Yesterday was one of the days when so many groups made their comebacks (meanwhile, I was sleeping off some illness). One of them was NMIXX, who returned with the single Birthday Wish and their 6th mini-album, Heavy Muse. This comeback follows their Heavy Serenade comeback earlier this year.

NMIXX has been on a roll with their last two comebacks (Blue Valentine and Heavy Serenade), so it was interesting to see how Birthday Wish would land. Right off the bat, the song has more of a dance-pop vibe, blending moombahton, afro, and future house. I liked how Birthday Wish starts (after the narration bit) and how they kept that melodic touch from the previous releases in the first verse and bridge. The chorus is great; I enjoyed how lively it got (though you could also describe it as being shouty) and am digging the “Celebrate, Celebrate” post-chorus hook. But while I appreciate the upbeatness and the refreshing vibes Birthday Wish brings, I am not a big fan of other elements of the song. The rapping in the second verse didn’t fit the song, and the bridge felt overly tight. The narration breaks the flow of Birthday Wish and could have been blended in for a more cohesive feel. Overall, Birthday Wish was a good song, though it didn’t exceed the expectations and standards set by their previous two comebacks.

Birthday Wish‘s lyrics celebrate meeting one another and creating a whole new world together, and the music video reflects that. The members have parties and celebrations throughout the video, whilst also pursuing their own lives and passions. There is a neat theory on Reddit about this that you can read into further and how it fits into their MIXXTOPIA world. The one thing I am not a fan of about this music video is the sterility of the sets, which don’t lend well to parties. It might fit the idea of building a whole new world together, but it also makes the party and vibes feel empty (which I don’t think was the intention).

I wish the routine had more of a celebratory flair. The only part I felt had that celebratory flair was during the “Celebrate, Celebrate” post-chorus hook. But the rest of the choreography looked good.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10