C9 Entertainment sub-label, J9 Entertainment, has debuted a sister group to rookie boy group CIX. Cignature do their best to stand out against their contemporaries — such as Iz*One, who have a more mature and elegant image, and Fromis_9, who sport a fun, bubblegum pop sound — with their sexy outfits and peppy pop music. Unfortunately, they copy too much of the formulaic girl group trends and fail to stand out with their debut MV, “NunNuNaNa.”
The MV starts off with a striking symmetrical scene, with the ladies sitting at dining tables in red and pink outfits. At first, it gives us a sense that we are about to be led into a very different kind of MV. Similarly, the initial part of the song sounds like we are about to be treated with a more hard-hitting song than the one we are actually given. Instead, the song goes on to a generic high-pitched style, with a chanty chorus that is currently common with girl groups. Overall, the MV does not have a central theme, despite trying to display some of the member’s individuality by giving them solo screen time. It consists of several rooms filled with animation that brings to life some of the metaphors in the song. These scenes alternate with the members’ energetic dance routine.
The animation sometimes has some relation to the lyrics of the song, but at other times, they appear to be random. The song’s lyrics mention flying and fires as well as the word “mayday.” Throughout the animations, we see planes in the sky and a scene where someone is inside of an airplane going through a storm. We also see someone stranded on an island with a fire beside her. Both the scenes look like incidents in which one needs help, which is where “mayday”, a common distress signal, comes in:
JAVIS please help me, mayday mayday
Tell me what this feeling is
I don’t get satisfied that easily
Vroom bba bba vroom bba bba
We’re Goin Crazy…
Aside from this, the other animations do not fit in with the lyrics or any story that the MV was trying to depict. For instance, there is a scene when one member is a detective and inspecting a “crime scene” involving a piece of cake. While cute, it does not exactly gel with either the MV or song’s theme.
The dance routine consists of simple moves that vary from circular to linear formations. There are two rooms in which the girls show off their routine: the initial silver and black room, and a colored staircase that lights up. The MV takes advantage of the light and shows the girls dancing in the dark displaying their silhouettes. In other scenes, the stairs create a sequenced light show that follows with the beat of the song. Overall, the staircase scenes were the most spectacular parts of the MV.
The song itself is about not being able to contain your romantic feelings for someone and it showcases each of the girl’s voices. As a debut MV and song, it gives us a good taste of everyone’s talent. In a large group or any group, it can sometimes be difficult to stand out. However, Sunn’s strong and full voice, as well as her delivery, distinguishes her from the other members; she is definitely someone to look out for, and deserves a chance to display more of her talents.
All in all, the song is fun and energetic with a zany chorus that recalls the sound of girl groups like Red Velvet. However, it is this similarity and a lack of good execution that might fail Cignature. Nonetheless, the MV depicts liveliness through its use of color, cute animations, and dance routine. As a debut song and MV, it gives us the direction that they will be going in, while introducing us to each of the members. Since this is still their first song, Cignature still have chances to reinvent themselves or expand on their current concept.
(Youtube, Lyrics via ilyricsbuzz, Images via Stone Music Entertainment.)
