The first week of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival took place on Apr. 12-14. This year, K-pop groups ATEEZ and Le Sserafim performed. ATEEZ made history, becoming the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella.
Performing at Coachella is a huge achievement, drawing an annual attendance of about 650,000, making it the largest music festival in the country. Despite being a great achievement for both groups, the differences in performances were clear.
The eight-member boy group ATEEZ performed on Apr. 12, showing off their amazing vocals and stage presence. This isn’t me being biased, either. I’m not the biggest fan of this group, but it’s clear that they have amazing vocal capabilities. Their stage was met with applause and acclaim from fans and nonfans alike, and I’m looking for their next performance on Friday.
Positive reviews, comments, and praise poured in after ATEEZ’s set; it was clear that they had made a huge impact and a new peak in their career. According to Google Trends, there was a huge jump in popularity and interest in the group and an overwhelming positive response to their performance.
Le Sserafim performed the following day, but unlike ATEEZ, their performance was followed by a wave of criticism. After their live show, Coachella posted a video on Instagram spotlighting their performance of their song “Fearless,” which garnered over 11,000 comments. Unfortunately, a majority of these comments were criticizing their vocal talents.
While Le Sserafim’s company, HYBE, has been criticized in the past for focusing more on visual appeal and dance talent rather than on vocal training and talent, it seems that a majority of this criticism has been directed towards the five members of the group.
Their live vocals have been a topic of discussion among K-pop fans; the conversation regarding their talents has only increased following their stage. While it is harsh, I can’t help but agree with the criticism. While nerves could have played a part in their performance, I can’t look past their previous performances where they’ve showcased similar lackluster vocal talents.
Although I agree with some of the negativity, it’s unfair to call them a talentless group. The members are all quite talented in the dance and stage presence department, so I’m hoping that they’ll take the criticism positively to improve their vocals.
One of the members, Sakura Miyawaki, addressed the criticism and controversy on Weverse. I found her statements to be very brave; I would not have been able to respond to even hundreds of negative remarks, let alone thousands of negative comments.
“On the day of the show, I believe I was able to show everything,” Miyawaki said. “To some eyes, it might appear immature, but no one is perfect for everyone, and it is an undeniable fact that, among all the stages we have shown, this was the best. That’s why I’m very excited to become a better team, and I really want to work even harder.”
I just don’t think that Le Sserafim was ready to perform at such a big festival. The group is still considered to be a rookie group, having debuted two years ago. While they have garnered a lot of popularity in such a short period of time, they could have taken a couple more years to hone in on their skills.
