[MUSIC REVIEW] I Don't Need a Man (남자 없이 잘 살아)- Miss A (미쓰에이)

Before reading this review, please watch the MV: I Don't Need a Man - Miss A

(Left to Right: Fei, Min, Jia, Suzy)

To begin with, I'd like to say that Miss A was one of the first Korean groups I listened to and learned a dance to (Co-Ed being my very first and then SHINee). However, despite having been introduced to their music first I have never felt an attachment to them really until this song. I enjoyed Bad Girl Good Girl and even Breathe which is really catchy (and impossible to dance and breathe at the same time ironically), however I never felt much love for their newer hits (basing off their more popular ones) such as Goodbye Baby and I especially didn't like Touch. All of this to say that when I heard Miss A was releasing a new single through All Kpop I wasn't as excited as most Miss A fans must have been. My hesitance derived from the missing "star factor" from their previous singles.

When the single was actually released it took me a good amount of time before actually listening to it. To be fair, I think accidentally clicking on their video was one of the best decisions in my whole K-pop listening life.

"I Don't Need a Man" is a catchy, independent and strong single that fits the style of this group of girls. It is tailored nicely to the strong vocals of the group and though the dance is not as physically demanding as say Breathe (which from personal opinion I can confirm is a dance meant to torture the body) it holds a flow in which entices the audience and draws them deeper into their love for this song.

The song starts off with the chorus, a strong opening as it's repetitive and catchy and gets stuck in your head automatically. Upon my first listen to it I was already walking around the house singing, "I don't need a man, I don't need a man, WHAT!" as I'm sure many others were as well. It leads on to an easy verse show casing the splendid vocals of Min, Jia, and Fei. Suzy harmonizes in the chorus and collaborates well with the verses that her unnie's are singing. The rap was pretty great, though I found Min's rapping was somewhat of a nuisance (but maybe I am being too biased here). Nonetheless, the tune is catchy, using easy Korean and English phrases to appeal to a larger audience.

Moving on, not only is the song amazingly created but the dance has a bounce in it that has you wishing you were as great as Miss A to master it. You may view the dance practice video to the dance HERE.  The choreography is a fun mix between a hip hop routine, some sort of cardio work out and the traditional quirks of the K-pop industry. It suits the audio well, though I find some times the synchronization is not always there. All together, it ties nicely.

The video itself was lacking in creativity, but it wasn't surprising as I've noticed a decrease in the quality of music videos in the Korean music industry lately.

However, despite the few flaws I found in the choreography and the video I truly enjoyed this song. I think it surprised me more than it did all my peers. One can simply not dislike this song after listening to it. It has a swing feel mixed with this air of superiority and despite the fact that some people can't understand a good majority of the lyrics (ex. me) they feel a sense of empowerment.

I find it somewhat amusing that Miss A released this single as it follows their previous ones nicely. First they said 'Goodbye Baby' and searched for revenge. Following that they wallowed a bit in 'Touch', healing their heartbreaks. Finally, they come out with 'I Don't Need a Man' and accept the fact that they are strong, independent women who don't need men to complete them. It may not be the feel that everyone gets from this video, but it is certainly the one I get from it.

Besides that, I'm still a bit disappointed in their live performances as I don't find they have the same energy or charm that they do in their music video. However, I will make clear that this is my opinion and you can judge for yourself with the performances I will link below:

MNET Comeback Stage - Miss A - I Don't Need a Man
KBS Open Live Concert - Miss A - I Don't Need a Man
Music Bank - Miss A - I Don't Need a Man

However, despite my few critiques, I still truly love this song and I have it on repeat. I don't plan on stopping it any time soon as I truly believe this is the song of the month for the K-pop industry.

Final Rating: 9/10