Pride Week has ended with rainbow blasting every street in Ashland. But that doesn't mean LGBTQIA+ representation ends here! Music is very important when I get excited for an event like Pride. Especially K-Pop music since it's a rare thing to listen to outside of YouTube. There plenty of K-Pop songs that makes anyone feel confident in showing their Pride. In honor of Pride Week, here are some K-Pop songs that I found will make Pride and LGBTQIA+ community feel more amazing and shine like a rainbow or any gender they represent!
GLAM "Party (XXO)"
Are you a boy? Girl?
I don't care-
passion is the key, a hot heart is your ID
If you're alone, come here-put everything in your hot heart
Girl, I like ya - really, really, like ya
(...)
A kiss - XXO
Anyone can be Romeo
A touch of your lips - XXO
If the heart starts to race, you're Juliet, Juliet
And that's just both first verse and bridge. There aren't any speculations around this song and what it is about. My perspective of this song is "Love Is Love." Glam's "Party (XXO)" is a low-key positive way to express love of every gender. It's a cute, upbeat song to dance along and have your own dance party.
N.O.M "A Guys"
Girls Girls Girls Girls
So this has nothing to do with any message to LGBTQIA+ relate things. It's basically about seeing a girl in a club and wanting to get her attention. Kind of like a club song for fuck boi (lyrically). However, its electric beats are perfect for voguing. N.O.M motivates me, and hopefully you, to vogue as well.
Full lyrics here.
Luna "Free Somebody"
We are dyed with different colors
and are full of different scents
(...)
Now let’s go crazy about you for once
As a sucker for 80s music and K-Pop, Luna's "Free Somebody" is right up in my alley. Its lyrics can be interpreted as a love song or encouraging one to be themselves because we all are dyed with different colors. When you listen to this song, free yourself as you are a burst of so many colors!
Full lyrics here.
Big Bang "Bang Bang Bang"
We go hard, we’re the night’s watchmen,
run all night with space magic
This song is the apex, it’s so fun, sing about the wonder
Loud screams are devilish melodies,
the connection to a black poison
All around you, get high and release the reins whoo
A fun song to get you and I turn up because Big Bang knows how to get you hyped up. Not only it is the dance song to play at parties and clubs, "Bang Bang Bang" will us feel powerful and badass whenever we walk around at home or on the streets. Why? Because we got that Big Bang. (Horrible pun, I know.)
Full lyrics here.
Orange Caramel "Catellena"
The small, dancing Catellena (red sun)
Without knowing, I’m falling for you
Chic and proud, Catellena (red sun)
Jutti meri oye hoi hoi, I’m bewitched
Oh my, she’s so great, I’ve fallen for her
Even as a girl, I can see she’s so great
She’s temperamental but I want to see her
I want to know her, I want to dance with her
Some K-Pop fans perceive this song as a vague confession to a girl named Catellena. My first thought was about a mermaid named Catellena. Or a fish. However you think this song is about, Orange Caramel's quirky "Catellena" will make you sing along, act cute and give zero cares about what everyone thinks: "Catellena" is a goddess in our eyes.
Full lyrics here.
Topp Dogg "The Beat"
For those who are unconscious
The pounding sound of this heart
Can you hear it? can you hear it?
Shake up the day that remains still
Wake it up and come out, come out
Bring out the other side of me
Just spread your wings we up
While the music video is culturally insensitive at times (one of the members had dreadlocks), Topp Dogg's "The Beat" is a top notch song. "The Beat" lets you strut to own beat. Like Luna's "Free Somebody" aside from heavy dance beats, "The Beat" lets you be free and be the top dog.
Full lyrics here.
2ne1 "Fire"
I’ll bring you all the way to the end,
follow, follow me
My heart’s running fast enough
to make me run out of breath
Somehow I don’t hate it, I’m having fun
Don’t be afraid, let it go
To a better tomorrow
And you all thought I was going to add 2ne1's "I Am The Best" for the third time (actually I was). However, I got to shine some light on the group's debut song because it is equally as lyrically empowering and dance-able for your personal workout because you got the fire.
Full lyrics here.
SHINee "1 of 1"
Just like each minute and each second are different
Day by day, you become new
You’re the first of the first
That means you’re the only one
Want a 90s song about love and feeling like you're the only one? SHINee's "1 of 1" gives a nod to 90s love songs from Backstreet Boys to NSYNC. With its in-your-face nostalgia and synth sound, SHINee will embrace its old school roots as well as you can dance along to it on your iPhones.
Full lyrics here.
Anda "Touch"
dilly dally dilly dally dance confidently
shake your hips,dance
until you do OK,you won’t rest
Cuz if you gon’ be mine
You don’t have to take your time
If you're looking for a song that is unapologetically sexy and sensual as well as the music video being unapologetically queer, Anda's "Touch" is the one for you. When you want to feel sexy and got tired of Rihanna's "Work work work" or Big Sean's "Ass ass ass, " Anda repeatedly sings in the chorus "Touch." It is unexpectedly catchy and fun to dance to, especially when you want to feel sexy and confident for the moment or everyday.
Full lyrics here.
BONUS:
Rainbow "Whoo"
Rainbow Ah~!
Just because their group name is Rainbow.
Full lyrics here.
Happy Pride, everyone!
