Boyband enthusiasts, pay attention, because a new British boy band just released new music! Since this summer, dearALICE has been gaining more and more attention on social media. In a new BBC series, Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience, the group’s members, James Sharp, Dexter Greenwood, Reese Carter, Olly Quinn, and Blaise Noon, went on a journey to undergo training with SM Entertainment in South-Korea for 100 days. The result: a brand new boy band with great vocals, amazing dance moves, and catchy songs. On November 1st, dearALICE released the Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience (Original TV Soundtrack) EP, with all six songs from the series!
Their songs immediately give the listener a nostalgic feeling, with a similar sound as songs by other popular boy bands such as One Direction and The Wanted. Yet, dearALICE distinguishes themselves from other boy bands with influences they gained in Korea, making them completely up to date with the 2024 boyband scene.
The first track, ‘Vibes’, immediately shows off the boyband’s high energy and vocal talents, with harmonies and high notes throughout the song. This, combined with the lyrics, give a feeling of a fun, exciting day with your crush: “I can see my heart, see sparks when I’m with you, feel it in my soul, yeah you know what we gotta do.” The energy of the song reaches a peak during the chorus, where all the members’ voices are combined and a trumpet is added to the melody. “Can you feel the vibes?” is what the band repeatedly asks the listener, and we definitely feel the vibes, as the catchy chorus lingers in our heads.
Second track ‘Solar’ is the very definition of a summer song. This song, even more so than ‘Vibes’, is high energy from start to finish. This song is about overcoming issues and not giving up on a romantic relationship: “I’ve seen the look in your eyes, both missing our paradise. Acting without reason, swimming in the deep end, we keep getting pulled by the tides.” In this song, dearALICE’s K-Pop influences show in a rap verse after the first chorus, with James and Blaise being the main rappers of the group. This rap verse pairs excellently with the rest of the song and its energy, making it hard not to get up and dance along with dearALICE’s moves.
‘Life is a Movie’ represents the feeling dearALICE must have had while on their Korea journey: with these crazy good opportunities, we can only imagine how much life seemed like a movie for them. “Life is a movie right now, love it when we all act stupid wild out. Add it to the highlights, highlights, my life is a movie.” This song, like ‘Solar’, includes a rap verse, further highlighting dearALICE’s experiences in Korea. In this song, we can also see the recurring romantic theme that appears in all of their songs, as the final line plays: “In my life, the star is you.”
The fourth song, ‘Classic’, is about what it’s like to be famous. In terms of the theme, it could be categorised with ‘Best Song Ever’ by One Direction, with lyrics such as “Baby, this right here is a classic, going number 1, automatic, make you wanna turn it up, turn it up,” detailing how their song will become a hit. With this song being only just over two minutes long, the listener is left wanting more.
‘Time With You’ is dearALICE’s first and only ballad so far, and it is a very romantic one. As the title suggests, it is about wanting to spend time with a loved one, no matter what you do together. This slower, softer song gives a lot of space to really appreciate every member’s smooth vocals. “Let’s waste time counting the stars, let’s sing songs counting the bars. Touch my heart and count the beat, all the lights out on the street.” The song and its lyrics give a really warm, cosy feeling, and hit all the feels that a ballad should hit.
Closing the TV Soundtrack is ‘Best Day of Our Lives’. This song again refers to their journey in South-Korea, emphasising how happy and thankful they are to have had this opportunity. “This day gon’ be the best day of our lives, the world’s in my hands and the dream is alive, won’t let go.” The instrumentals of this song underline a strong feeling of excitement, creating a perfect conclusion to this EP.
With these six songs, dearALICE has set a strong start to their career as a boyband. As many comments under their social media posts say, they have potential to become as big as One Direction once was. Boyband lovers should definitely keep an eye out for them, especially as they have revealed they’re currently in the studio recording more music. But for now, make sure to give this EP a listen!
Written by: Nèri Cliteur
Edited by: Ilse Muis
