Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Despite what others may have told you, the biggest problem with YENA‘s “Hate Rodrigo” comeback was that the song wasn’t great, even if it did effectively serve as a continuation of her sound. With “Good Morning“, she provides what is effectively a partner to her “SMILEY” debut, though a bit more tonally serious (even in the music video’s color scheme).
Though the lyrics are more about finding the strength to move on from unmentioned adversity, true to the title, “Good Morning” feels like the kind of song used in a montage as a character in a movie or show is getting ready to head out for the day. It’s an energetic dose of pop rock, and pleasantly a bit more raucous than I expected from her, fitting to help one get going to start your day. That mostly comes during the call and response chorus that YENA enthusiastically engages with, and while it’s not as melodically pleasing or catchy as “SMILEY”, it gets the job done and would probably kill at a live concert setting where her personality could help enhance this kind of track.
Speaking of that, her fresh vocals are always an interesting complement to rock/punk sounds, but seeing how much fun she has performing these tracks in the music video helps sell the concept further. While her tone doesn’t feel quite emphatic enough for it to reach the anthemic status it clearly desires, the bridge does allows her to shine a bit as the instrumental takes a backseat. “Good Morning” might not be an immediate standout, but it’s a fun and quality addition to her growing discography, and the well-conceived music video that accompanies it only helps to enhance that feeling.
