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BLACKPINK: What You Need to Know About K-Pop's Biggest Girl Group

BLACKPINK rose to the top of the U.S. pop charts in 2020, but this is not the group's first time in the spotlight

The four-member South Korean girl band — who get their name from the mixture of tough "black" and flirty "pink" of their songs — have been global superstars since the release of their 2016 single " Boombayah ." And, in 2023, the group is rumored to be Coachella headliners , where they would reportedly make history as the first K-pop headlining act.

Why are they called BLACKPINK?

Formed by YG Entertainment under the famous K-pop trainee system in South Korea, the members auditioned with the entertainment agency to become students or "trainees," hoping to one day make their debut as recording artists. When BLACKPINK debuted, their label YG Entertainment said the name intends to convey that the group embodies more than beauty — there's a toughness, too.

"The meaning of BLACKPINK aims to contradict the common perception of the color pink," the statement read. "Pink is commonly used to portray prettiness, but BLACKPINK actually means to say that 'Pretty isn't everything.' It also symbolizes that they are a team that encompasses not only beauty but also great talent."

How is BLACKPINK different from other K-pop groups?

Between their debut in 2016 and the 2020 release of The Album , BLACKPINK released fewer than two dozen songs, all singles. Despite the small discography, the group's glam look and fun choreography were quickly replicated by other K-pop groups and fans in their social media videos.

The most significant part of BLACKPINK's popularity lies in the group's undeniable stage presence and their songs and bilingual lyrics, which talk about independence and vulnerability. BLACKPINK is also known for their video styling or "concepts" for each song. Where some K-pop videos might have two or three concepts in their music videos, BLACKPINK will often have five or six completely different concepts (complete with varying hair colors and clothing) featured in their video.

Who are the members of BLACKPINK?

Kim Jisoo is a singer who is often referred to as "adorable" by BLINKs (the official name of BLACKPINK fans). She's known for her steadiness and composure — and for balancing random objects on her head or shoulders. Previous videos showed her with a cup or an award on her head. Jisoo acted in commercials before BLACKPINK and has starred on the JTBC historical K-drama series Snowdrop (also available to stream on Disney+ ) since December 2021. Although she is the only member who does not speak English fluently, the singer speaks Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

During a 2019 appearance on The Late Show with James Corden , Jisoo's unflappable calm impressed the host.

Jisoo will soon be in familiar company with the rest of her bandmates with the release of her long-awaited solo album, which is expected later in 2023 after BLACKPINK's rumored headlining performance at Coachella.

YG Entertainment issued a statement in January 2023, confirming the exciting news.

"BLACKPINK's Jisoo is currently working hard on recording her solo album. While carrying out a busy world tour schedule since last year, she finished the album jacket photo shoot and worked on music production whenever she got the time in order to keep the promise with fans. She will greet fans soon with good news."

Kim Jennie was in the trainee program for nearly six years — the longest of the members. Jennie lived in New Zealand before moving back to South Korea in 2010 and speaks fluent English, Korean and Japanese. She was the first member of BLACKPINK to release an individual track in 2018 titled "SOLO."

In 2021, Jennie was named the new face of Hera , a Seoul-based beauty company. She is set to make her acting debut in 2023 opposite Lily-Rose Depp on the HBO drama The Idol under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane. The series is co-created by singer The Weeknd and Euphoria writer and director Sam Levinson.

Park Chaeyoung (Rosé) was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia — where she auditioned for YG Entertainment. Rosé is fluent in English and learned Korean after moving to South Korea to participate in the trainee program. She is the group's main singer, and fans claim her distinct voice is easily recognizable. On a promotional appearance for The Album , Rosé impressed fans (and Shakira herself) with her impressive take on the 2010 song "Waka Waka."

Rosé released her solo album, R , in March 2021, featuring the songs "On the Ground" and "Gone."

Lalisa Pranpriya Manoban (also spelled Manobal) is known for both her rap and dance skills. Born and raised in Thailand, Lisa (like Rosé) learned Korean after moving to South Korea in 2011. Lisa also speaks English and Japanese. During promo appearances, Lisa often showcases her impromptu dancing skills, creating viral moments for the group.

