Girl group Itzy drove fans loco on Saturday night (Apr 6), demonstrating why they’re still one of the best acts amongst the fourth generation of K-pop. The quartet was in town for their second full-length concert Born To Be – roughly a year after their first concert which was held at The Star Theatre.
This time, the idols commanded the Singapore Indoor Stadium and utilised every inch of the huge space – employing gorgeous set pieces (from full-length mirrors to Barbie-esque carriages) and loads of confetti cannons.
The result: An exhilarating night for fans (known as Midzys) which simultaneously served as a showcase of Itzy’s improved showmanship.
Itzy started their show on a high with an energetic performance of their latest title track Born To Be, followed by the songs Racer and Kidding Me. Clad in striking black outifts with red boots, Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna were in perfect synchronisation as they executed multiple series of fast-paced dance moves. This fluid-like synchronisation did not falter once during Itzy’s two-and-a-half-hour setlist.
Just like labelmates Twice with their recently-concluded Ready To Be world tour, Itzy added a live band for this new concert – amplifying the listening experience for fans. The best example of this was during the group’s performance of Wannabe, where the inclusion of live drums and bass breathed new life into the cult classic, giving it an added intensity.
Also deserving of praise were the solo stages. Each Itzy member deftly showed off her individual charm and strengths with her own original track: Yeji with the empowerment anthem Crown On My Head, Ryujin with the emo rock tune Run Away, Chaeryeong with sultry Mine, and Yuna with the preppy and fun Yet, But.
The full setlist of Itzy’s Born To Be concert is as follows:
1. Born To Be
2. Racer
3. Kidding Me
4. Mr Vampire
5. Swipe
6. Wannabe
7. Mine
8. Run Away
9. Yet, But
10. Crown On My Head
11. Untouchable
12. Gas Me Up
13. Dynamite
14. Psychic Lover
15. Don’t Give A What
16. Loco
17. Not Shy
18. Cake
19. Sneakers
20. Kill Shot
21. Escalator
22. Love Is
23. Be In Love
24. Chillin’ Chillin’
25. Dalla Dalla
Despite slaying the strenuous choreography and singing, it was Itzy’s actions during the non-performance parts of the concert that proved that the four women were bonafide idols.
For instance, even though none of them were native English speakers, Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna spoke in English for most of the concert – showing just how much effort they put into learning another language to interact with Midzys. One of the few times they had to rely on their interpreter was after they viewed a video made by fans, which left them touched and overwhelmed.
Furthermore, the members of Itzy were all smiles when it came to engaging with Midzys. They gave a slew of flying kisses and finger hearts to fans in the standing pens and took the time to read out posters; Chaeryeong even showed off her abs to a fan who requested to see them.
Perhaps it was this dedicated work ethic that led to Yuna admitting towards the end that she was “not satisfied” by her performance as she made several small mistakes during the concert. Nonetheless, her worries were assuaged by Midzys chanting Gwenchana (Korean for “It’s okay”) as well as Yeji (who is Itzy’s leader) consoling her.
As someone who has now watched both of Itzy’s Singapore concerts, I can safely say that Itzy has grown tremendously as a group. The Born To Be show highlighted their strength in performance as well as the members’ unique personalities.
And I’m not alone on this.
Speaking to CNA Lifestyle, local content creator Leah Shannon Neubronner sang praises for the concert.
“I thought the concert was really good. They had a live band, so the whole performance was even more enhanced as they’re not just playing a back track…The girls (of Itzy) gave lots of fanservice (to Midzys) which I thought was very genuine of them. And now, I’m a bigger fan of them!”
It’s clear that Itzy’s story is far from over and I, for one, look forward to seeing what they’ll accomplish in the near future.
