As soon as a popular song starts playing, listeners only need a couple of notes to begin recalling its melody, lyrics, and the artist behind it. Covering such pieces is no easy task; it means finding the exact balance between making the song fresh-sounding yet familiar to the original work’s most passionate fans, keeping intact what makes it such a hit.
Undoubtedly, qualified singing and dancing are prerequisites of a good K-pop song cover, but your own flair needs to be added to each performance if you want your version to stand out among so many others. This is something fromis_9 does with perfection.
Below, we’ve listed eight times fromis_9 made other artists’ songs seem their own.
1. Girls’ Generation – Oh! (180724)
For their first complete full-group cover, fromis_9 chose “Oh!,” nothing less than one of the most popular tracks by legendary girl group Girls’ Generation. Released in 2010, the original song was promoted with a bright cheerleading concept, a perfect match for fromis_9, from the sound to the nine-member choreography. The cover pleased fans so much that even the original fan chants could be heard throughout the performance!
2. f(x) – Red Light (181025)
As a Halloween special, our girls chose for the fitting “Red Light” by f(x), an experimental song with a fierce concept that brought out all the versatility of fromis_9. With little time to prepare, the girls gave up sleep to present flovers with the best stage possible, proving they can be “anything at any time.” Later, we were even graced by a special clip, with the song being performed for a second time for THE100.
3. Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You (181221)
A Christmas can’t be complete without Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” In 2018, the anthem that wraps up every year was reinterpreted by fromis_9, who complemented the song with a sweet choreography to deliver flovers the most special Christmas present. In adorable outfits, the nine girls put their English to the test and turned the classic into a heartwarming treat. Who needs a visit from Santa when you have fromies?
4. Girls’ Generation – Into the New World (190103)
The second Girls’ Generation appearance on our list is a K-pop classic. One of the most iconic debuts ever, “Into the New World” has been widely covered by various artists ever since its release in 2007, being used even as a protest anthem due to its timeless lyrics and hopeful message. In their rendition, fromis_9 put their own rookie-like charms into the song, flawlessly executing its choreography and delivering high notes with precision. Even long-time fans of the track couldn’t help but tear up at the performance.
5. Sul Woon Do – All Together Cha Cha Cha (190323)
Entrusted to do a legendary Trot song justice, fromis_9 went on one of the most popular Korean TV music competitions, Immortal Songs 2, to cover Sul Woon Do’s “All Together Cha Cha Cha.” As expected of the girls, they turned an already cheerful song into an even more energetic version, lighting up the crowd and binding generations through music. Apart from Gyuri’s absence, one could say fromis_9’s performance that night was immaculate.
6. TWICE – LIKEY (190519)
At KCON Japan 2019, fromis_9 took the center stage to cover TWICE’s “LIKEY,” a bouncy electropop song also performed originally by nine girls; suitable, right? Although short, the refreshing special performance was enough to put the audience’s dance skills to test. Fans had a hard time following, however, when Saerom owned the stage with an individual dance break; the night’s cherry on top.
7. Red Velvet – Red Flavor (190708)
After covering Girls’ Generation and f(x), fromis_9 chose to pay homage to yet another SM Entertainment girl group, Red Velvet. The song picked to ignite the stage of KCON New York was “Red Flavor,” a modern era summer classic released in 2017. Enchanted by fromis_9’s charms, the crowd went wild multiple times throughout the performance, screaming their lungs out at Seoyeon’s rap part, Gyuri’s bridge, and Jiwon’s high notes. Can you blame them?
8. Fin.K.L – Now (191018)
In suits, fromis_9 proved once again there’s no concept they can’t pull off. This time, Fin.K.L’s “Now,” a K-pop first generation hit, was brought back to the spotlight almost 20 years after its original release. Despite a back injury that hindered Seoyeon, the girls’ execution on stage was nothing short of flawless. A special choreography video was also released days later on fromis_9’s official YouTube channel, where the synchronization and power of the performance could be appreciated once more.
A lot of skill is required to turn a recognized piece of music into something new without removing its essence. In K-pop, where choreography is so prevalent, teamwork is just as vital to deliver audiences the full experience. To repeatedly produce quality group covers means turning this mix of skill and teamwork into a craft, an art that fromis_9 seem to have mastered. From stage presence to vocals, their covers astonish audiences no matter the concept, venue, or genre, making everyone forget for a moment that the song is not their own.
Still not enough? Check fromis_9’s full cover list here!
Writer: Bruno
Designer: Adam
Editors: Adam and Mitch
Proofreader: Brad
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