Lisa released her debut single album, LALISA , in September 2021, which features the songs "Lalisa" and "Money." The title song's music video won the MTV Video Music Award for best K-pop video in 2022 and was honored by Guinness World Records as the "most viewed YouTube music video by a solo artist in 24 hours" and "most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a solo K-pop artist."

Lisa shared with Billboard how she chose the two songs for her album.

"I heard 'Money' first and told Teddy, 'Oh my God, Teddy oppa , I have to do this song, I want this to be my solo song.' And he was like, 'OK, let's do it!' And then we heard [an early version of] 'Lalisa,' but the hook was another thing," she said. "Teddy had the idea to put my name in the hook. At first, I was like, 'Whaaa … I think it's kind of weird to keep repeating my name. How's it going to sound?' And then we tried it, and it came out so cool. I really like it."

How long has BLACKPINK been together?

BLACKPINK debuted in 2016 with the mini album Square One, which consisted of only two songs — "Whistle" and "Boombayah." The debut was heavily promoted in the K-pop scene as BLACKPINK was the first girl group from YG Entertainment in seven years. "Boombayah" galloped straight out of the gate to hit No. 1 on Billboard 's World Digital Songs chart, and their popularity continued with additional releases in the following year.

In 2018, BLACKPINK made headlines again with their single "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" from the EP Square Up . A few months later, the group branched out by working with Dua Lipa on the track "Kiss and Make Up."

YG Entertainment positioned BLACKPINK for a global market by partnering with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group in October 2018. BLACKPINK then focused on the U.S. market with performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , Good Morning America and the 2019 Coachella music festival .

What about BLACKPINK songs?

For an introduction to BLACKPINK music, start with their debut single, " Boombayah ." The video for the song has an upbeat and fun girls-night-out vibe (ending in a party at a retro roller-skating rink). The video offers viewers a peek at the group's impending stardom with sharp choreography and a flair for visuals.

Next, move on to "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" — the 2018 comeback single is a rapid-fire whirlwind of tough-girl cool. Follow up with "Whistle," "As If It's Your Last," "Lovesick Girls" and "Playing With Fire," each of which has introspective melodies with lyrics full of love, eagerness and passion.

On the other hand, the 2020 track " Ice Cream ," featuring Selena Gomez , is a rare sexy song from the group , showcasing double entendre lyrics against a hypnotic beat. Check out the animated version of the video to see BLACKPINK rendered as Zepeto — an app that allows users to turn themselves into 3D animated characters.

"Pretty Savage" and "Crazy Over You" from the band's debut album highlight the group's vocal prowess, with maple syrup smooth lyrics against a can't-get-it-out-of-your-head melody. "Bet You Wanna," featuring Cardi B , is a fun song for the brand, with bubblegum pop lyrics meant for summertime pool parties or dancing in the kitchen while you make dinner.

End with fan favorites " Kill This Love " and " How You Like That " to see how the group has grown into its own: The two songs showcase girl power, sick beats and in-your-face optimism.

Once you've added those tracks to your playlist, listen to BLACKPINK's 2022 album, BORN PINK , featuring the singles "Pink Venom" and "Shut Down," which both hit No. 1 on Billboard 's Global 200 chart .

What does "BLACKPINK in your area" mean?

The band's signature phrase, first uttered in their debut song, "Boombayah," declares the group's global domination plan. With every new song, BLACKPINK teases snippets of new concepts, hair colors and clothing. And the publicity has paid off. The group now has amassed over 83 million subscribers and counting on its YouTube channel — with the video for "Kill This Love" reaching over 1.7 billion views as of January 2023.

Loyal fans count everything from each member's line distribution on songs to who keeps the center position in the choreography. BLACKPINK, eager to give the fans what they want, often uploads practice videos of the group practicing their choreography, like the popular instructional video for "Lovesick Girls."

Fans also flock to what's known as "fancams" — concert videos that focus on one member of the group's performance. Search for " BLACKPINK fancam " on YouTube, and you'll find dozens of videos from their live performances, each highlighting one member at a time. The popularity of BLACKPINK means new business ventures for its members: Jisoo has worked as a Dior ambassador, Jennie for Chanel, Rosé for Saint Laurent and Lisa for Celine.

