K-pop girl group 2NE1 are one of the driving forces in K-pop's international expansion. The quartet was the first Korean female group to stage a world tour, will.i.am snagged them for his #willpower LP, they have 6.4 million Facebook likes and 2.1 million YouTube subscribers. Hey, they even co-starred on an episode of The Bachelor.
So—as Fuse News' Liz Walaszczyk asked when she was with the girls in South Korea—why only one album after nearly five years together? Leader CL explained, "An album is like a footprint. It's legacy." With Crush, their second full-length album, 2NE1 continue to be K-pop's fiercest females by reminding listeners what made them so unique in the first place. But it's not all familiar: The girls have plenty of new tricks up their sleeves.
Whether you're a big-time 2NE1 fan or they caught your eye on The Bachelor, check out the top nine reasons you should download their new album Crush.
So—as Fuse News' Liz Walaszczyk asked when she was with the girls in South Korea—why only one album after nearly five years together? Leader CL explained, "An album is like a footprint. It's legacy." With Crush, their second full-length album, 2NE1 continue to be K-pop's fiercest females by reminding listeners what made them so unique in the first place. But it's not all familiar: The girls have plenty of new tricks up their sleeves.
Whether you're a big-time 2NE1 fan or they caught your eye on The Bachelor, check out the top nine reasons you should download their new album Crush.
7. CL the Soloist Truly Arrives on "MTBD"
Watch out Nicki—CL slays on this track. The self-proclaimed "baddest female" completely stuns on standout track "MTBD," the rapper’s solo performance. At the gym? Blast this baby. Need a post-wake up hype song? Done. Need a life hype song? This is it.
8. "Scream" in Korean
2NE1 fans will instantly recognize "Scream" as a 2012 single originally released in Japan. While it's not uncommon for K-pop acts to re-record tracks in other languages—most often re-recording in Japanese and English—some do suffer from awkward translations that don't keep the syncopation like the original. But somehow we think "Scream" actually ended up more fierce with this K-pop rendition. We particularly love Minzy's line in the first verse, "Why you keep callin' me honey?!?"
9. "Come Back Home (Unplugged Version)" to Close the Album
When 2NE1 fans were told one of the "10 new songs" on Crush would be an unplugged version of the single, some may have felt slighted. But ending the album with an acoustic production puts a much-welcome spotlight on the four distinct voices. Bom's powerful belts, Dara's sweet crooning, CL's charismatic rapping and young Minzy's strong, still-maturing vocals. It's a lasting reminder of why this group is so special and why so many fans support 2NE1 as people, instead of just an act with catchy music.
RE-UPLOAD FROM: FUSETV
Watch out Nicki—CL slays on this track. The self-proclaimed "baddest female" completely stuns on standout track "MTBD," the rapper’s solo performance. At the gym? Blast this baby. Need a post-wake up hype song? Done. Need a life hype song? This is it.
8. "Scream" in Korean
2NE1 fans will instantly recognize "Scream" as a 2012 single originally released in Japan. While it's not uncommon for K-pop acts to re-record tracks in other languages—most often re-recording in Japanese and English—some do suffer from awkward translations that don't keep the syncopation like the original. But somehow we think "Scream" actually ended up more fierce with this K-pop rendition. We particularly love Minzy's line in the first verse, "Why you keep callin' me honey?!?"
9. "Come Back Home (Unplugged Version)" to Close the Album
When 2NE1 fans were told one of the "10 new songs" on Crush would be an unplugged version of the single, some may have felt slighted. But ending the album with an acoustic production puts a much-welcome spotlight on the four distinct voices. Bom's powerful belts, Dara's sweet crooning, CL's charismatic rapping and young Minzy's strong, still-maturing vocals. It's a lasting reminder of why this group is so special and why so many fans support 2NE1 as people, instead of just an act with catchy music.
RE-UPLOAD FROM: FUSETV