A kaleidoscope of butterflies – probably in the place of bats – flies up to a church spire. Wendy meets her wedding dress-garbed self lying in a coffin, while opening the song with the self explanatory line: “Forget that good girl.”
While being an important piece of K-pop 3rd Gen icons Red Velvet, the singer has had a solo career outside of the group for years, even collabing with John Legend on their hit “Written In The Stars” in 2018. Her beautiful voice decorating each of her previous works leaves expectations high whenever she releases something new, and it’s safe to say that they’ve been met once again. In her 2nd Mini Album, Wish You Hell, Wendy delivers a six-piece project that soothes the souls of all who resonate with its stories.
Don’t mistake that letter for a “W”. She’s wishing you hell. The mini album’s title track is rocky and grimy, and the guitar distortions chime in like someone whining mid-argument. It fits the loathing in Wendy’s lyrics: “I wish you hell / I don’t wish you well.” The victim of a broken heart is dropping the nice girl persona to rage at the world, and while it’s quite a comforting tune in lyricism, it doesn’t drag you into patronising territory. The moodiness is just right, while the music video is creatively stunning.
.jpeg)
"His Car Isn’t Yours" is where Wendy’s voice properly shines. Emotion is infused at every beat, and you can feel her sincerity on the gentle instrumental. The serene waves that gradually come in at the end of each bar are like blissful sighs; it’s the sobering comedown after getting all the passionate rage of “Wish You Hell” out of the way. The story is simple, and pinches where it hurts most. So much so that we’re almost hit in the face by Best Ever’s cheeriness when it’s next on the EP. We’ve either got amnesia of the hurt from the past two songs or something really, really good has happened in the last three minutes. The beat is cutesy and childish, and it’s further sweetened with trumpets and finger snaps and a refusal to ever be sad. No, it’s against the law.
We’re brought back down again by "Better Judgement" when Wendy narrates a clumsy childish love long gone, and the mellow mood is much more stable than in His Car Isn’t Yours, like the final stages of grief after a breakup. It provides some breathing room before this rollercoaster in emotions of an album reaches a peak in the tracks again with "Queen Of The Party". Wendy’s resolved in her feelings as she sings: “I’m alone but the queen of the party”. She’s dressed up, tequila in hand, and finally ready to move on.
"Vermillion" is the exemplar of K-pop R&B goodness, elevated in its chorus with the return of some brassy instruments, while the verses are contemplating and peaceful. The entire mini album is a realistic representation of the to-ing and fro-ing between depression and euphoria when it comes to relationships. By the end, you’ll feel the comforting pat on your back… as long as you listen in order.
