The 10 best EVERGLOW songs

NME

EVERGLOW took the K-pop world by storm when they made their debut in 2019 with ‘Bon Bon Chocolat’, overpowering airwaves (and our hearts) with empowering, synth-heavy songs. The six-piece forged a paradigm shift in the way female acts approached the world of K-pop by adopting a soundscape that co-opted typically masculine conventions and developed a boundless oeuvre of experimental, genderless music.

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Now, as EVERGLOW tick the five-year mark off their career bucket list, NME takes a look back at their discography and highlights the best the group have had to offer in this diverse space of music called K-pop. With gems ranging from crowd favourite title tracks to lesser-known B-sides, here are the gems from EVERGLOW’s catalogue you need to know.

‘Nighty Night’ (2021)

This B-side from 2021’s ‘Return of the Girl’ gets straight to business with dissonant, almost distorted synths that culminate into a chant-like procession. ‘Nighty Night’ is a warped mixture of popular sounds such as hip-hop trap beats and contemporary electro-pop, but somehow manages to tie all these various layers to emerge as a charismatic siren cry beckoning listeners to traverse through dimensions and embark on travel through time.

‘Bon Bon Chocolat’ (2019)

Would this even be a valid list if the song that started it all isn’t included? During a brief period where new acts were being pumped out on a near non-stop basis, EVERGLOW brought something new to the table with their edgier introduction. With a formula more commonly observed among boyband, ‘Bon Bon Chocolat’ felt like the fresh breath of air and opened new avenues for others to venture outside of their comfort zones.

‘Gxxd Boy’ (2020)

When the ‘-77.82X-78.29’ mini-album dropped in 2020, it felt like a fully realised version of EVERGLOW had finally emerged. Another unassuming track on the record, ‘Gxxd Boy’ evokes a low-key swagger, characterised by suave whisper-raps, catcall whistles and a barebones instrumental that highlighted their theatrical, attitude-infused vocal performance. ‘Gxxd Boy’ oozed with female power.

‘Make Me Feel’ (2023)

‘Make Me Feel’ is energetic and nostalgic in a way that evokes music of the recent past – set your minds to the dramatic pop anthems of Ellie Goulding and Tove Lo in the early 2010s. The kind of music that dominated our local radio stations. No track could ever be a hit for everybody that listens to it, but there is something about ‘Make Me Feel’ that is very comforting.

‘Moon’ (2019)

As a track on their debut album, ‘Moon’ was a sign of the times, when dance and synth-pop gained traction among female musicians in K-pop. But ‘Moon’ most certainly stands out as a home run in the category, with sophisticated production that clearly received some tender love and care. Add the fact that rapper E:U had her part to play in the lyrics of the song and you have yourself an EVERGLOW classic.

‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ (2021)

The girl group dip their toes in ‘80s synth-pop on this hidden gem of a B-side, and completely set aside their usual kick-ass disposition to fully indulge in their playful, girlier sides. ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ is flirty in an unmistakably youthful way that doesn’t ever feel inauthentic. There is something so vividly infectious about the way EVERGLOW perform this song, because of the sheer amount of fun they obviously have whenever they do.

‘Don’t Speak’ (2021)

We like to think of ‘Don’t Speak’ as ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’’s more mischievous younger sister. They incorporate a dreamy Japanese city pop panache into a solid base of bubblegum pop and completely dive into a kind of whimsy that’s hard not to love. It feels like a peek into an alternate universe where EVERGLOW had TWICE’s discography, but it is still very much EVERGLOW at its core with maximalist production and soaring vocals by Mia and Siyeon.

‘Untouchable’ (2020)

Is anyone really surprised that another ‘-77.82X-78.29’ B-side made an appearance on this list? Characterised by a Donna Summer-coded electronic melody, ‘Untouchable’ has a deep-set groove that refuses to be denied. The usual brashness of public-facing EVERGLOW songs is forgoed for a cleaner, smoother sound – the band most definitely hit the nail on its head with ‘Untouchable’’s funk and refined, old-school glamour.

‘First’ (2021)

Although admittedly ironic that this is not ranked first on this list, ‘First’ has cemented itself as a one of EVERGLOW’s must-listens. Many criticised the song for employing a large amount of tropes from boybands in terms of concept and sound, but we believe that’s what gives it its beauty. ‘First’ is a gender nonconforming, theatrical, maximalist masterpiece with one of the most spine-chilling choreography introductions we’ve witnessed in recent K-pop, which could not have happened without Onda’s fierce presence.

’LA DI DA’ (2020)

This was the actual peak of the K-pop retro-futurism wave. It’s towering, majestic and unafraid to put pedal to the metal with a sweeping chorus and rich production. The sextet’s wide vocal ranges intertwine perfectly with the song’s xxx synth line, that it all comes to a head with chants of “EVERGLOW forever, let’s go!”. Dynamic from start to finish, the girl group put the cherry on up with a music video that draws from neo-noir films and Catwoman, making this cinematic number EVERGLOW’s undisputed best song to date.

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