Boy bands aren't supposed to feel this organic. Usually, when a mogul like Simon Cowell assembles a group of five teenagers, there is a distinct "polished to a fault" vibe that permeates everything from their hair to their harmonies. But when PRETTYMUCH dropped their debut single Would You Mind back in the summer of 2017, the reaction was less "here we go again" and more "wait, did they just bring back New Jack Swing?"
It felt fresh. It felt gritty. Honestly, it felt like someone had taken the DNA of 1990s R&B and injected it with a shot of adrenaline.
PRETTYMUCH—comprising Brandon Arreaga, Edwin Honoret, Austin Porter, Nick Mara, and Zion Kuwonu—didn't just release a song; they released a statement of intent. They lived together in a house in Los Angeles, skating, producing, and actually building a chemistry that most manufactured groups have to fake for the cameras. Would You Mind became the anthem for a new generation that missed the synchronization of *NSYNC but wanted the street style of modern California.
The Sonic Architecture of a Breakthrough
What makes this track stand out years later is the production. You've got to credit Savan Kotecha and the team behind it. They didn't play it safe. Instead of a standard four-on-the-floor EDM beat that was dominating the charts in 2017, they went for a syncopated, high-energy groove. The song opens with those snapping finger clicks and a vocal hook that immediately demands you pay attention.
It is aggressive pop.
The bassline is thick. It carries the weight of the song while the boys trade lines with a speed that mirrors the frantic energy of a first crush. It’s a bold choice for a debut. Most groups start with a mid-tempo ballad or a safe dance track, but PRETTYMUCH went straight for the throat with a track that required serious vocal agility and even more serious dance moves.
Why "Would You Mind" Resonated with Gen Z
If you look at the landscape of the late 2010s, music was getting moody. We were in the era of "sad boy" rap and minimalist pop. Then comes this explosion of color and movement. The music video for Would You Mind was a DIY-style masterpiece of urban exploration. It looked like a bunch of friends running around the streets of New York, which, according to various interviews with the band at the time, wasn't far from the truth.
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There was no green screen. No high-concept sci-fi plot. Just Five guys in oversized hoodies and vintage tees doing backflips off curbs and performing tight choreography in the middle of traffic. It felt attainable. It made the fans, the "BEANZ," feel like they were part of the crew.
Brandon Arreaga, often cited as the musical backbone of the group due to his production skills, once mentioned how they wanted to bring back the "performance" aspect of boy bands. They weren't just singers. They were athletes. When you watch the live performances of the track from the Teen Choice Awards or TRL, the breath control alone is staggering. They were actually singing while doing full-out hip-hop routines. That’s a rarity.
The New Jack Swing Revival
The influence of Teddy Riley and the late 80s/early 90s R&B scene is all over this track. It’s got that "swing" feel—that slight delay in the beat that makes you want to move your shoulders. For older listeners, it was nostalgic. For younger listeners, it was a brand-new sound.
- The layered harmonies in the chorus are incredibly dense.
- Zion's runs provide a soulful texture that balances the pop-heavy verses.
- The breakdown toward the end of the song serves as a perfect bridge for a dance break.
Critics at the time were quick to compare them to One Direction, mostly because of the Simon Cowell connection, but musically, they were closer to Bell Biv DeVoe or New Edition. They were leaning into a lane that was completely wide open.
The Choreography Factor
You can't talk about Would You Mind without talking about the footwork. Nick Mara and Austin Porter brought a specific dance pedigree to the group that changed the way their music was perceived. In the video, the choreography isn't just a background element; it's the heartbeat of the song. It’s fast, intricate, and somewhat chaotic in a way that feels rehearsed but spontaneous.
It’s the "skateboarding" of dance.
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They took the concept of a boy band and stripped away the sequins, replacing them with a raw energy that was infectious. This specific song set a bar that was incredibly high, perhaps even too high. It established an identity of "the cool kids who can actually sing" which is a difficult brand to maintain as members grow and musical tastes shift.
Behind the Scenes: The Creation of the Track
The song was written and produced by a powerhouse team, including Kotecha, Peter Svensson, and Ilya Salmanzadeh. These are the same minds behind hits for Ariana Grande and The Weeknd. They knew exactly how to bridge the gap between "teen pop" and "credible R&B."
During the recording process, the members have often spoken about the pressure of being the "next big thing." They spent months in the studio before the public ever heard a note. Would You Mind was chosen as the lead single because it captured their collective personality—loud, slightly cheeky, and undeniably talented. The lyrics are straightforward: it's a "can I talk to you?" song. But the delivery turns a simple pickup line into a high-stakes pop moment.
Where Does the Song Stand Now?
In the years since its release, the boy band cycle has moved on to the K-pop explosion, which took the "performance" aspect to an even more extreme level. However, PRETTYMUCH’s debut remains a cult classic in the Western pop world. It represents a specific moment when Western boy bands tried to reclaim their crown by going back to the basics of R&B and street culture.
The song hasn't aged. If you play it in a club or at a party today, the production still sounds thick and expensive. It doesn't have the "tinny" quality of many 2017 pop tracks. That is the hallmark of good engineering and a solid vocal arrangement.
Evolution and Transition
As the group progressed, their sound evolved into more experimental territory with projects like Smackables, but Would You Mind remains the "north star" for many fans. It was the introduction. It was the first time we saw Zion's effortless riffs or Brandon's leadership in the vocal booth.
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There is a certain bittersweetness to looking back at the track now, especially given the group's later hiatus and member changes. It captures a moment of pure, unadulterated potential. They were the underdogs who had the backing of a giant, yet they managed to sound like they were recording in a garage.
Breaking Down the Misconceptions
A lot of people think PRETTYMUCH was just another attempt to replicate the One Direction formula. That’s objectively wrong. One Direction was built on a folk-pop, arena-rock foundation. PRETTYMUCH was built on rhythm and blues.
If you listen to the stems of Would You Mind, the complexity of the vocal stacks is much higher than your average pop song. They weren't just hitting notes; they were blending textures. You have the rasp of Austin, the clarity of Edwin, and the power of Zion all working in a three-part harmony that is notoriously difficult to pull off live.
Actionable Takeaways for Pop Enthusiasts
If you’re a songwriter, a dancer, or just a fan of the genre, there is a lot to learn from the success and structure of this specific era of PRETTYMUCH.
- Study the "Swing": If you're producing music, listen to how the drums in this track don't sit perfectly on the grid. That "pocket" is what gives the song its soul.
- Visual Consistency: Notice how their fashion in the video matches the "raw" sound of the track. Branding works best when the audio and visual are in total sync.
- Vocal Layering: For singers, pay attention to the ad-libs in the final third of the song. They aren't just random noise; they are carefully placed to build tension.
- Embrace the Throwback: Don't be afraid to pull from eras that aren't currently "trending." In 2017, New Jack Swing wasn't the hottest thing on the radio, but PRETTYMUCH made it feel current.
The legacy of Would You Mind is a reminder that talent and chemistry are the only things that actually matter in the long run. You can have the best marketing in the world, but if the song doesn't make people want to move, it won't stick. This one stuck. It remains a masterclass in how to introduce a group to the world with enough energy to shake the room.
To truly appreciate the track today, go back and watch the "choreography version" of the music video. It strips away the distractions and shows five young men at the top of their game, proving that they weren't just another boy band—they were a legitimate musical force. The song serves as a blueprint for how to balance commercial appeal with genuine artistic grit. Even as the members pursue solo projects or different creative paths, the foundation they built with this single stands as a high-water mark for 2010s pop.