[Review] GPT – STAYC

STAYC returned last week with the single album …I and the lead single GPT. This follows their previous comeback in July with their first studio album, Metamorphic, and its lead single Cheeky Icy Thang.

The first thing I noticed about GPT is how it strikes a balance between different STAYC eras. The melodic side of GPT reminds me of their BEAUTIFUL MONSTER era, yet the instrumental has the upbeat energy and tone that reminds me of their early days. GPT melds these two styles together to create a cute and positively pleasant track. I liked this combination and enjoyed how well STAYC executes it. The melodies and vocals were pretty, and they glided along quite nicely. The instrumental felt glittery and funky. I liked the whistling behind GPT’s leading hook. The “Baby I Love You, Da da da da” hook, whilst initially plain, has grown on me thanks to its earwormy potential. However, if I had a magic wand to improve GPT, a stronger chorus and an additional hook would have been sought after. While the chorus and main hook present in GPT are fine, the song would benefit from a more robust centrepiece and perhaps another memorable hook. This would have made GPT catchier and stand out more. There is plenty of room for it. But as is, GPT has the potential to grow on me further, and this is definitely a good sign for the new song.

I am unsure if this is the right interpretation of the video, but this is my guess. Essentially, the members find this futuristic machine that, if they interact with it, puts them into dreamland, where they experience unrequited love. This hypnotises the affected members, making them appear in what felt like a cult at one point. However, one member was hesitant to interact with the machine and used a key, which they all mysteriously had, to destroy it. This frees the other members, who all run away and enjoy the fresh air and outdoors. I liked the dreamy aesthetic they were aiming for, but a few more clues would have helped with the interpretation.

I liked how the choreography embraced the upbeatness by featuring several bouncy moves throughout the performance. I also liked the cutesy touch that the routine carried, which made it feel fitting for the performance. But there are two standout elements – the smooth arms over-the-head wave they do at the song’s leading hook and the slo-mo part of the bridge. The latter was quite remarkable!

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10