Netflix also paired with BLACKPINK to air their 2020 documentary BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky — a look behind the scenes of the band's inner workings. For a peek into the (almost) off-duty personality of the band, look for " BLACKPINK 24 365 " on YouTube. The program, a reference to a line from their song "Whistle," was set in a Big Brother -type camera-outfitted house and was a hub where the bandmates lived during promotional periods surrounding new singles.

Don't speak Korean? Fan-produced videos are here to help, with a color-coded who's-singing-this-line guide to lyrics in Korean, Korean-to-English translation and English.

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Everything to Know About K-Pop Group BLACKPINK

T he word K-pop has, of late, become almost synonymous with the letters B, T and S . But there’s another K-pop group that’s been breaking records as their music captures the attention of a global audience. The four women of Blackpink, who debuted as a group in 2016, comprise a multilingual performance powerhouse connecting with fans across borders. Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa may have just begun touring globally, but a strong fanbase stretching far beyond South Korea is already powering their rapid ascent.

Blackpink’s song “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” is currently the most-watched music video by a K-pop group on Youtube , boasting 730 million views. (Individual artist Psy’s 2012 single “Gangnam Style” continues to be the most-viewed music video by a Korean music act, with more than 3 billion views.) The group’s social media followings are also breaking records. Lisa, the group’s main dancer and youngest member, is the most-followed female K-pop artist on Instagram with more than 16 million followers.

Blackpink’s upcoming schedule is packed with international opportunities to connect with their fans, who are called “BLINKs,” a portmanteau of “black” and “pink.” Later this month, they will become the first female K-pop group to play at the Coachella music festival , before continuing the North American, European, and Australian legs of their first world tour.

This week, the group releases a new 5-track EP, “Kill This Love,” already trending on social media and expected to top charts. Here’s everything you need to know about Blackpink, the girl group elevating K-pop’s global popularity.

Why are they called Blackpink?

The group’s name was conceived to contrast with the perception of femininity commonly associated with the color pink. When Blackpink debuted, their label YG Entertainment said the name intends to convey that the group embodies more than beauty. “I may look sweet, but I don’t act like it,” Jennie sings in the opening lines of “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” echoing this message.

What makes Blackpink different from other groups?

Blackpink’s discography is limited — before “Kill This Love,” the group had released fewer than 20 tracks since their debut in 2016, including the Japanese versions of their Korean songs. Nevertheless, a handful of their singles have not only ranked on Billboard charts but gone viral online, with their signature choreographies regularly replicated by fellow K-pop idols and global fans in dance covers.

A large part of the group’s appeal is their ferocity, created through a blend of bold rapping, powerful singing and chic styling. Although dark and edgy concepts are not a novelty in K-pop girl groups, Blackpink double down on these through the imagery in their music videos, such as the bejeweled tank in “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du.”

Who are the members of Blackpink?

Jisoo (full name: kim jisoo), 24.

The oldest member in the group, Jisoo is a singer, often referred to as Blackpink’s mood-maker. She has a quirky sense of humor and a proclivity for generating on-the-spot songs about any topic — from the weather to a craving for chicken skewers. Jisoo acted in a number of music videos and commercials in her pre-Blackpink years. Although she is the only member who does not speak English fluently, the vocalist is nevertheless trilingual, able to speak Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by JISOO🪐 (@sooyaaa__)

Jennie (Full Name: Kim Jennie), 23

Blackpink’s main rapper, who also sings, Jennie was a “trainee” for just shy of six years — the longest of the members. (Under the trainee system in South Korea, aspiring pop idols audition with entertainment agencies to become trainees with the hopes of one day debuting as an artist.) Jennie lived in New Zealand for a period before moving back to South Korea in 2010, and speaks fluent English in addition to Korean and Japanese. She was the first member of Blackpink to release an individual track, titled “SOLO.” The music video showcased her versatility as both a rapper and singer, while further establishing her as a fashion icon through the more than 20 outfits worn within the three-minute clip.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by J (@jennierubyjane)

