Rabithah attracts attention by re-conceptualising K-pop bops, bts, celeb, kpop, music, rabithah, theHive.Asia

A Malaysian group of performers has recently attracted attention over their spiritual rendition of K-pop songs.

Following continuous criticisms regarding the content of K-pop songs that would sometimes include sexual innuendos in its lyrics and culturally insensitive imagery in their music video, a group called Rabithah of Tarbiah Sentap Records haw started to reimagine K-pop songs into more wholesome versions and fuse more spiritual advice and Islamic message into the lyrics.

Since the late 2010s, Rabithah – which members are made up of Mahdi, Ayman, Ridwan and Hakim Sufian – has released several cover versions of various K-pop songs, from BTS’ “Dynamite” and “Fake Love” being re-recorded as “Seruanku” and “Fikirlah” – two songs about the importance of preaching goodness to everybody and the importance of remembering the fragility of life, to BLACKPINK’s “Let’s Kill This Love” being re-envision as “Bersama Kau”, a song about one friend leading another to righteousness.

Rabithah has also re-recorded BTS’ songs with more nasyid-like lyrics

Even a bop like BLACKPINK’s “Ice Cream”, a collaboration between the K-pop group with American singer Selena Gomez, was remade into a song about reminding each other to cleanse one’s heart from sins.

According to Rabithah on their Youtube channel, after learning the more sexual meaning of the original song “Ice Cream”, they’ve decided to do a cover to turn the song into something more wholesome and meaningful for everybody to enjoy. This they did, in collaboration with singer Fitri Haris.

Mahdi, Ayman, Ridwan and Hakim Sufian of Rabithah

While some has expressed skepticism over such covers, saying that the young people of today are much more educated and technologically savvy to not be easily swayed by messages of these songs, others welcomed the change, saying that Rabithah’s renditions were more beneficial to them when it comes to reminding themselves to continue to be better Muslims.

Rabithah’s renditions are a welcome change