Vocals: 25 / 25
Honestly, anything less than a perfect score is really a disappointment coming from Ailee. She’s a native English speaker so the lines are perfectly pronounced, and the high level of energy in the vocals is maintained from start to finish (almost!). I also liked the use of layering her voice to add some thickness / richness so it comes off a little more powerful. Wasn’t the biggest fan of the trumpets at the beginning but with some more listens they kinda melt into the background thanks to the awesome chorus. In contrast to the opening of the song, I felt the ending was a little weak / lacking, but it’s just a small misstep of an otherwise powerful showing.
Music Video: 17 / 25
This music video is supposed to be dance-centric, and it is. At the very least, every couple of transitions is to a dance part, whether solo or with backup dancers. In and out of the dance, Ailee is showing off her charm and energy. I did not like some of the lighting choices at the beginning. Specifically, the dark grey made her look really pale / like some sort of vampire so I was relieving when the video switched to brighter scenes. The box sets aren’t anything special, and the one with all the bright flashy signs reminded me of Girls’ Generation’s “Paparazzi” but that’s just flavor if nothing else. Average music video is average.
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Overall: 85 / 100
The vocals far surpass what a number will have to say about the song. “U&I” is a strong comeback for a standout vocalist. Ailee continues to leave her mark with solid title tracks left and right. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if she’ll try a different genre for the future, just because we’ve become accustomed to what she’s released before.
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