[Review] “Doo Be Doo Ba” by Bebe Mignon

Back in December of last year, YWHO Enterprise (led by Vibe’s Yoon Min Soo) released a winter special album that garnered much attention in the K-Pop scene for its no-frills music. Following on its heels, they’ve now released several parts of their summer special album, ‘The YWHO Voice‘.

Comprised of 4men, Bebe Mignon, and Mi, YWHO Enterprise is gaining a reputation for their talented vocalists. While 4men are superstars in their own right in the vocalist area, their colleagues are regrettably not as prominent in the limelight.

Hence, the project kicked off with Bebe Mignon, who was the first in line to release their summer single, “Doo Be Doo Ba“. “Doo Be Doo Ba” is a remake of “Doo Be Doo” from South African pop band,Freshly Ground.

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Bebe Mignon is a sweet little girl group. I first caught wind of Bebe Mignon prior to their debut late last year, as I was intrigued by their connection with 4MEN. The group is comprised of three members: Hae Geum, Ga Eul, and most notably, Ben, the lead vocalist. Bebe Mignon’s main niche, much like that of 4MEN, is in the world of ballads and OSTs (“One Woman” – Secret Garden). Since they possess vocal talent much stronger than that of the typical K-Pop girl group, they’re pretty much stuck with ballads by default.

However, I’ve always maintained that not every powerful singer should resort to singing ballads just because they can. There are great artists out there who I prefer on faster-paced songs over slower ones (TVXQ, SHINee). After thinking about it, I realized that Bebe Mignon could potentially nail a killer uptempo if they tried. While I was on that train of thought, “Doo Be Doo Ba” entered the scene.

This cover captures the essence of the original song. It’s easy-going, chipper, and fun to listen to (not to mention that Ben’s voice is a near perfect match to Freshly Ground’s lead vocalist, Zolani Mahola, which freaks me out a little bit).

The style of “Doo Be Doo Ba” is very K-indie friendly, which is an appropriate fit for Bebe Mignon. They manage to express a warm feeling, but with a cute charm. Bebe Mignon’s vocals are light and soft, and some of that gets lost when they sing on very moody ballads. Here, they treat us to a refreshing display of their singing, and I really like this on them as a girl group. It’s not pervasive, nor is it overdone. Simply put — it’s a beautiful song sung beautifully.

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