"Rover"
Single by Kai
from the EP Rover
LanguageKorean
ReleasedMarch 13, 2023 (2023-03-13)
StudioSM Starlight (Seoul)
Genre
Length2:54
Label
Composer(s)
  • Dara
  • Cristian Tarcea
  • YNGA
  • Valentina Nikova
  • Young Chance
  • Gabriel Brandes
Lyricist(s)Park Tae-won
Kai singles chronology
"Peaches"
(2021)		 "Rover"
(2023)
Music video
"Rover" on YouTube

"Rover" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Kai for his third extended play of the same name. It was released as the EP's lead single by SM Entertainment on March 13, 2023.

Background and release

In February 2023, SM confirmed that Kai would release a new solo album.[1] On February 17, SM announced that his new EP, Rover, would be released on March 13.[2] The song was released alongside the extended play and its music video on March 13.

Composition

A remake of Bulgarian singer Dara's original song titled "Mr. Rover", "Rover" was composed by Cristian Tarcea, Dara, Valentina Nikova, YNGA, Gabriel Brandes and Young Chance, with the arrangement held by Tarcea and Imlay.[3][4]

Described as a dancehall song with heavy bass, marimba, bells and various percussion instruments. The lyrics, which was written by Park Tae-won, discuss freeing onself from the restraints of others' viewpoints and living freely as a "wanderer".[5] The song was composed in the key of C# minor, with a tempo of 186 beats per minute.[6]

Music video and promotion

The music video was directed by Kim Ki-hyun and Lee Hye-su of Swisher was released alongside the song by SM Entertainment on March 13. It was inspired by the films Billy Elliot (2000) and Catch Me If You Can (2002).[7]

One hour before the release, Kai held a live broadcast through Exo's YouTube and TikTok channels in which he talked about his EP, songs and production process.[8][9] He promoted the song with televised live performances on various South Korean music programs, including M Countdown, Music Bank, Show! Music Core and Inkigayo.

Commercial performance

The song debuted at number 23 on Circle Digital Chart issue dated March 12 to 18, 2023. It also debuted at number one and 76 on the component Download Chart and BGM Chart, respectively.[10][11]

Criterical reception

On NME's midyear list of the best K-pop songs of 2023, Sara Delgado wrote that the song "exceed expectations" and called it "an immediately enthralling earworm that still resonates through social media months after its release".[12]

Year-end lists for "Rover"
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Dazed Top 50 best K-pop tracks of 2023 47 [13]
NME The 25 best K-pop songs of 2023 10 [14]

Accolades

Awards and nominations for "Rover"
Award ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
MAMA Awards 2023 Best Dance Performance – Male Solo Nominated [15]
Music program awards
Program Date Ref.
Music Bank March 24, 2023 [16][17]
Show! Music Core March 25, 2023 [18][19]

Credits

Credits adapted from EP's liner notes.[4]

Studio

Personnel

Charts

Release history

Release history for Rover
Region Date Format Label
Various March 13, 2023

References

  1. ↑ Cho Yong-jun (February 14, 2023). "EXO's Kai to release a new album in mid-March". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ 엑소 카이, 새 미니앨범 '로버' 발매...예약판매 시작 [EXO's Kai, new mini-album 'Rover' to be released... Reservation starts]. Newsis (in Korean). February 17, 2023. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ "KAI – Rover/Song Information". Melon. March 13, 2023. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Kai (2023). Rover (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment; Dreamus. Credits.
  5. ↑ Lee Min-ji (February 27, 2023). 엑소 카이 타이틀 곡 'Rover' 자유분방 와일드 힙 예고 [EXO's KAI's title song, "Rover" a preview of free-spirited wild hip]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023 – via Naver.
  6. ↑ "Key & BPM for Rover by Kai". Tunebat. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Angela Patricia Suacillo (March 13, 2023). "Kai changes his identity in music video for 'Rover'". NME. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ 엑소 카이, 13일 'Rover' 발매 기념 생방송 진행 [공식] [EXO Kai, live broadcast commemorating the release of 'Rover' on the 13th [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). March 8, 2023. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023 – via Naver.
  9. ↑ Jeong Ji-won (March 13, 2023). [오늘컴백] 엑소 카이, 와일드 힙 'Rover' 귀환...월클 퍼포머 입증 [[Today's comeback] EXO Kai, wild hip 'Rover' return... Demonstration of a Wolkeul(World Class) Performer]. Joy News 24 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Download Chart – Week 11 of 2023". Circle Chart. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  11. ↑ "BGM Chart – Week 11 of 2023". Circle Chart. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  12. ↑ "The 15 best K-pop songs of 2023 – so far". NME. June 28, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  13. ↑ Glasby, Taylor (December 15, 2023). "From Jung Kook to NewJeans and aespa, we look back on the K-pop tracks that ruled the last 12 months". Dazed. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  14. ↑ NME (December 19, 2023). "The 25 best K-pop songs of 2023". NME. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ Grein, Paul (October 19, 2023). "Jimin & Tomorrow X Together Lead Nominations for 2023 MAMA Awards (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  16. ↑ Lee Na-young (March 24, 2023). 카이, '뮤직뱅크' 1위에 눈물...김재환·장우혁 컴백 [종합] [Kai, Tears on 'Music Bank' 1st place... Kim Jae-hwan·Jang Woo-hyuk comeback [Comprehensive]]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  17. ↑ "3월 4주 순위" [Music Bank ranking for the fourth week of March]. KBS Music Bank (in Korean). March 24, 2023. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  18. ↑ Kim No-eul (March 25, 2023). '음중' 엑소 카이, 1위 발표에 울컥 "엑소엘·SM 관계자들 감사"[종합] ['Music Core' EXO's Kai, thrilled by the announcement of No. 1 "Thanks to EXO-L and SM officials" [Comprehensive]]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Naver.
  19. ↑ "2023년 3월 25일 음악중심 차트" [Music Core Chart for March 25, 2022]. iMBC (in Korean). March 27, 2023. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  20. ↑ "RIAS Top Charts Week 13 (24 - 30 Mar 2023)". RIAS. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Digital Chart – Week 11 of 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  22. ↑ "World Digital Song Sales: Week of April 1, 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Digital Chart – March 2023". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 12, 2022.
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