IVE 'BADDIE' (2023)

What is IVE 'Baddie'?

"Baddie" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group IVE, released by Starship Entertainment on October 13, 2023, as the third single from the group's first Korean extended play I've Mine. The track represents a trap single that explores darker musical territory through a strong trap beat and electric bass rhythm, distinguished by its self-confidence lyrical messaging and confident cat-like conceptual framework.

The song achieved significant commercial success in South Korea, peaking at number one on the Circle Digital Chart for three consecutive weeks, marking IVE's fifth number-one single on the chart. Beyond domestic performance, "Baddie" reached the top ten chart positions in Hong Kong and Singapore. The track's commercial reception established it as a notable entry in IVE's discography despite mixed critical responses regarding its departure from the group's established musical style.

From a technical composition standpoint, "Baddie" was written by Big Naughty, Perrie, and Ryan S. Jhun, with musical composition credited to Ryan S. Jhun, Christopher Smith, Fin Dow-Smith, and Lauren Aquilina. The arrangement was handled by Ryan S. Jhun, Fin Dow-Smith, Risc, and Alawn. Starship Entertainment characterized the release as a 'dark charm' song that conveys messages of self-confidence through its production elements.

The musical notation reveals the track was composed in the key of F major with a tempo of 160 beats per minute. The lyrics of "Baddie" express themes centered on the cool and unique characteristics of each IVE member, with the term itself referencing an independent and confident persona. The song incorporates sparse, funky production elements that occasionally venture into Timbaland-esque territory, creating a departure from IVE's previous towering pop sound while showcasing what NME described as a versatile display of the group's diverse talents.

Background and release of 'Baddie'

Announcement and pre-release singles

Starship Entertainment announced on September 3, 2023, that IVE would release their first extended play I've Mine, employing a triple single promotional strategy. The announcement revealed that I've Mine would feature three singles released across a six-week period, with "Either Way" scheduled for pre-release on September 25, "Off The Record" for October 6, and "Baddie" set to accompany the full EP release.

The group unveiled the complete tracklist for I've Mine, which comprised six tracks including the two pre-release singles and the title track. Beyond these three singles, the EP included B-sides "Holy Moly," "OTT," and "Payback". Member Jang Wonyoung contributed to the album's creative direction by writing the lyrics for "OTT" solely, marking her third songwriting credit for IVE following "Mine" and "Shine With Me" from their April studio album I've IVE.

The first pre-release single "Either Way" dropped on September 25, 2023, featuring dreamy synth production and thematic exploration of external perceptions. IVE held a live countdown event on YouTube at 5:30 PM KST to support the pre-release. The second pre-release "Off The Record" followed on October 6, with both tracks characterized as intimate, subdued pop compositions that expanded the group's sonic palette.

Teaser campaign

The promotional campaign for "Baddie" included a teaser video released on October 8, 2023, five days before the official launch. The teaser was described by World Music Awards as an epic preview of the third and final title track.

Official release date

"Baddie" was released alongside the complete I've Mine extended play on October 13, 2023. The release came six months after IVE's debut studio record I've IVE, which had been accompanied by the singles "Kitsch" and "I Am". The song's music video premiered simultaneously with the track's digital release.

Musical composition and style

The production of "Baddie" centers on minimalist trap elements combined with funky undertones, creating what critics described as sparse yet occasionally Timbaland-esque territory. The arrangement features a chanted chorus built around the repetitive "baddie" proclamation, transitioning into extended instrumental sections that emphasize the track's atmospheric qualities. These instrumental breaks serve as dynamic focal points within the composition, showcasing pelting synth work in the post-chorus hook that adds an edgier dimension to the overall sound palette.

The rap verses demonstrate rhythmic bounce delivered by the members, carrying listeners through sections with requisite energy while maintaining the track's groove-centric foundation. The pre-chorus adopts a vocal-centric approach, contrasting with the rap-heavy verses, though the second pre-chorus appears truncated in the final arrangement. Vocal harmonies interact with rap delivery toward the track's conclusion, creating fuller textural depth. Addictive hooks punctuate the composition alongside powerful rap performances, establishing what Starship Entertainment characterized as the unique charm of the members.

Critical reception of the musical style proved mixed. NME emphasized the track's function as a versatile showcase of diverse talents, noting heightened kitsch elements compared to previous releases. Reviewers drew comparisons to BLACKPINK and girl crush-oriented productions, marking a departure from the group's established anthemic approach. Critics noted the absence of melodic hooks that previously propelled the group's chart success, with the chanted chorus receiving particular scrutiny for perceived lack of catchiness relative to its execution. The decision to forgo anthemic elements in favor of groove-based instrumentation represented a stylistic shift that divided critical opinion, with some reviewers describing the overall delivery as generic despite the instrumental's edgier qualities.

How did 'Baddie' perform on charts?

South Korea chart performance

The track entered the Circle Digital Chart at position 80 in the chart issue dated October 8-14, 2023. During the subsequent weeks, the single ascended progressively through the rankings, ultimately reaching the number one position in the chart issue dated October 29 - November 4, 2023. The achievement marked the group's fifth number-one single on the Circle Digital Chart, maintaining the peak position for three consecutive weeks.

