"Maestro" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released on April 29, 2024, as the lead single from the compilation album 17 Is Right Here.[1]
| "Maestro" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Orchestra remix cover | ||||
| Single by Seventeen | ||||
| from the album 17 Is Right Here | ||||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Released | April 29, 2024 | |||
| Genre | K-pop | |||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label | Pledis | |||
| Composer(s) |
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| Lyricist(s) |
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| Seventeen singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Maestro" on YouTube | ||||
Background and release
After having initially teased new content on their Follow tour encore concerts in Incheon, Seventeen officially announced the release of 17 is Right Here, a compilation album that would encompass their nine-year career, on April 2, 2024.[2] On April 18, the album revealed a 33-song tracklist, which included the band's greatest hits, as well as four new songs: "Spell", "Cheers to Youth", "Lalali", and the lead single "Maestro".[3]
"Maestro" premiered at Seventeen's encore Follow Again to Seoul concerts at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on April 27 and 28.[4] The song and its accompanying music video were officially released on April 29, 2024.[5]
On May 2, Seventeen announced an orchestral remix of the song, to be released the following day.[6][7] It was released on May 3, alongside a previously unreleased instrumental version of the original track.[8]
Composition
"Maestro" was described as a dance R&B track that pulls various elements from Seventeen's previous hits, such as "Very Nice", "Oh My!", "Fear", "Rock with You", "Cheers", and "Super".[9] By incorporating these elements, the song aimed to convey the message of the past continuing to be a source of inspiration for the group as they evolve.[10]
The song was composed by Woozi, Bumzu, Ninos Hanna, Andreas Öberg, Gabriel Brandes, Justin Starling, Maya Rose, Niklas Jarelius Persson, William Segerdahl, and Yeom Dong-gun; its lyrics were written by Woozi and Bumzu.[11]
Music video
The music video was released on April 29, 2024. In an effort to question the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in music and art, the cyberpunk-themed music video, which features Seventeen performing in technology-heavy sets and fighting against robots, was intentionally partially created using AI,[5] showcasing the band's thoughts and fears of a modern world where "everything is created through AI and new technologies".[9]
Critical reception
Cristina Jaleru of the Associated Press lauded "Maestro" as "a playful R&B tune intertwined with an engaging EDM hook", further calling it a "perfect encapsulation of the band's past sound with present inclinations".[12]
Charts
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[13] | 18 |
| Singapore Regional (RIAS)[14] | 9 |
| UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[15] | 23 |
| UK Singles Sales (OCC)[16] | 26 |
References
- ^ Bernardo, Jaehwa (24 April 2024). "K-pop group SEVENTEEN to drop 4 music videos for greatest hits album". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on 2024-04-30. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2024-04-02). "Seventeen Prepping Greatest Hits Album, '17 Is Right Here'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (2024-04-18). "Seventeen Reveal Full Tracklist For '17 Is Right Here' Greatest Hits Album, Which Includes 4 New Tracks". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Cho, Yong-jun (2024-04-28). "Seventeen fills Seoul World Cup Stadium for Follow Again' in Seoul'". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ a b Chin, Carmen (2024-04-29). "Seventeen drop futuristic music video for 'Maestro', tease 2024 tour". NME. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Ryu, Hyo-rim (2024-05-03). "세븐틴, '마에스트로' 오케스트라 리믹스 발표" [SEVENTEEN announces ‘Maestro’ orchestra remix]. Yonhap (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
- ^ Weverse, Seventeen (2 May 2024). "Weverse - Official for All Fans". weverse.io. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ Youtube Music, Seventeen. "YouTube Music". YouTube Music. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b Cho, Yong-jun (2024-04-29). "Seventeen's first compilation album takes a hard look at its past — and its future". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ Kwak, Kristine (2024-04-30). "Seventeen on Wrapping Their Tour, New Music, and What's Next". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ 곡 정보 - Maestro [Song Information - Maestro]. Melon (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ Jaleru, Cristina (April 30, 2024). "Music Review: SEVENTEEN's '17 Is Right Here' is a study of their impressive evolution". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 18 (26 Apr - 2 May 2024)". RIAS. Archived from the original on May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 5, 2024.