Neha Kakkar’s ‘Candy Shop’ Sparks Online Uproar, Critics Slam It as a ‘Cringe K-Pop Attempt’
Popular Bollywood singer Neha Kakkar is once again the target of an online storm after the launch of her newest music video, Candy Shop. Within minutes of the release of the song, social media was awash with both positive and negative responses; nevertheless, most people bashed the song and claimed it was a “cringe K-Pop attempt.” The repercussion has brought back debates on originality, musical experimentation, and the borderline between inspiration and imitation in Indian pop music.
With colourful sets, stylized choreography and featuring Neha Kakkar and her brother and regular co-worker Tony Kakkar, Candy Shop was released. The song was also playful and youthful, with significant borrowing of glossy pop aesthetics that most viewers found looked like K-Pop music videos. The song was, however, not celebrated as an experiment, and in no time, the song found itself at the centre of the internet backlash.
Certain social media users criticized the song as being overly ambitious about imitating K-Pop without even knowing or valuing the genre. The visuals were characterized by comments on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube as “forced,” “over-the-top,” and “awkward,” with some users finding the choreography and costumes to be incompatible and awkward to view. Hashtags, Candy Shop started to trend, and netizens were discussing whether the song was a creative move or a slip.
Critics and viewers were heard to observe that global musical influences have not been entirely new to Bollywood; however, Candy Shop appeared to have no originality. Some said that mere copying of colourful appearance and dancing in sync with the movements does not translate to being inspired by K-Pop. One user wrote,
“K-Pop works because of precision, training, and storytelling,”
and another user said,
“This feels like a parody rather than a tribute.”
The song was also criticized by its lyrics, which some of the viewers believed to be repetitive and shallow. One part of the audience tagged the song as “vulgar” or “juvenile,” adding that it did not offer anything new in terms of music or lyrics. The reaction videos and memes further increased the backlash and were shared on social media, further increasing the scrutiny.
Nevertheless, despite the backlash, Candy Shop has accumulated an impressive number of views on YouTube, which reflects the presence of an enormous fan base and the digital presence of Neha Kakkar. The followers of the singer emerged to support her by stating that the song is not serious but is to be taken lightly and to have fun. Another critical point that fans raised is that experimentation is not something that should be discouraged, and artists should be left doing whatever they want without being overtly trolled.
With an unashamed image in the market alongside a couple of hits under her belt, Neha Kakkar has yet to give an indirect answer to the backlash of the Candy Shop. The singer, however, has responded to the criticism of online audiences in the past by urging people to respect artists and recognize the effort that goes into the creation of music.
The story of Candy Shop scandals highlights a bigger tendency in Indian pop culture, as the viewers are becoming more vocal and more critical. As the whole world is exposed to the international music styles such as the K-Pop, the standards of quality, authenticity and performance have been heightened to a new level. What could have been considered as fun of an experimental nature is now under tight scrutiny by the populace.
Just like the debate goes on, Candy Shop is another one of the ways in which social media can immediately create a discourse around a release, turning a rainbow-coloured pop song into a discussion on creativity, influence, and cross-cultural crossover. It is yet to be known whether the furore will have a lasting effect on the musical direction of Neha Kakkar; however, the song has certainly made it to the internet headlines, whether it was favourable or unfavourable.
