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Alexa Leung

Review: "so bad" - ROOUE




Pop duo ROOUE has just released their first single of 2023 and it is an absolute electronica gem. “so bad” comes with both intricate, wry lyrics and sleek vocals– it’s the kind of song that demands it be played with the windows down, or a crowd singing along with it. Double-edged and snarky, the song focuses on the fickle nature of the media’s idea of perfection, especially in women; it ponders what confidence truly means, and if you should truly “fake it ‘til you make it'' to attain that perfect version of yourself. “so bad” is wickedly clever, satirical in its writing but maintaining that classic dance-pop vibe.





“so bad” is all sultry and sensual tones– the vocals are phenomenally harmonious; ROOUE’s Ro and Lulu manage to mingle and mesh their voices so well, being addictively catchy. With the rising synth and layered vocals, “so bad” becomes quintessential dance-pop; you’ll feel it especially in the chorus, with a deep and twangy bass that hangs in the background. The lyrics, like the instrumentals, are complex; all about wavering confidence, each verse details the struggle of maintaining, gaining, and developing the idea of perfection. The writing tears down these ideals in order to realize that you, as you are, are perfect. There’s a fantastic line that begins right near the chorus, going “it took me a minute/to figure out/I know now/that I’m so bad.” Juxtaposing self-confidence against the media's perfectionist ideals has resulted in “so bad” being a fantastic song, production and quality-wise, while simultaneously commenting on issues that sorely need to be brought to light.



Twins Ro and Lulu make up the electronic alt-pop duo ROOUE, creating electronic stylings imbued with dark pop, all meeting together to sing about love, loss, and vulnerability. Growing up in a home surrounded by music– their mother being a music therapist, father a total “jazz nerd”, and a sister that toured internationally as a BV– resulted in the two being completely entrenched in music culture. Ro and Lulu regard their close relationship together as a source for their music creation; the fact that they both ended up in the music industry is described as “serendipity”, simply magical that they both had the passion to create meaningful and connecting music. ROOUE’s debut single “What You Want” released in 2020, and, in particular, their 2022 single “Orbit” hit number 4 in the Breakers Charts. “so bad” is ROOUE’s first release for their current EP campaign, so keep an eye out for it while you stream “so bad” in the meantime!


Written By Alexa Leung



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