Rosé (Full Name: Park Chaeyoung), 22

Born in New Zealand and raised in Australia — where she participated in YG Entertainment’s auditions and placed first — Rosé is also fluent in English. She is the group’s main singer, and her distinct voice is easy to recognize. Rosé plays the guitar and piano and frequently covers both English and Korean songs. She recently shared a cover of Halsey’s “Eyes Closed” on her birthday as a gift to fans, writing , “This is such a deep song and I remember at the time when I recorded it, I was needing some of the healing that this song brings to me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did singing it.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ROSÉ (@roses_are_rosie)

Lisa (Full Name: Lalisa/Pranpriya Manoban), 22

Lisa, the youngest member — known as “maknae” — is the main dancer in Blackpink. Born and raised in Thailand, Lisa was in a dance crew at a young age before she auditioned to become a K-pop idol trainee. Besides Thai, Lisa speaks Korean — which she started to learn after moving to South Korea in 2011 — English, Japanese, and basic Chinese. Although she raps and sings, it is the “focused camera” recordings of Lisa’s dancing, a combination of smooth body rolls, sharp hits and captivating facial expressions, that often become the subject of Blackpink’s viral videos.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LISA (@lalalalisa_m)

How did Blackpink rise in popularity?

Blackpink officially debuted in 2016 with the single album Square One, which consisted of two songs — “Whistle” and “Boombayah.” The debut was highly anticipated in the K-pop scene as Blackpink was the first girl group to come from YG Entertainment, the major company home to powerhouse groups like BIGBANG and 2NE1, in seven years. “Boombayah” made the group the fastest musical act, at the time, to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart , and their success continued with additional releases in the following year.

In 2018, Blackpink received a new level of international attention when they became the highest-charting K-pop girl group on Billboard with the single “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” and the EP Square Up . “Ddu-Du Ddu Du” hit No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 — surpassing Wonder Girls’ English version of the song “Nobody” which peaked at No. 76 in 2009 — while Square Up hit No. 40 on the Billboard 200. A few months later, the group collaborated with Dua Lipa on the track “Kiss and Make Up,” reaching a new audience with a bilingual song that currently has more than 200 million streams on Spotify.

The potential for a more global footprint became apparent when Blackpink signed with Interscope Records and Universal Music Group last October. YG Entertainment partnered with the label with the goal of promoting the group internationally. Shortly after, Blackpink made their debut on U.S. television with a performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , then on Good Morning America.

Where should I start with their music?

For an introduction to Blackpink, start with “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” the record-breaking anthem featuring hard-hitting rap verses and dynamic trap beats. The song takes its name from the sound of gunshots, and the most recognizable choreography includes shooting fingers matched with swaying hips. In the music video, vocalist Jisoo walks through a crowd that records her with phones in outstretched hands. She trips and falls, and the phones’ orientation turns to simulate guns pointing at her. The scene appears to comment on how quickly attitudes toward celebrities can switch from admiration to aggression.

Besides “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” singles like “As If It’s Your Last” and “Playing With Fire” have energetic melodies with lyrics expressing love and passion. The track “Stay,” on the other hand, is a rare ballad from the group, showcasing Jennie and Lisa’s softer rapping along with Jisoo and Rosé’s voices layered atop acoustic melodies.

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BLACKPINK: A Girl Group Owning Its Girl Power

BLACKPINK debuted on the music scene in 2016 with a subtle but clear declaration with "BLACKPINK in your area," marking how the group's pride and owning their girl power as a girl group is helping…

By Jeff Benjamin

Jeff Benjamin

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BLACKPINK debuted on the K-pop scene in 2016 with a subtle but clear declaration. “BLACKPINK in your area” was coolly slurred by member Jennie over zippy synthesizers at the top of their debut “Boombayah” video. The double-single release of “Boombayah” and the smooth pop cut “Whistle” solidified the long-awaited girl group as an instant success in their home country — with the latter track hitting No. 1 on the Korean charts — as well as pulling off an unprecedented feat in America: The quartet was the first K-pop act to send their debut single to No. 1 on Billboard ‘s World Digital Song Sales chart . With just six singles and one EP to their name, BLACKPINK are breaking major ground for K-pop girl groups — and girl groups at large — with a certified hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart , a top 40 album on the Billboard 200 and the most-viewed Korean video in its first 24 hours on YouTube . And the key may be chalked up to their loud-and-proud embracing of their identity as a girl group.

