"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is a song recorded by South Korean
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
Red Velvet for their fifth Korean (eighth overall)
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. ''
RBB'' (2018). Written by SM Entertainment songwriter
Kenzie and
Sara Forsberg
Sara Maria Forsberg (born 2 May 1994), known professionally as SAARA (formerly Smo, Smoukahontas, or Smokahontas), is a Finnish singer, songwriter, YouTube personality, and television presenter. As a singer, Forsberg was signed to Capitol Record ...
with production by Timothy 'Bos' Bullock and MZMC, "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is primarily an "addictive" R&B and
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
song with influence from
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
and
hip hop, with the lyrics expressing the charm of a "bad boy".
"> ">/sup> It was released as the lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release ...
from its eponymous extended play on November 30, 2018, by SM Entertainment and Iriver Inc
Dreamus is an electronics and entertainment company founded in 1999 originally as ReignCom. Currently headquartered in South Korea (and formerly in the United States), it is the parent company of South Korean-based iRiver, Astell & Kern and FL ...
as the distributor, along with an accompanying horror-themed music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
.
Upon its release, "RBB" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics who deemed it "controversial" and "unfamiliar" to the public. The song however, gained compliments for its "unapologetic" boldness thanks to the group's experimental path. Domestically, it achieved moderate success in its native country, becoming their eleventh top-ten entry on Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
, while being a bigger success outside of their native country, peaking at number one on ''Billboard's
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...
'' World Digital Song Sales.
Background and release
Three months after the release of their second summer special release ''Summer Magic Summer Magic may refer to:
* Summer Magic (film), a 1963 Walt Disney Productions family musical film
* Summer Magic (EP)
''Summer Magic'' is the second special extended play and the by South Korean girl group Red Velvet, marketed as their spec ...
'', SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
confirmed that Red Velvet would return in November with a new extended play, titled "RBB" on November 30, 2018, and its eponymous lead single title. During a ''V Live
V Live (stylized as VLIVE), sometimes referred to as V App, is a South Korean live video streaming service that allows celebrities based in the country to broadcast live videos such as live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows ...
'' broadcast, member Yeri Yeri may refer to:
*Yeri, Cyprus
*Yeri, Tajikistan
* Yeri (singer) (born Kim Ye-rim, 1999), South Korean female singer, member of Red Velvet.
*Yery
Yeru or Eru (Ы ы; italics: ), usually called Y in modern Russian or Yery or Ery historica ...
stated that the preparation for the album was longer than their other releases, while member Seulgi noted that the song would be "very different". Following a music video teaser uploaded one day prior, the song's music video was released on November 30, 2018, to coincide with the parental extended play's digital release.
Composition
"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" was composed and produced by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie, producer Timothy 'Bos' Bullock, singer-songwriter Sara Forsberg (known professionally as SAARA) and MZMC. In an interview with ''Balloon Days'', Bullock revealed that "RBB" was the last song to be composed during his 2-week writing camp at Seoul, South Korea
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 o ...
, without knowing "who the songs were going to end up going to". The demo version was originally guided by Bullock himself and co-composer Forsberg, with additional Korean lyrics written by Kenzie after. Originally recorded in Korean, an additional English version was also recorded and included as the sixth track of the extended play, marking the group's second song to be recorded in English following their earlier release "Bad Boy".
Described "RBB" as the sequel to their previous single " Bad Boy", "RBB (Really Bad Boy) is an "addictive" R&B and dance-pop track with " funky beat and brassy horn
Horn most often refers to:
* Horn (acoustic), a conical or bell shaped aperture used to guide sound
** Horn (instrument), collective name for tube-shaped wind musical instruments
* Horn (anatomy), a pointed, bony projection on the head of various ...
s", which draws influence from hip-hop and jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
music. It was their sixth single to follow the "Velvet" sonic concept. With a tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 150 beats-per-minute, "RBB" is a fast verse-chorus form song in the key of D major
D major (or the key of D) is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor.
The D major scale is:
:
...