On October 31, 2023, the track secured the number one spot across all major domestic realtime charts including Melon, Bugs, Genie, FLO, and YouTube Music Korea's Top Songs chart. This simultaneous chart-topping performance resulted in the track becoming IVE's fourth song to achieve a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) on Korean music charts. The monthly Circle chart performance concluded at position one, while year-end chart placements showed the track at position 111 for 2023 and position 63 for 2024.

International chart positions

In Japan, the single debuted at position 21 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in the chart issue dated October 25, 2023. Likewise, the track entered the Oricon Combined Singles at position 22 in the chart issue dated October 30, 2023. Singapore witnessed dual chart entries with the track debuting at position ten on the RIAS Top Streaming Chart and position five on the RIAS Top Regional Chart in the chart issue dated October 13-19, 2023.

Additional territories showed strong performance with Hong Kong placements at position nine on Billboard Hong Kong Songs, Taiwan at position five on Billboard Taiwan Songs, and New Zealand at position 16 on the RMNZ Hot Singles. Globally, the single debuted at position 85 on the Billboard Global 200, ascending to position 66 in the following week. The Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart reflected a debut at position 45, subsequently climbing to position 34.

Streaming and certifications

The track accumulated 155,137,296 streams on Spotify since its release. The Recording Industry Association of Japan awarded a Gold certification for streaming with 50,000,000 certified units.

Music video and live performances

The music video for the track premiered simultaneously with the digital release on October 13, 2023. The visual presentation adopted a colorful aesthetic featuring a conceptual narrative where the group members transformed into 'cat humans' that sparked a wave of fictional news bulletins warning audiences that these so-called baddies were disrupting societal norms. Throughout the video, the members embodied these characterizations by taking over supermarkets and executing choreography sequences around a fire positioned under moonlight. The visual narrative integrated the song's lyrical themes, with members chanting lines including "I'm a baddie / Pretty little risky baddie" and "Whatever happens, happens catch me if you can / Baddie, baddie, baddie / Move out of the way, if you block me / I'll fly up so catch me if you can" during the chorus sections.

Following the release of I've Mine, the group initiated promotional activities across South Korean music programs spanning three consecutive weeks. The first week of performances commenced on October 13 with an appearance on KBS's Music Bank, followed by MBC's Show! Music Core on October 14 and SBS's Inkigayo on October 15. The second promotional week featured three additional performances: Mnet's M Countdown on October 19, Show! Music Core on October 21, and Inkigayo on October 22. The third and final promotional week concluded with appearances on Music Bank on October 27, Show! Music Core on October 28, and Inkigayo on October 29. Concurrently with the single's promotional cycle, the group launched their debut world tour titled 'Show What I Have' in Seoul during the same period.

Awards and achievements

The track secured a Perfect All-Kill on October 31, 2023, achieving simultaneous number one positions across all major Korean realtime charts including Melon, Bugs, Genie, FLO, and YouTube Music Korea's Top Songs chart. This accomplishment represented the group's fourth song to reach PAK status and their third within the calendar year 2023. The achievement occurred despite initial concerns following the track's debut outside the top twenty chart positions, which marked an unusual pattern for the group given their history of four consecutive number-one debuts prior to this release.

The group earned their first music show trophy for the single on Show Champion, marking their 49th music show win since debut. Subsequently, the track accumulated a total of five music show victories across multiple programs during its promotional cycle. The wins were distributed across three broadcasts on SBS Inkigayo, occurring on November 12, 2023 with a score of 6,292 points, November 19, 2023 with 6,089 points, and December 4, 2023 with 5,731 points. Additional victories came from Show Champion on November 25, 2023, and M! Countdown on November 26, 2023, though specific scores for these latter two wins were not recorded.

The music show performance positioned the single between the group's previous releases "I AM," which secured nine wins, and the B-side track "Either Way," which achieved one win during the same promotional period for the I've Mine extended play. The track's recognition trajectory demonstrated what industry observers characterized as a longevity-focused pattern, with the song building momentum gradually rather than achieving immediate peak performance.

FAQs

When did IVE release "Baddie"?

The group released the single on October 13, 2023, as part of their first Korean extended play I've Mine. The track served as the third and final single from the EP, following the pre-release singles "Either Way" and "Off The Record" released in September and early October respectively.

Who wrote "Baddie" by IVE?

The songwriting credits for the track include Big Naughty, Perrie, and Ryan S. Jhun. The musical composition was handled by Ryan S. Jhun, Christopher Smith, Fin Dow-Smith, and Lauren Aquilina, with arrangement duties assigned to Ryan S. Jhun, Fin Dow-Smith, Risc, and Alawn.

What are the lyrics about?

The lyrics express themes centered on self-confidence and the distinctive characteristics of each member, with the central term referencing an independent and confident persona. The chorus features the chanted proclamation "I'm a baddie / Pretty little risky baddie" alongside assertive lines including "Whatever happens, happens catch me if you can" and "Move out of the way, if you block me / I'll fly up so catch me if you can."

What visual concept was featured in the music video?

The music video adopted a colorful aesthetic featuring a conceptual narrative where members transformed into 'cat humans.' The visual presentation included choreography sequences around fire positioned under moonlight, with members taking over supermarkets as part of the storyline that reinforced the track's themes of disrupting societal norms.