Ain’t No Other Fan (a vocal analysis channel) uploaded a video earlier today ranking the members of three of the most talked-about vocal groups of today: aespa, NMIXX, and BABYMONSTER.
In the introduction, he explained that he did not reference or consider those short-form “vocal tier” videos that rank idols solely by their “supported range”, since he finds those misleading and superficial. Instead, his rankings were based on live vocals, while trying to avoid highly edited or over-produced recordings. (The clips shown in the video weren’t the only ones he reviewed when forming the rankings.)
He also mentioned that the rankings are subject to change in the future, since many of these vocalists are still very young, especially the BM girls, and will likely improve as they grow. Ruka and Asa weren’t included since they have mainly showcased rap rather than vocals.
I personally enjoyed the video a lot and thought it was a well-reasoned take. I have my personal ranking that’s different but I just wanted to share it here and hear what you guys think about the ranking. At the end of the day, let’s not forget this is still just one person’s opinion, not any kind of official or definitive ranking. This is the link to the video if anyone is interested.
I’ll include his ranking and relay his explanation in an abbreviated form below:
15. Giselle (aespa) – Competent vocalist to an extent but not on the level of rest of Aespa members. Pitch accuracy can get shaky, overall projection is weaker with signs of tension. He thinks SM is underutilizing her voice. Her potential is promising but with what’s she shown thus far in her career, he does not feel comfortable putting her any higher.
14. Chiquita (BM) – Some fans would probably put her higher on the list, but he disagrees. Chiquita doesn’t struggle with intonation, and can consistently perform without major pitch issues. Not the best in projecting but tonal quality is even and consistent. Fairly relaxed upper register, smooth phrasing, but vibrato is not very controlled. Because of non-optimal support and vocal folds closure, and lack of developed chest voice, she lacks the power required for good belting. Her voice picks up tension quite easily with nasality issues, and lower register is rather unexplored so far. She’s very young and he expects her to get better.
13. Ahyeon (BM) – Because he prioritizes healthy vocal technique over heavily strained high belts, it was hard to rank her higher. Ahyeon’s mixed register is plagued with sky high larynx positions, heavy mix, overpushing. Considering the difficulty of her parts, those issues are not very shocking. What’s more concerning is that Ahyeon lacks the fundamental aspects of good singing. Her intonation is generally unreliable, placement is inconsistent, and phrasing tends to be choppy. He quotes, “Ahyeon doesn’t glide with notes, she attacks them in a harsh, forceful way.” She lacks dynamics control, and her vibrato is completely uncontrolled. Although Although not very polished, he acknowledges that in order to even attempt the parts that she’s assigned, she has to be skilled in her own right. Ahyeon is a vocalist of great potential but she needs to work on the fundamentals.
12. Pharita (BM) – Solid pitch accuracy and tonal quality. Good projection but doesn’t overpush which is good. Upper register is fairly relaxed although not very well-developed. Her bright, nasal voice naturally allows her to stay in the mixed register with relative ease. Pharita’s belting technique isn’t refined yet as you can tell with her tongue tension, jaw tension, and larynx position. She hasn’t shown much dynamics control and vibrato. He wishes her to continue working on her strengths.
11, Jiwoo (NMIXX) – Least vocally utilized member of NMIXX. Naturally sings with a forward placement and maintains a pretty firm folds closure which results in a consistent, robust tonal quality and adequate projection. This is highlighted in her mixed register and lower register. Dynamics control can be an issue for Jiwoo. Another problem is her lack of vibrato and she lacks versatility as a vocalist. She has potential to become a more well-rounded vocalist if given more chance in the future.
10. Bae (NMIXX) – Jiwoo is a better belter but Bae is more well-rounded, with more expansive vocal skillset. She is good at switching between registers without excessive pushing. She’s shown better dynamics control than the ones ranked below her which highlights her ability to harmonize well. But her voice picks up tension quite easily in the mixed register and lacks fullness at times. She’s competent in the lower range but she tends to force her larynx quite a bit when she is nearing the extremes of her range. She can improve on more vibrato and fuller mixed voice. Practicing vocal agility may be good for her.
9. Karina (aespa) – Solid dynamics control, her delivery is stylistically quite intricate. Strongest lower register thus far. She descends into her lower range comfortably. Although far from mastering it, she already displayed some control of vibrato. Mixed register isn’t most consistent, but she’s shown promise in that area. Belts have a tendency to get tight and thin with issues from vowel shaping, chesty mixing, as well as nasality that obstructs the sound. Reworking her belting habits, improving her upper register, better use of vibrato, and more vocal agility would help her reach the next level as a vocalist.
8. Rora (BM) – Underrated. She’s placed high in the ranking because of her sheer support quality in her mix register. The relaxation between the folds closure and controlled airflow gives the natural roundness. Thanks to a balanced mix, her belts carry good amount of power without unnecessary pushing. The control of vibrato, although not consistent, deserves praise as well. She has no major intonation issue. Both her lower register and promising upper register give her promising potential. She does show some instability in the upper register, and the fifth octave tends to be quite a struggle for her. The projection in her lower register can be stronger with better placement. Still an impressive vocalist given her age.