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BLACKPINK Makes K-Pop History on Hot 100, Billboard 200 & More With 'DDU-DU DDU-DU'

From the get-go, BLACKPINK branded themselves with catchy self-shout-outs. There’s Jisoo’s “Black to the Pink” hook on “Boombayah,” Lisa’s “A little bit of Black with a little bit of Pink” line on their “So Hot” remix and multiple shouts of their name on “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” and throughout their just-released Square Up EP. The group itself was designed to showcase the duality between the group’s dark and fierce side (the black) along with their light and lovable side (pink), felt in their extremely accessible hip-hop/dance-pop sound. The ladies themselves fit the image with rappers Jennie and Lisa blending nicely with vocalists Rosé and Jisoo. Furthermore, BLACKPINK embrace the fact that they are an all-female act with lines like “We the only gang to run the game in high-heels” on “So Hot.”

The blatant, proud declaration of girl power is reminiscent to some of the most successful girl groups of recent years who always seemed fully invested in the group identity. Starting in the late ’90s, the Spice Girls had their five different spices, with each girl having a polished image and performance style. Plus, their two smash albums, Spice and Spice World, all played off their name, not to mention the lead singles from both introduced the different members (see Mel B and Geri Halliwell’s rap on Spice ‘s “Wannabe”) or became a group anthem ( Spice World ‘s “Spice Up Your Life”).

TLC had their T-Boz, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez and Chili with each member’s part instantly identifiable in a song. Destiny’s Child may have been ultimately overpowered by Beyoncé , but the group’s story was one of pop’s most well-known with the ladies putting their story into music (the group’s member exits were addressed on “Survivor”) and eventually began shouting out the different members (“Kelly, can you handle this? Michelle, can you handle this?”), making a reunion performance like Coachella 2018 all the more welcome. The Pussycat Dolls committed to their theme and had clear branding in their look, merchandise and songs; look back to verses from collaborators  like Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott and Snoop Dogg.

Interestingly, the most successful wave of Western girl groups of recent years did not use those same tactics. The two obvious front-runners,  Fifth Harmony  and Little Mix , typically do not publicly push the fact that it’s a group singing their insanely catchy singles on the record, with the collective identity feeling more like a backdrop. While tracks like “Wings,” “DNA” or “Salute” touched on their personal story as a group (member Leigh-Anne Pinnock has a “Wings”-inspired butterfly tattoo), it was only recently that the LM ladies seemed to let their narrative — or the public’s perceived narrative — directly creep into the music with “Shout Out to My Ex,” an apparent kiss-off anthem to the media’s obsession with Perrie Edwards and her ex-fiancé Zayn Malik. That single was voted British single of the year at the 2017 Brit Awards, one of the highest honors in the U.K., as well becoming one of the highest-charting entries on the Hot 100.

BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-Du Ddu-Du' Becomes Most-Viewed Korean Music Video in 24 Hours on YouTube

It also feels like some of K-pop’s biggest and most globally successful girl groups have their team branding in mind too, as seen in now-disbanded acts like 2NE1 and 4Minute . But also look at groups like  TWICE crafting hooks around their names (their debut single “Like Ooh Ahh” included the “I ain’t no easy/ Better think about it twice” bridge), while Red Velvet have done a nice job by embracing both sides of their name with bright pop and slick R&B tracks, and  Pristin opened their debut single chanting “We are Pristin!” All three of those groups, along with BLACKPINK, scored impressive debuts with their first releases on the Billboard charts .

All in all, it feels like BLACKPINK may be hitting on a larger sentiment when it comes to their girl-group identity and clear pride as a girl group. There’s an excitement in any group owning their identity, but BLACKPINK is doing it in a way that feels like the listener is joining in on the hype and helping craft this story. Four women coming together to declare “BLACKPINK is the revolution,” heard on the new track  “Forever Young,” is powerful — it’s not one person changing things; it’s BLACKPINK.

