The nominations for Mnet's MAMA (Kpop awards ceremony) have just been revealed. Who was nominated? Who do I think will win, and who do I think should win?
Best Female Artist:
Heize
2021 song(s): Happen
IU
2021 song(s): Celebrity, Lilac, Coin, Strawberry Moon
Lisa (Blackpink)
2021 song(s): Lalisa, Money
Rose (Blackpink)
2021 song(s): On the Ground, Gone
Taeyeon (Girls' Generation)
2021 song(s): Weekend
My pick: IU.
Heize-had to look up what she released
Lisa-her solo music is just not my cup of tea (I'm not a huge rap fan)
Taeyeon-Weekend reminds me too much of Say So by Doja Cat
Rose-I like Gone, and it is the only song (from these singers released in 2021) on my playlist. HOWEVER...
My vote goes to IU because she has released four singles, as well as an album this year.
Predicted winner: IU or Lisa. I think IU is more popular in South Korea, but I am fairly certain that Lisa is more popular internationally. If only attendees can win awards, then I think that IU will win (assuming that IU attends and the Blackpink members do not)
Best Male Artist:
Baekhyun (EXO)
2021 song(s): Bambi/Bambi 3rd Mini Album
D.O (EXO)
2021 song(s): Rose, Empathy EP
Kai (EXO)
2021 song(s): I am guessing this is referring to Mmmh and Kai's first mini album, which was released in 2020.
Kang Daniel (Ex-WannaOne)
2021 song(s): Paranoia, Yellow EP, Outerspace (ft. Loco)
Lee Mujin
2021 song(s): Traffic Light
My Pick: Kang Daniel. While I do love the songs by the EXO members (Bambi, Rose, Mmmh), Paranoia is one of my favorite (Kpop) songs of 2021-so I have to go with Kang Daniel. However, if this was 2020 and Kai was nominated, he would win because Kai's first mini album is my favorite EP released last year.
Predicted winner: I had to look up Lee Mujin, and Traffic Light was a number one hit in South Korea. I think that he, Kang Daniel, or D.O will win.
Best New Male Artist:
Drippin
2021 releases: Youngblood, Free Pass, 2nd Mini Album
Enhypen
2021 releases: Drunk-Dazed (Border; Carnival), Tamed-Dashed (Dimension: Dilemma)
Epex
2021 releases: Lockdown (Bipolar Part 1 EP), Do 4 Me (Bipolar Part 2 EP)
Mirae
2021 releases: Killa (1st Mini Album), Splash (2nd Mini Album)
P1harmony
2021 release: Scared (Disharmony: Break Out)
My Pick: Enhypen. Unfortunately I was not a fan of Drunk-Dazed (sorry!), but I really enjoyed Tamed-Dashed and their Dimension: Dilemma album! My runner up is Epex (I do not like Lockdown, but their first EP has some good bsides), and my second runner up is Drippin (Reach Out Your Hands is one of my favorite kpop bsides of 2021)
Predicted Winner: Enhypen. They are BTS and TXT's cousin group and under HYBE.
Best New Female Artist
aespa (New SM girl group)
2021 releases: Forever, Next Level, Savage (EP)
Jo Yuri (ex-Iz*One)
2021 release(s): Glassy EP
Kwon Eunbi (ex-Iz*One)
2021 releases: Door/Open EP
Lightsum (New Cube girl group)
2021 releases: Vanilla, Vivace/Light a Wish EP
StayC (New girl group under BEP/High Up Entertainment)
ASAP/Staydom EP, Stereotype/Stereotype EP
My Pick: StayC. Even though I do not like ASAP (I do not like parts of the chorus), I really like Stereotype. I like Next Level by Aespa, Glassy by Jo Yuri, and Door by Kwon Eunbi, but Stereotype is my favorite. Lightsum is a little to saccharine for my taste, but I'll still check out their music in the future.
Predicted Pick: Aespa. Big 3/4 privilege. Next Level has 171 million views, ASAP has 41 million views, and Stereotype has 39 million views (as of November 3, 2021). Based on views, I think Aespa will win.
Best Female Group:
(G)i-dle
2021 releases: Hwaa/I Burn EP, Last Dance
Brave Girls
2021 releases: Chi Bat Ba Ram/Summer Queen EP, After We Ride
Itzy
2021 releases: In the Morning/Guess Who EP, Loco/Crazy in Love Album
Oh My Girl
2021 releases: Dun Dun Dance/Dear OhMyGirl EP
Red Velvet
2021 releases: Queendom/Queendom: 6th Mini Album
Twice
2021 releases: Alcohol-Free/Taste of Love EP, Perfect World (Japanese Album), The Feels
My pick:
I like songs by all the groups in this category. However, I can only pick one winner. (G)I-dle released Hwaa in January, and they have not released another EP since then. I am not a fan of (Mafia) In the Morning, and Itzy's releases tend to be hit or miss for me (I do like Loco, although the title makes me think of Loco Loco by H-H-H-Hurricane). Dun Dun Dance is catchy, but I thought the b-sides were just okay. I am glad that Red Velvet came back this year, but Queendom did not resonate with me. Alcohol-Free (Twice) was too lax for my taste, but I really like Perfect World and The Feels. However, my pick is Brave Girls. At the beginning of the year, I think most Fearless (Brave Girls fans) thought that the group was going to disband. However, their 2017 song Rollin' went viral in South Korea. They garnered a lot of attention, and they did not disband. Brave Girls released Chi Bat Ba Ram and After We Ride in the summer and fall. Due to Brave Girls' story, they are my pick.