. According to producer Bullock, he "wanted to create something with lots of fun energy" which made the listeners "want to move", thus using 808's for the bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gu ...
of the song. The main melody was played by a trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standar ...
and a trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrat ...
, being one of the first songs produced by Bullock to use such elements. In addition, the bridge was said to take a heavy influence on R&B and jazz music, which "would be a good contrast and add dynamics to the song", said the producer.
Lyrically, the song expresses the charm of a "bad boy" that attracts the girls' attention, no matter how all the other friends say. The group's vocals span from the low note B3 to the head voice
Head voice is a term used within vocal music. The use of this term varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regard to this term. Head voice can be used in re ...
note of D6 ( D7 in exclamation, being the whistle/scream note by member Irene). Furthermore, the song is heavily ornamented with melisma
Melisma ( grc-gre, μέλισμα, , ; from grc, , melos, song, melody, label=none, plural: ''melismata'') is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is ref ...
and vocal harmonization
In music, harmonization is the chordal accompaniment to a line or melody: "Using chords and melodies together, making harmony by stacking scale tones as triads".
A harmonized scale can be created by using each note of a musical scale as a ...
, all of which appeared throughout the song - from the intro to the last head run by member Wendy.
Promotion and music video
To promote "RBB", a video teaser containing excerpts of the song was released on November 28, 2018, 2 days before the actual release date. A day after, Red Velvet held a special ''V Live'' broadcast in which they introduced the preview of all the songs before performing a small part of the choreography
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who c ...
for "RBB". The group then performed the song live for the first time on the music program ''Music Bank
Music Bank may refer to:
* ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS
**''Music Bank World Tour
The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...
'', an hour before the official release time. It was then followed by performances on other music programs and year-end music awards, such as ''Show! Music Core
''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...
'', ''Inkigayo
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
,'' and ''The Fact Music Awards''.
The music video for "RBB" was choreographed by Janelle Ginestra, Kaycee Rice and Choi Sun-hee, while being directed by director Oui Kim of GDW production team. whom had previously worked with labelmate NCT
NCT may stand for: Tests
* National Car Test, Ireland, a roadworthiness test for cars
* National Curriculum Tests, in the English education system
Organizations and companies
* Nashville Children's Theatre, the oldest professional children's thea ...
on several of their releases. The "whimsical, move-infused" video features a Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. ...
-theme consists of a werewolf as the main protagonist - "bad boy" of the video chasing and haunting the girls while they are looking to find out the werewolf as well. Choreography scenes are incorporated throughout the video between different retro-inspired and horror-theme sets, with one of them referring to the 1980 film '' The Shining'' as members Irene
Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace".
Irene, and related names, may refer to:
* Irene (given name)
Places
* Irene, Gauteng, South Africa
* Irene, South Dakota, United States
* Irene, Texas, United States ...
and Yeri reprised the Grady twins image. In several scenes, a Howliwood (a wordplay on the verb "howl
Howl most often refers to:
*Howling, an animal vocalization in many canine species
*Howl (poem), a 1956 poem by Allen Ginsberg
Howl may also refer to:
Film
* ''The Howl'', a 1970 Italian film
* ''Howl'' (2010 film), a 2010 American arthouse b ...
" and the famous Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
billboard) sign can be seen up close in the background as well.
Upon its release, the video received positive reacts from magazines and blogs such as ''Billboard'', ''Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
'' and ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
''. The "fun, creepy ascetic" video was regarded as a "B-movie
A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...
schlock retrofitted to K-pop perfectionism", according to ''Forbes'' contributor Caitlin Kelley.