Moving forward, it seems like it would only help the quartet to put more of themselves into the music. There are topics the group could address that could fit to their personal story, perhaps their frustrations or worries for their long-awaited debut that was teased for years, pressures of the industry or maybe the worries they feel as potential global stars. But BLACKPINK’s runaway success does not seem to be a fluke and touching on something larger than just uber-catchy hits —  there’s a power in them being confident and proud of their power as a girl group in a way that only the best, and most global, girl groups can.

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How Blackpink Became The Biggest K-Pop Girl Band On The Planet

By Taylor Glasby

It’s taken just four years for Blackpink to become one of the biggest girl bands in the world, with members Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa continuing to smash new records and forge new ground. They were the first K-pop girl group to play at Coachella and to reach 1 billion YouTube views — now they’re the most-subscribed-to music group on the platform — as well as being the first girl group from any country to feature on Forbes Asia ’s 30 Under 30 list. Read more: 7 K-Pop Stars Shaping Fashion In 2020 In 2019, they broke three Guinness World Records with the single “ Kill This Love ”, which has had more than 312 million plays on Spotify and over 824 million YouTube views — a mere fraction of the quartet’s billions of streams, downloads, views and followers. That same year they also undertook the most financially successful concert tour by a Korean female group. They’ve been front-row fixtures at runway shows and the faces of mega brands including Chanel, Puma, Louis Vuitton and Dior. And all this with just a handful of songs in their repertoire. How on earth did they do it?

New-gen girl band

As the first girl group in seven years out of YG Entertainment (home to K-pop legends Bagbang, 2NE1 and formerly, Psy), excitement prior to Blackpink’s August 2016 debut had built to fever pitch. There were big shoes to fill; the beloved, trailblazing four-member girl group 2NE1 were over and Blackpink were expected to revive the bold EDM pop sound they’d embodied. Their debut, Square One , was an overnight smash, the insistent build of “ Whistle ” and cocky chorus on “ Boombayah ” making for a short but thrilling introduction.

In November 2016, second single album Square Two featured a pop banger (“ Playing With Fire ”), an acoustic version of “Whistle” and “ Stay ”, a country-influenced track that allowed them to flex their vocal wings away from their ‘girl crush’ concept (K-pop vernacular for a fiery look and sound that’s proved immensely popular with international audiences).

Though dubbed ‘the new 2NE1’ during their rookie days, watching some of their first appearances on Korean variety shows brings into focus not only Blackpink’s chaotically entertaining presence but the determination to carve out their own identities. Vocalist Jisoo has become a face for beauty brands Kiss Me and Dior; rapper and vocalist Jennie has branched out as a soloist and a powerful influencer; New Zealand-born Rosé ’s distinct vocal has seen her on hits for G-Dragon, while Thailand-born rapper and dancer Lisa is the most-followed K-pop star on Instagram.

By Daniel Rodgers

By Amandine Lhoste

Then, and now, they recognise the need for each other to complete the group alchemy that’s endeared them to millions. “I don’t think a specific member should do more dancing or one member does more singing. I think Blackpink’s harmony is complete because of each person’s energy,” Jennie told Vogue Korea earlier this year.

The Blinks  

Avril , a 16-year-old Blink (Blackpink’s fandom name) from Peru discovered them in 2018. “Everything about them made me become a fan,” she tells Vogue over Twitter. “The way they perform, their iconic songs and choreos, their friendship, even the way they dress. Blackpink were on a whole new level.” Meanwhile, McElvin , a 22-year-old long-time K-pop fan in the Philippines, was on board even before their debut. “Blackpink has this engaging, charismatic feeling,” he explains via Twitter. “They’re the visualisation of pure talent and energy that a K-pop girl group must have. They’re the whole package for me.”

The longstanding vision of K-pop as a blinged-out, ultra-slick fantasy world was created by three labels — YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and SM Entertainment. YG is renowned for maximalist visuals and a heavy, club-friendly sound devised by in-house writer/producer Teddy Park — the man behind some of K-pop’s biggest, hookiest hits. On Blackpink’s 2018 “ Ddu-du-ddu-du ” (“DDDD” for short) all these elements aligned to produce an irresistible pop package.

