P-Pop's New Rookies are Looking to be Winners - This is Ver5us

At first, I wondered why a rookie group with so much potential has yet to release any music videos. I mean, an MV is a pretty standard first release for most groups, and P-Pop is no exception. This group? They seem to have another plan. The title of their first single says it all - Ver5us is looking for a win - let's see if they've got it.

They might have less than 10 videos on their official YouTube channel and only 1 track on their Spotify, but Ver5us still packs a punch. That's especially true since among those 10 videos are 2 high-quality performance videos. They remind me of KAIA's pre-debut single, 'KAYA by KAIA' - which definitely isn't bad. The first of these 2 performance videos was released on February 15, and it's their debut single, 'Winner'.

The title of their first single says it all - Ver5us is looking for a win - let's see if they've got it.

A Freeze-Frame Perfect Debut

"Winner" is a terrific debut single that's living firmly in the genre of pop music. It actually took me a while to place the beat - but it reminds me a bit of the American boyband era of the late 90s. It was a time when pop music was changing in the West, and this definitely feels like a throwback to that. It's not just the beat; I can feel it in the vocal arrangement and even in the style they chose. The effect is almost expectant - like they are challenging us to wait and see what they will do next. The five members of Ver5us are also using their distinct vocal styles to great effect here. P-Pop can be variable in this sense; some groups, like Ver5us, ALAMAT, and SB19, cover a wide range of vocal styles and ranges with their members. Other groups like 4th Impact, BINI, and BGYO tend toward more similar vocal ranges. Neither is better or worse, but I love how the vocal layering happens for Ver5us.

Moving on to the actual performance video for 'Winner', the first thing I noticed is that these boys are technically perfect. Now, I don't mean in a Mary Poppins way - what I mean is that these boys have really practiced; they are freeze-frame perfect in their choreography. This becomes more obvious after watching their second performance video, 'Karma'. It's a cover of Skuska Clee's song, but it's done to expert quality - another bit of choreographic perfection on a technical level.

They remind me of how the great artists got their start.

A Little Swag Goes a Long Way

What I really loved was watching the two performance vids side by side. There's this quality I can only describe as "owning the stage" that truly great groups can do - and I'm watching Ver5us grow in their ability to do just that. Especially in 'Karma', these boys are demanding my attention. In the short time between 'Winner' and 'Karma', they seem to be coming into their own - turning up the swag and connecting with their audience. I can attest to it - I got to see them perform live at PPOPCOM2023, and there was no lack of stage presence. I'm excited to see them continue to grow as performers.

So, what's my take on this rookie group? They remind me of how the great artists got their start. They're starting off strong by composing and choreographing their first single. They are working hard and nailing their choreo. They are connecting with their fans onstage and drawing more into their growing fandom. These boys are going places - I'll be watching.

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