Critical reception
Following its release, "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" received generally mixed to positive reviews from international critics. Writer Mike Nied of ''Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
'' described the song as "the banger" that boasts "a fiercely danceable production" with a "sing-along chorus", while Chase McMullen of ''The 405'' chose the song as the "Track of the Day", praising it for upping "the ante on boisterous, feminist fun" from "Bad Boy", while still staying "in true Red Velvet fashion". In the same article for the video, Caitlin Kelley of ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' remarked that "As a whole, "RBB" is like if cocktail music became anthemic pop and then soundtracked a horror movie. The harmonies are complex, and vocal ad libs fill every nook and cranny of empty space". Crystal Bell of MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
commented that while "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is a song that really shouldn't work. It's a cacophony of sounds, rhythms, shrill ad-libs, complex harmonies, and a whole lot of brass" on the first listen, it was "unapologetically bold and loud" for a lead single that makes it "so unabashedly Red Velvet". She then concluded that with the group's "distinct vocal charms and tight harmonies, no two Red Velvet songs sound the same — and while "RBB" may be a divisive entry in the group's discography, you can't say it isn't 100 percent them". Writer Lo of ''Seoulbeats'' described the song as a track "bursting with hook", while applauding its "lighter harmonies".
The song also received mixed reviews, however. In an EP review of writer Kelley Burridge on ''United K-Pop'', "RBB" was said to recall the group's previous hit " Dumb Dumb" with a "small let down of the chorus", though she later clarified that it wasn't "to say that the song is bad". In South Korea, writer Kim Sang-hwa of ''OhmyStar'' said the song received mixed reactions from the public but claimed that for those who follow the group and their music, this is normal for a Red Velvet release, that unpredictability is common for their title tracks and "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is no exception. They added further that they're "controversial" because they're "unfamiliar", stating that they're welcome to those who are seeking something new.
Commercial performance
The song performed moderately at its home country. With only one day counted for charting, "RBB" debuted at number 26 on the Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
for the 48th week chart issue before moving up to number 10 where it peaked the following week, thus giving the group their eleventh top-ten entry on the chart. In addition, the song debuted at number 22 and eventually reached its peak position at number seven on ''Billboard'' Kpop Hot 100, marking their fifth top-ten entry on the chart. "RBB" fared better on the US ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' World Digital Song Sales nonetheless, as the song became their first to atop the chart thanks to a total sell of 2,000 downloads in the US in the week ending December 6. Elsewhere, "RBB" peaked at number ninety-three on the Japan Hot 100
The ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100 is a record chart in Japan for songs. It has been compiled by '' Billboard Japan'' and '' Hanshin Contents Link'' since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at Billboard-japan.com ( JST) and every Thu ...
chart.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''RBB''.
Studio
* Recorded at SM Blue Cup Studio
* Recorded and engineered for mix at SM LYVIN Studio
* Edited at doobdoob Studio
* Mixed at SM Yellow Tail Studio
Personnel
* Red Velvet (Irene
Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace".
Irene, and related names, may refer to:
* Irene (given name)
Places
* Irene, Gauteng, South Africa
* Irene, South Dakota, United States
* Irene, Texas, United States ...
, Seulgi, Wendy
Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries.
In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...
, Joy
The word joy refers to the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, and is typically associated with feelings of intense, long lasting happiness.
Dictionary definitions
Dictionary definitions of joy typically include a sense of ...
, Yeri Yeri may refer to:
*Yeri, Cyprus
*Yeri, Tajikistan
* Yeri (singer) (born Kim Ye-rim, 1999), South Korean female singer, member of Red Velvet.
*Yery
Yeru or Eru (Ы ы; italics: ), usually called Y in modern Russian or Yery or Ery historica ...
) – vocals, background vocals
* Kenzie – original writer, Korean songwriter, composition
* Sara Forsberg
Sara Maria Forsberg (born 2 May 1994), known professionally as SAARA (formerly Smo, Smoukahontas, or Smokahontas), is a Finnish singer, songwriter, YouTube personality, and television presenter. As a singer, Forsberg was signed to Capitol Record ...
– original writer, English songwriter, composition, background vocals
* Timothy 'Bos' Bullock – original writer, composition,arrangement
* MZMC – original writer, composition
* Jeong Eui-seok – recording
* Lee Ji-hong – recording, mixing engineer
* Jang Woo-young – digital editing
* Koo Jong-pil – mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Release history
References
{{Red Velvet
2018 singles
2018 songs
Songs in Korean
Red Velvet (group) songs
SM Entertainment singles
Songs written by Kenzie (songwriter)