Nineteen-year-old Ally (not her real name), a Singaporean who runs a sizeable fan account on Twitter calls “DDDD” “their total breakthrough”. Success lay in the catchy titular refrain, the memorable finger-gun dance and a gloriously excessive video, but also in Blackpink themselves as aspirational but emulatable, aesthetically fierce but not intimidating, killer on stage but adorable off it. The four-track EP, Square Up , would go platinum in South Korea, “DDDD” would reach gold in the US, becoming their first billion-view video, and “ Kill This Love ” would make them the first-ever Korean girl group to enter the UK singles chart.

Is less more?

These milestones came via a fandom that had grown rapidly since late 2016, but who had to wait eight months for 2017’s single “As If It’s Your Last”, then an entire year for its follow-up “Square Up”. One release per year was once standard in K-pop, when there were fewer groups fighting for a share of a small domestic market. Groups now average two or three releases (known as ‘comebacks’) a year in a bid to grow and maintain fandoms, but YG Entertainment — one of South Korea’s oldest K-pop agencies — remained unapologetically committed to less is more.

It’s not a failsafe plan — it draws constant fan criticism, petitions and boycott threats — but the old-school approach, in an era of oversaturation and instant gratification, has created heightened desire and demand. It’s turned every comeback into a global event and has funnelled the fandom’s streaming power into the kind of headline-making, spreadsheet-melting numbers that have seduced many a label executive.

Fashion’s FROW favourites

Like many successful musicians, Blackpink understands the power in marrying the worlds of music and fashion. Their innate understanding of style has made them hot property, with the girls now FROW fixtures at Fashion Week. In September 2019, Jisoo popped to London for Burberry, while Rosé wowed at Saint Laurent (and was also asked by Anthony Vaccarello to be brand ambassador). Meanwhile, Jennie found herself next to Cardi B at Chanel, for whom she is also a brand ambassador .

In February 2020, Lisa — currently muse for Hedi Slimane’s Celine — took a trip to Milan for Prada’s autumn/winter 2020 show. Given their proven selling power — magazines have reported needing to print quadruple copies to supply demand, their tours sell out in seconds — the relationship between the band and fashion’s leading houses will long continue to flourish.

Lisa with Miuccia Prada at the Prada autumn/winter 2020 show in Milan.

2016: Debut, "Square One", "Square Two"

On June 29, 2016, YG Entertainment revealed the final line-up and name of the group. [1] BLACKPINK is the first girl group to debut under YG Entertainment since 2NE1's debut in 2009. [2] The group debuted on August 8 with their first digital single album, " Square One ". [3] The single album has two songs, "Whistle" and "Boombayah" which are the title tracks for the album. "Whistle" was composed by Teddy Park, Future Bounce, and Bekuh BOOM and written by Teddy Park and Bekuh BOOM. [4] "Boombayah" was composed and written by Teddy Park and Bekuh BOOM. [5] Beomjin J directed the music video for "Whistle" while Seo Hyun-seung did for "Boombayah." [6] [7]

"Boombayah" debuted at #1 and "Whistle" debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Digital Songs Chart. They are the third Korean artist to hold the top spots, alongside PSY and Big Bang. [8]

"Whistle" topped the digital, download, and streaming monthly chart of Gaon Chart for August 2016. [9] [10] [11]

"Whistle" also reached #1 on the weekly, popularity, music video, and K-pop music video chart of China’s biggest music-streaming website QQ Music. BLACKPINK made their first music show performance and performed "Whistle" and "Boombayah" for the first time at Inkigayo on August 14. [12]

The group took home their first music show win for their song "Whistle" on August 21 at Inkigayo. It took them 14 days to achieve their first win and are the fourth fastest girl group to win their first. [13] They wrapped up their promotions for "Square One" on September 11 at Inkigayo and scored another win for "Whistle". [14] [15]

BLACKPINK released their second digital single album, " Square Two " on November 1 with " Playing With Fire " and " Stay " serving as the title tracks. [16] Both songs were produced by Teddy, R.Tee, and Seo Won Jin. [17] " Playing With Fire " debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart, making it their second song to do so. [18] The group had their comeback stage at Inkigayo on August 6 and M Countdown on August 10 where they performed "Playing With Fire" and "Stay". [19] [20] [21] [22]