Predicted winner: Twice
Twice is one of the biggest girl groups in South Korea. If Brave Girls was not nominated, then Twice would be my pick. They have released a mini album, a Japanese album, and an English track since June-and Twice is going to release Donut and another mini album later this month.
Best Male Group
BTS
2021 releases: Film Out, Butter, Permission to Dance, My Universe (with Coldplay)
NCT 127
2021 releases: Sticker/Favorite-3rd Album
NCT Dream
2021 releases: Hot Sauce/Hello Future-1st Album
Seventeen
2021 releases: Ready to Love/Your Choice (8th Mini Album), Rock With You/Attacca (9th mini album)
Stray Kids
2021 releases: Thunderous (Noeasy-Album), Scars (Japanese Release)
TXT
2021 releases: Still Dreaming (Japanese release), 0X1=Love Song (I Know I Love You)/The Chaos Chapter: Freeze album, Lo$er=Lover/The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape
My pick: Stray Kids
The competition for best male group is fierce. However, I can only pick one. BTS released Butter, Permission to Dance, and My Universe and made more waves in the West which is impressive. However, they have only released three songs (not including remixes) and I prefer their older music (sorry to be that person). Sticker (by NCT 127) is a weird song, and I am not sure how to feel about it. I like three tracks off the album (Far, Magic Carpet Ride, and Dreamer), but I do not find myself going back to listen to them. I do not like Hot Sauce (by NCT Dream) because it is too chanty. On the other hand, I do like Irreplaceable and Hello Future.
Unpopular opinion: I prefer Ready to Love /Your Choice over Rock with You/Attacca. Maybe it is because I was expecting more because I have been listening to Jordan Witzgrueler/The Ready Set (one of the composers of Rock with You) since 2010/2011. I don't know. Maybe it just needs to grow on me. TXT's title tracks tend to be hits or misses in my opinion. I do like 0X1=Love Song (I Know I Love You) and appreciate the pop rock vibes. However, Lo$er=Lover was a miss. The song sounds good, but I think some of the English lyrics in the chorus are cringey.
My pick is Stray Kids. Even though I wanted The Boyz to win Kingdom, I congratulate Stray Kids on their win. I like Thunderous, and Red Lights is one of my favorite Kpop b-sides of 2021.
Predicted pick: BTS. No question.
Best Dance Performance Female Group:
“Next Level” by aespa
“In The Morning” by ITZY
“Dun Dun Dance” by OH MY GIRL
“Queendom” by Red Velvet
“ASAP” by STAYC
“Alcohol-Free” by TWICE
My pick: Dun Dun Dance by Oh My Girl is my favorite song and dance out of the six options. It is so upbeat and fun.
Predicted winner: Next Level by Aespa
Best Dance Performance Male Group:
“Butter” by BTS
“Sticker” by NCT 127
“Hot Sauce” by NCT DREAM
“Ready to love” by SEVENTEEN
“Don’t Call Me” by SHINee
“Thunderous” by Stray Kids
My Pick:
I like Ready to Love and Thunderous, but I chose Don't Call Me because I like the song, and I'm glad that SHINee (a 2nd generation boy group) is still releasing music 12-13 years later when most groups struggle to reach the 7 year mark.
Predicted winner: Butter by BTS
Best Dance Performance Solo:
“Bambi” by BAEKHYUN
“I’m Not Cool” by Hyuna
“LALISA” by LISA
“On The Ground” by ROSÉ
“DUMB DUMB” by Jeon Somi
“Weekend” by TAEYEON
My pick:
I don't know the choreo for Bambi, Dumb Dumb, or Weekend (despite watching the music videos). I can't remember if On the Ground has a lot of choreo, and I remember some people being disappointed by Lisa's choreography. I vaguely remember parts of the choreo for I'm Not Cool, so that's my pick (however, I think Lisa is the best dancer in this category).
Predicted winner: Lalisa by Lisa (Runner up: Taeyeon)
Worldwide Fan Choice’s Top 10: (G)I-dle, aespa, akmu, Ash island, astro, ateez, brave girls, bts, chung ha, cl, davichi, enhypen, exo, fromis_9, heize, hyuna, ikon, itzy, iu, jannabi, jessi, kang daniel, lee mujin, lee seung gi, lisa, loona, mamamoo, mino, monsta x, nct127, nct dream, nuest, oh my girl, rain, red velvet, rose, seventeen, sf9, shinee, somi, stayc, stray kids, sunmi, super junior, taeyeon, the boyz, txt, treasure, twice, weeekly
honorable mentions:
CL-Finally released first album
Red Velvet-first comeback in over a year
Lee Mujin-breakout singer
Lisa-Released first solo
Rose-Released first solo
Top 10/Notable achievements
Aespa-Next Level was a hit
Brave Girls-Rollin went viral
BTS-More success in the west + collabs with Megan Thee Stallion and Coldplay
Chung Ha-Released her first full album
Fromis_9-Released Talk & Talk as part of Pledis/Hybe
NCT Dream-Hot Sauce had more than a million pre-orders (more than 200% increase)
SHINee-First group comeback in years
Stray Kids-Won Kingdom
Twice-Released 1-2 mini albums, a Japanese album, and an English single
Weeekly-Released After School, which has 107 million views (for reference I'm so Sick by their sister group APink has 85 million views)
My Top 10 (music wise)
Ateez, Brave Girls, Chung Ha, Fromis_9, Kang Daniel, Loona, Monsta X, Seventeen, StayC, Stray Kids
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