The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday is the sixth special extended play and fourteenth overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released by SM Entertainment on November 28, 2022, and contains five tracks, including the lead single "Birthday". The EP is the second installment of The ReVe Festival 2022, and the fifth overall of The ReVe Festival series.
Background and release
On October 28, 2022, SM Entertainment announced Red Velvet would be releasing a new album in November 2022.[2] On November 7, it was announced the group will be releasing their sixth special extended play titled The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday, alongside the lead single "Birthday", on November 28.[3] The EP was described as part of The ReVe Festival 2022 series which starts off with The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm, released in March 2022, and is continuation of The ReVe Festival trilogy released in 2019.[4] On November 14, the promotional schedule was released. In addition, it was also announced that the EP would contains a total of five tracks.[5] A day later, the mood sampler teaser video was released.[6] On November 27, the music video teaser for "Birthday" was released.[7] The EP was released alongside the music video for "Birthday" on November 28.[8]
Composition
The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday consists of five tracks. The lead single "Birthday" was described a
pop dance song that samples George Gershwin's composition Rhapsody in Blue, featuring trap, drum, and synth rhythm with lyrics about "returning to the birthday of the person you like and making all of your dreams come true, giving yourself a day to remember".[9] "Bye Bye" was described as a R&B pop dance song with "groovy and dynamic bass and cool string sound". "On a Ride" was described as hyperpopdance song featuring "light beat rhythm characterized by plucked string instrument giving the listener a vibe that makes them feel as if they were in an amusement park".[10] "Zoom" was described as R&B pop dance song featuring "aggressive bass and a dramatic synth rhythm" with lyrics that "describe about a lover thrillingly digging up evidence about their other lying half". "Celebrate" was described as medium tempo R&B ballad song featuring "relax and cozy melody" with "warm aftertaste" lyrics about "the desire to be with the person you love forever, even if you turn back time".[11]
Promotion
Prior to the release of The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday, on November 28, 2022, the group held a live event on YouTube and TikTok to introduce the EP and to communicate with their fans.[12]
Track listing
Track listing for The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday
^Jang, Woo-young (October 28, 2022). "레드벨벳 측 "11월 말 컴백 목표로 준비 중" [공식입장]" [Red Velvet side "Preparing for a comeback at the end of November" [Official position]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Ji-hye (November 7, 2022). "레드벨벳, 겨울 가요계 석권한다..새 미니앨범 'Birthday' 28일 발매" [Red Velvet dominates the winter music scene..New mini album 'Birthday' released on the 28th] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang, Da-yun (November 14, 2022). "레드벨벳, 새 미니앨범 '벌스데이' 스케줄 포스터 공개" [Red Velvet unveils schedule poster for new mini-album 'Birthday'] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee, Seul (November 15, 2022). "레드벨벳, 이번엔 '랩소디 인 블루' 샘플링...'벌스데이' 무드 샘플러" [Red Velvet, sampling 'Rhapsody in Blue' this time...'Birthday' Mood Sampler] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022 – via Naver.
^Moon, Su-ji (November 28, 2022). "[영상]'컴백' 레드벨벳, 쿨하고 키치하게...'Birthday' MV 티저 공개" [[Video] 'Comeback' Red Velvet, cool and kitschy...'Birthday' MV teaser released] (in Korean). iNews24. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jo, Hye-jin (November 28, 2022). "'콘셉트 퀸' 레드벨벳과 함께라면 매일이 'Birthday' (쥬크박스)[종합]" [With 'Concept Queen' Red Velvet, every day is 'Birthday' (Jukebox)[Comprehensive]] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (November 15, 2022). "'컴백' 레드벨벳, 이번엔 조지 거슈윈 'Rhapsody In Blue' 샘플링" ['Comeback' Red Velvet, this time George Gershwin's 'Rhapsody In Blue' sampling] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ji, Min-kyung (November 18, 2022). "레드벨벳, 새 앨범 'Birthday'로 들려줄 상반된 사랑 이야기" [Red Velvet, the conflicting love story to be told with the new album 'Birthday'] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kang, Da-yoon (November 22, 2022). "레드벨벳, 아이린X슬기X웬디 '벌스데이' 새 티저 공개...다채로운 색깔" [Red Velvet, Irene X Seulgi X Wendy 'Birth Day' new teaser release...colorful colors] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jung, Hyeon-tae (November 21, 2022). "레드벨벳, 28일 새 앨범 'Birthday' 카운트다운 라이브 진행..다채로운 코너" [Red Velvet, new album 'Birthday' countdown live on the 28th..Colorful corner] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022 – via Naver.
