Twice’s Japanese subunit just dropped their mini album’s pre-release single, a cover of J-pop icon Namie Amuro’s “New Look”

Still on a fashion week high? Twice’s Japanese subunit Misamo is set to keep us in the vibe with their upcoming second mini album “Haute Couture.” But ahead of the album’s release next month, the trio dropped a cover of Namie Amuro’s “New Look.”

Amuro is a J-pop icon who, before her retirement, was also called the Queen of Japanese Pop. “New Look” was then part of Amuro’s 2008 single, “60s 70s 80s,” with the song representing the ’60s. The song also samples The Supremes’ “Baby Love.”

Amuro’s “New Look” music video (MV) was characteristically ’60s in aesthetic, with bright, bold colors and fashion. The lyrics of the song are also very chic and trendy, incorporating slang and terms that one would normally hear from Japan’s “oshare” (fashionable) girls. The sound is also very characteristic of J-pop of the late aughts.

Misamo’s cover, coming 16 years after the song’s original release, is a direct and quite faithful version but also comes with Misamo’s own flavor. (They’re giving “New Look” a new look, you could say…) The girls pay homage to the J-pop icon in the MV’s opening, not only mentioning “16 years ago” but also sporting full bangs reminiscent of Amuro’s own hairstyle in the original MV. 

And whereas Amuro stayed within the ’60s aesthetic, Misamo’s version sees the girls play with a variety of looks, even sporting different “occupations,” going beyond just singers or idols, filling the shoes of fashion designer, magazine editor, and photographer.

The 2024 MV also incorporates more pastels, and features some updated choreography, though still referencing bits from the original. 

Musically speaking, this upbeat track features a slightly more mellow and sweet vocal treatment from Mina, Sana, and Momo, but retains the chic, oshare character the lyrics suggest. In fact, I’d personally even say that Misamo’s interpretation of the lyrics make it more playful than the original.

Overall, fans of early 2000s J-pop can surely enjoy nostalgic gems from Misamo’s new single and MV yet still enjoy something that Misamo has adapted into their own. 

Misamo’s second mini album “Haute Couture” is set to be released on Nov. 6.