Is 'Gnarly' Too Much? Controversies Over KATSEYE's New Single

They could describe everything with one single word / You know? Like...

KATSEYE has turned heads across the internet with their newest single, Gnarly. Two minutes and 17 seconds of intense electro pop and unconventional lyrics based on an '80s slang term, this single immediately wrecked the internet shortly after its release on April 30. "Gnarly" is set to be the lead single for their upcoming extended play, Beautiful Chaos, which will be released on June 27.

Initial Reactions

The first time I listened to Gnarly, I was shocked and surprised.

Hottie, hottie, like a bag of Takis / I'm the **** Yeah I'm the **** (gnarly)

KATSEYE is a group created from the survival show, Dream Academy, and is a collaboration between Korean management company HYBE and American record label Geffen. Its members include Dani, Yoonchae, Sophia, Lara, Megan, and Manon.

Most of the time, K-pop tends to stray away from explicit lyrics. While KATSEYE isn't entirely considered K-pop as it is a global girl group with members of different ethnicities, it is being co-managed by a large K-pop group management company. Fans were surprised by how Gnarly used a significant amount of explicit language in their chorus and how HYBE Entertainment had allowed them to perform this.

As a song that had more sound effects and music production work, many online thought this was a waste of KATSEYE's talented vocalists. Gnarly embraces a chaotic energy and experimental aesthetic, both in its visual concepts and song. People thought this was the "worst song they ever heard" and was a sharp turn from KATSEYE's previous releases.

Others thought that while the song didn't sound the best, KATSEYE members still embraced the concept to its full extent. Song aside, KATSEYE members are being praised for their improvement from their debut releases, especially in stage presence and their performances.

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About the Song

The original version of the song was written by Ashley Longyu Gao, who intermixed elements of EDM, hyperpop, and PC in "Gnarly" which is why it sounds so polarizing. The final version of the song was performed by KATSEYE and features Tim Randolph, Madison Love, Pink Slip, and Jacob Kasher as writers along with Gao.

"Gnarly" explores the diverse usage of the slang term 'gnarly.' The term was popular in the '70s and '80s, dying down around the early '90s. The meaning of the song is that one word can be used in a variety of contexts to describe different things. For example, boba tea is delicious, Teslas are revolting, but both things can be described with the term 'gnarly.' These experiences were snuck into the lyrics by Gao, a non-native English speaker who was "amused and surprised by the excessive usage of this word by some basic bros."

If you have taken a look at the lyrics in "Gnarly," you have probably noticed that it uses a lot of explicit language. Fortunately, they have released edited, clean version that is available on all platforms. Not only did they remove the curse words, but also brand names like "Tesla." This version is most likely to be performed on live shows and such, as there are rules around advertisement.

Shifts in Opinion

About a day or two following "Gnarly"'s release, videos about how the song is actually really catchy. There is no doubt that "Gnarly" is a successful earworm, because I definitely could not get it out of my head after scrolling through my reels. Initially, the internet was entirely shocked by this new release. In fact, KATSEYE members knew of this too.

Shortly after its release, KATSEYE members shared a TikTok they lip-synced along to a Nicki Minaj audio snippet: “You're not gonna get the song the first time you hear it. After the second and third time, you're like ‘Woah, what is this?’”

Just as KATSEYE members predicted, fans' opinions on the song shifted quickly a few days after "Gnarly" dropped. More and more creators online started to express their support for the song instead of criticizing it, becoming the talk of the internet.

Personally, I wasn't a big fan of the song the first time I heard it. I had nearly wholeheartedly agreed with the videos expressing distaste for the song online. Yet like everyone else, my opinion has changed, too.

I wouldn't say I prefer "Gnarly" over "Touch," but it does have a unique power and strong presence that KATSEYE's debut had. Either way, KATSEYE members embraced this new concept, taking their performance skills to another level, fully impressing the world.

Final Thoughts

Despite its original controversies, "Gnarly" has caught the attention of millions worldwide, accumulating over 15 million streams on Spotify and millions of plays on platforms like YouTube in their performance, lyrics, and music videos. Though it was a risk, KATSEYE's talent and incredible stage presence have overall made this comeback a success. So no, "Gnarly" is not too much. What do you think?