After the disbandment of Wanna One, we’ve seen many of the group’s members make solo debuts, but we’ve yet to see what happens when several of them come together under a new moniker. Apart from Nu’est (which is its own special case), AB6IX will likely be the first time we learn how popular this post-Wanna One super group can be. Brand New Music has played it incredibly smart with this debut. Not only will the group have two Wanna One alum within its ranks, but Youngmin and Donghyun from MXM will also be there. Even before debut, fans will already be very familiar with four out of five group members.

I worry more about Brand New Music’s ability to give AB6IX decent material. MXM’s discography was extremely hit or miss for me (mostly miss), and Wanna One doesn’t exactly have a legacy for stellar title tracks either. Much has been made about member Daehwi’s songwriting talent, and he’s already written for quite a few acts. But, apart from one or two exceptions, I’ve found his work to be dull and hookless. AB6IX’s pre-debut track Hollywood is another Daehwi composition, and was first revealed all the way back in 2017 when the guys auditioned for Produce 101. It’s a real clunker, to say the least.

Hollywood sounds incredibly dated, relying on the kind of ugly beat drop hook that goes nowhere. The spoken word “welcome to my Hollywood” hook is nonsensical and silly, especially when delivered as if it’s the most badass declaration to ever exist. The rest of the track isn’t much better, pounding along a noisy Monsta X-esque beat that utilizes an unpleasant blend of squealing synths and trap percussion. There’s little melody to be found anywhere, as the guys spend most of their time posturing. Only the rap really stands out, but there’s not enough of it to make much of an impact. The group is infinitely better than this, and I hope their actual debut takes a very different direction.

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