Song Review:: SAY MY NAME: My Name Is...- ShaLala

• Release date: 2025 March 13

• Album tracklist: XOXO; 1,2,3,4; ShaLala; For My Dream; He told me

• Album runtime: 16 minutes

 This group debuted in October 2024 with their maknae having just turned fourteen. She's still fourteen. I'm still deeply opposed to this, so we're running my Underage Protocol. Also, it looks like they're keeping up with the cat concept, and I remember thinking the music video was very clever in that regards. Good news, the average is over three minutes a song, so at least it has that going for it. And I love that the names of the albums are on brand as well.

So the song is ballad-esque with soft piano and a dreamy synth, both of which nudge the song towards the prevailing trend, but there's something about it that's a little grounding. I don't think it's the percussion, because it's very gently and a little skittery, but it's a little more grounded. We also get some nice, unexpected water droplet sound effects in the latter half of the song. There's also a moment of silence to let the vocals do their thing, which I deeply appreciate. There's not a lot of variation within the song until the very end.

I'm both annoyed and pleased by the fact that their company isn't giving them cotton candy fluff songs to sings. Pleased because it's bucking the trend and having the members keep grounded voices that aren't breathy through the entire thing, forcing them to be unable to do big choreography movements. Annoyed because the maknae is fourteen and even if I like it, which I do, I can't add it to any playlists until she's eighteen. They've really got kind of a Girls' Generation vibe to their songs, which I appreciate a lot as well, and that's strongly on display here.

But, for the unfortunate record, I absolutely love For My Dream. That's going in my playlist for songs I wish I could listen to but can't.

First thing, because that maknae is so young, I really hope she's one of the ones that's showing less skin and the older members are instead. I really love the costuming, how they're all basically wearing the same thing, but there are variations according to whatever parameter was chosen, whether that's age, personality, or taste. We do have a vibes and visuals music video with a very friendly, soft concept to it.