7. Sullyoon (NMIXX) – Biggest strength is her mixed register. Her mid belts, most notably in the fourth octave, could be fuller. The placement and the mix she’s been using in the fifth octave works like a charm for her. Even within higher range, Sullyoon is actively looking for ways to minimize tension and she’s been getting more and more consistent with time. By sheer belting skill alone, he would have put her above the next person in the ranking, but he couldn’t do so when looking at them from a wider, more holistic perspective. Sullyoon, right now, is more of a sharpedged vocalist than a well-rounded one. Her strengths greatly eclipse the other aspects. Sullyoon much more prefers to belt over using head voice or falsetto. She lacks vocal agility and vibrato isn’t well-controlled.
6. Winter (aespa) – Great ability in expressing small nuances with her voice. She has good intonation and dynamics control. She brings best controlled vibrato on this list so far. Upper register isn’t very well-developed technically speaking but it can be quite relaxed and easily accessible. Lower register is rather average for soprano. Both projection and placement could be improved significantly. Her weakest point is her mixed register. A more lifted, soft palette would definitely help to create more space and reduce nasality. At her best, she can execute much more open and free belts. She’s clearly been working on balancing out her mix better lately. She’s making an effort to go less heavy on higher belts but haven’t found the right coordination yet.
5. Kyujin (NMIXX) – “No, this is not a joke. Yes, I think she is that good.” Good grasp of important basics. A good considerable technical development across registers along with her growing skill and agility earned her this spot. A strong, robust chest voice together with a forward placement give Kyujin’s lower register character and projection, often lacked by vocalists below her. Robust quality continues through her midrange to the mix register that has seen significant improvement. Throughout the fourth octave, she demonstrated the ability to belt with nice openness and a healthy balance. Her fifth octave has gotten stronger as she’s learned how to lighten her mix and adjust her placement in order to minimize tension. Her head voice itself is fuller and better connected than vocalists mentioned before her. Significant improvement in vocal agility with clean & precise vocal runs executed in more than one register. She has room to grow, improving the control over her vibrato, further refining vocal agility, improving consistency in her mix, and more. Kyujin is a brilliant example of a natural, steady, and satisfying vocal improvement. She’s only 19, she’s just getting started.
4. Rami (BM) – Contemplated for weeks on whether he should place Rami over the next vocalist. What sets Rami over her peers? One, lower register. A very comfortable zone for Rami with robust tonal quality, forward placement, and a healthy buzz to them. You rarely see a female idol experiment with lower register like she does. There’s only one other vocalist who truly rivals her in this category. She’s also great with vocal agility. Ste attempts quick riffs and runs with decent to good note separation and clarity. Rami belts with chest dominant mix while maintaining good openness and good amount of support. Technically, she can work on her vibrato, work on her consistency and balance in her mix register as she has a tendency to get overly heavy. Rami also has yet to demonstrate a more advanced, intricate, dynamics control. That said, he has no doubt this young vocalist is someone to look out for years to come.
3. Ningning (aespa) – A refined vocalist. Thanks to a well-coordinated voice, she can navigate through registers well and seamlessly switch between them. Her delivery is precise, phrasing is smooth and flowy, and displays some serious dynamics control. Vibrato is generally controlled and has a healthy balance to it. Perhaps her biggest strength lies in her lower register. Good projection and healthy placement. Her head voice is well connected and showed promising skill in vocal agility. Her mix register features a rather light heady mix which minimizes heavy pushing. A more balanced mixed register would definitely be an improvement she can make. Her current setup isn’t too problematic, but she too often opts for a headier mix along with her bright twangy placement, which drastically loses power. Her approach doesn’t allow for much intensity or openness. He feels Ningning is still underutilized despite being a 5 year veteran in the industry.
2. Haewon (NMIXX) – Even at a young age, Haewon presents a rich, mature, and rounded vocal toolkit. The strongest chest voice in this video, balanced by proper dynamics control gives her midrange lots of character. She’s not afraid of bringing a good amount of weight and power into her mix register. This approach comes at some risks and can be prone to inconsistency. But she’s shown to be skilled enough to be able to maintain her technique and deliver powerful open, close to resonant belts. Haewon can also intentionally lighten her mix as well, opting for a lighter delivery, which signifies a solid amount of control she has in this register. Despite some inconsistencies, her vibrato is generally stable, even, and healthily achieved. Her upper register is well connected with a decently supported head voice. Vocal agility is promising. Pitch accuracy is solid but the overall precision, flow, and clarity need more work. Working on her mix register to minimize pushing and fatigue is recommended. She can also develop both the upper and lower register more to become a vocalist of an even higher caliber. But not many idols reached the level where she’s at the age of 22.
1. Lily (NMIXX) – To no one’s surprise, Lily is at the top. Lily embodies many of the traits of a great vocalist. Excellent intonation, well-connected registers, the understanding of dynamics, presence of vibrato, musical creativity, and more. She has the best technically developed head voice on this list. Easily accessible, connected, full, and supported. Lily’s known for her extensive mix register. Her consistently forward, strong musk placement comes in extremely handy in the upper belting range. No matter the range, Lily is always trying to perform as healthily as she possibly can at any given moment. Her mid belts aren’t as powerful as Haewon’s but she can still clearly execute with solid support and openness. Her vocal agility continues to improve. Her nimble voice is getting better at executing agile riffs and runs. She still has areas to improve on like improving her lower register and mix register. Having said all that, Lily is a standout vocalist of her generation. He is certain that with the kind of passion, dedication, and determination she has for the art of singing, there’s a bright future ahead of her.
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