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards.

<i>&</i> (Loona EP) 2021 EP by Loona

[&] is the fourth extended play by South Korean girl group Loona. It was released on June 28, 2021, by Blockberry Creative and distributed by Kakao Entertainment. The comeback marked the return of member HaSeul, who had been on hiatus due to health issues since early 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PTT (Paint the Town)</span> 2021 single by Loona

"PTT (Paint the Town)" is a song by the South Korean girl group Loona, released on June 28, 2021, as the lead single from their fourth extended play [&], through Blockberry Creative and Universal Music Japan. Written by Ryan S. Jhun, Sabzevari, Kordnejad and Youha, "PTT (Paint the Town)" is a Bollywood-inspired dance-pop and hip hop track with strong fast-paced percussion, sampled exotic vocals, aggressive dubstep sound and 808 bass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lalisa (song)</span> 2021 single by Lisa

"Lalisa" is the debut solo single by Thai rapper and singer Lisa, a member of South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released by YG Entertainment on September 10, 2021 as the lead single from her debut single album of the same name. Written and produced by long-time YG collaborator Teddy Park, along with Bekuh Boom and 24, "Lalisa" is characterized as a dynamic hip hop track taking influence from Thai culture.

"Yeah Yeah Yeah" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It is the fourth track on group's second studio album, Born Pink (2022), which was released on September 16, 2022, through YG and Interscope. The track was written by Kush, Jisoo and Rosé, while the composition was handled by Kush, VVN, R. Tee and Ido. "Yeah Yeah Yeah" is a pop-rock and synth-pop love song with lyrics about the apprehension and pain of falling in love again.

"Hard to Love" is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink, sung as a solo by member Rosé. It was released on September 16, 2022, as the fifth track on Blackpink's second studio album Born Pink (2022). It is an upbeat dance, guitar pop, pop rock and disco track with elements of city-pop, 90's rock and roll and "edgy" pop. The track's lyrics revolve around a protagonist expressing hidden insecurities about their ability to be loved.

References

  1. Benjamin, Jeff (November 19, 2020). "LOONA Drop Music Video For English Single 'Star' In Latest Move For U.S. Expansion". forbes.com. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  2. Brian, Canton (January 12, 2021). "Olivia Rodrigo's "Drivers License" Ranks As Pop Radio's Most Added Song". headlineplanet.com. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  3. "Key & BPM for Stat by Loona| Tunebat". Tunebat. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  4. "Best K-pop Songs of 2020". CNN Philippines . Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  5. "이달의 소녀, 'Star' 美 '라디오 차트 TOP 50' 2주 연속 진입 [공식]". chosun.com (in Korean). January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  6. "LOONA Just Hit a Major Milestone on U.S. Radio". Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  7. "今月の少女(LOONA)、明日重大発表も!?スペシャルクリップを急遽YouTubeプレミア公開決定". KStyle (in Japanese). Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  8. "Blackpink's Lisa And Loona Ensured 2021 Was The Year Of The Female K-Pop Star On Billboard's Pop Chart". Forbes . Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  9. MOSWANTD (November 18, 2020). "LOONA - STAR". Vimeo. [self-published]
  10. "Girl group Loona releases music video for English song 'Star'". koreajoongangdaily.join.com. November 18, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  11. "LOONA releases music video of 'Star' from '[12:00]'". conandaily.join.com. November 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  12. Bell, Crystal (December 18, 2020). "The 40 Best K-pop Songs of 2020". Paper . Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  13. Travis, Emlyn (December 31, 2020). "35 Songs That Helped Define K-Pop In 2020". BuzzFeed . Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  14. "Best K-pop Songs of 2020". CNN Philippines . Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  15. "20 Canciones de K-pop que dominaron el 2020 con su estilo". Nación Rex (in European Spanish). Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  16. "The best 15 singles from K-pop groups in 2020". South China Morning Post . December 26, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  17. "LOONA, Oh My Girl, and More: Reddit K-Pop Selects Their Best B-Sides of 2020". Kpop Starz . January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  18. "Pop Airplay Songs : March 13, 2021". Billboard . Retrieved March 9, 2021.