Lala Sweet is a Korean indie acoustic duo made up of guitarist and singer Hyuna and keyboardist Park Byeol. This female band made its first appearance at the MBC College Music Festival, earning a whooping second place with their self-composed debut track "My Withering Orange Tree." Through this unexpected success at the festival, the duo revealed their musical potential to the public and foreshadowed the arrival of a new indie superstar. Yet to the disappointment of many music enthusiasts, even with its festive success, the band has not been featured on the mainstream media nearly as much as it deserves.
The band employs a mild acoustic sound for most of its songs. Their rhythms and melodies are simple, pleasant, and convey a springlike freshness. At the same time, the song lyrics shy away from the contemporary pop music booze-music-sex triad and instead focus on bringing out the delicate emotions that every individual possesses but cannot always express. A special feature of the duo is that with almost each song, they attempt to experiment with different instrumental and musical combinations.
True to the band’s atmosphere and musical approach, Hyuna uses a singing voice reminiscent of a spring breeze. It entails a smooth flow, comfortable to the ears with no flashy technique and is endearingly soothing. At other times, Hyuna incorporates an air voice, mixing a tinge of breathlessness with a solid sound to spice up the vocals that listeners might otherwise find dull. In a way, this half-air, half-sound quality is what renders her voice truly appealing.
Hyuna refrains from fancy uses of grand vibratos and codas so overused among today’s singers, instead emphasizing her natural voice and its harmony with the song’s instruments. Whether intentional or not, Hyuna’s ingenious use of her singing voice augments the overall acoustic sounds of her songs and brings out the hidden emotions of the audience.
As with many individuals involved in the music industry, Lala Sweet made its reputation with a few select songs. "My Withering Orange Tree", the band’s debut song at the College Music Festival, is perhaps archetypal of the band’s musical style. The song starts off with a gentle duet of acoustic guitar and vocals. Then as it progresses the song picks up pace, with crunchy guitar strumming and tasteful new age piano backing it up. Meanwhile, the offbeat bass drum adds a fanciful rhythm and flavor to the wistful melody. Each of these components meshes and churns together to create a delicate masterpiece of music.
The same song was also remade for the band’s first official album Bittersweet as a bonus track for fans. This version encompasses a fuller rock sound with the addition of electric guitar riffs and licks. Yet with the more powerful rhythm line, the song also creates a more mysterious atmosphere. In a way, the song offers a glimpse into Lala Sweet’s experimental spirit.
Lala Sweet is often compared to the prestigious indie band 10cm. Both bands are popular duos that employ similar melodic and rhythmic schemes. Yet upon closer inspection, listeners will notice that 10cm’s songs generally have a brighter and more enthusiastic melody line and tend to lean towards more of the punk rock genre. Meanwhile, Lala Sweet’s songs entail a softer and more wistful tone that can only be brought out by Hyuna’s simple yet profoundly
touching vocals. In a way, Lala Sweet’s songs are more reminiscent of some of mainstream singer Juniel’s songs. Both incorporate a simple acoustic strumming rhythm with female vocals to augment the song’s atmosphere with rich and vivid emotions.
Since the introduction of audition shows a couple of years ago, amateur musicians have relied on such programs as a means of gaining an audience. Now, with the College Music Festival shutting down, these individuals will have an even less an opportunity to appear in front of the public. Audition programs, unfortunately, are more focused on popularity, stardom, and celebrity glamour. Lala Sweet represents one part of the final generation of the College Music Festival, which was more open to the spirit of musical experimentation and passion.