2017: Japan Debut, "As If It's Your Last"

On May 17, it was announced that the group would be debuting in Japan with their debut album which was released on August 9. It was also revealed that they would be holding their debut showcase on July 20 at Budokan in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. [23]

BLACKPINK's first digital single, " As If It's Your Last ", was released on June 22, 2017. [24] The single peaked at #2 on the Billboard Kpop Hot 100. It reached 2.5 million downloads on Gaon in 2018 [25] and sold 9,000 copies in the United States. [26]

On July 17, an article was posted on the YGEX website announcing that BLACKPINK would be releasing their debut Japanese mini album, Blackpink , on August 9. The music videos for the Japanese versions of "Boombayah" and "Whistle were released on August 30. [27]

2018: Square Up , 2018 Tour (In Your Area) Seoul x BC Card, World Tour

On June 1, 2018, a moving poster was posted on the group's social media accounts announcing that the group would be releasing their first mini album, Square Up , on June 15. [28] " Ddu-Du Ddu-Du " served as the album's title track. [29] The song debuted at #2 for the month of June on the monthly Gaon Chart. [30] It then peaked at #1 the following month. [31] " Ddu-Du Ddu-Du " also debuted at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the previous record held by "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls and became the highest highest-charting song by a Korean girl group. [32] [33]

On September 12, it was announced that BLACKPINK would be having their first solo concert, BLACKPINK 2018 Tour (In Your Area) Seoul x BC Card , in Seoul, South Korea the Olympic Gymnastics Arena. [34] YG Entertainment released a statement on October 23, stating that BLACKPINK has signed with an American label, Interscope Records. [35]

On November 1, it was revealed that the group would be having their first world tour, BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour (In Your Area) . It began on January 11 in Bangkok, Thailand at the IMPACT Arena. [36]

2019: Kill This Love , Coachella

On February 9, 2019, BLACKPINK performed at the CEO of Universal Music Group's Showcase party. This was their first US performance. [37] On February 11, the group performed at The Late Show, making it the first US television appearance . [38] They performed at Good Morning America the following day. [39] BLACKPINK was the on the cover for Billboard's magazine for the month of March. [40]

BLACKPINK released their third mini album, Kill This Love , with the same name title track on April 5. [41]

On April 12 and April 19, BLACKPINK performed at Coachella, which made them the first Kpop girl group to perform there. [42]

On October 16, the group's second Japanese full-length album, Kill This Love -JP Ver.- was released. [43] The BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour (In Your Area) ended on July 14 in Fukuoka, Japan at the Fukuoka Dome. [44]

2020: "Sour Candy", "How You Like That", "Ice Cream", The Album

In April 2020, Lady Gaga revealed that she would be releasing " Sour Candy " which is a collaboration with BLACKPINK. A lyric video for the song was posted on June 16. [45] The song debuted at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. [46]

In June, YG revealed that BLACKPINK would have a three-part comeback with two pre-release singles and the album to end it. The first pre-release, " How You Like That ", was released on June 26. The second pre-release would be released either in July or August and their first Korean full-length album in October. [47] YG also stated that Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa would be making their solo debut after the group releases their first Korean full-length album. YG said, "Rosé and Lisa have already wrapped up their recordings, whereas Jisoo is enthusiastically working on her music." [48]

On July 23, a teaser poster was posted which teased that the group would be releasing a collaboration single by an unnamed artist in August [49] On July 28, a teaser poster revealed that BLACKPINK would be releasing their first album, The Album , on October 2. [50]

August 11, Selena Gomez was revealed to be the unnamed artist. [51] The song was revealed to be titled, " Ice Cream " two days later. [52] " Ice Cream " was released on August 28. [53]

24/365 with BLACKPINK, BLACKPINK's first reality series, began airing on July 4 and ended on October 24. An episode was posted on the group's YouTube channel every Saturday. [54]

On September 8, Netflix and BLACKPINK announced that BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky will premiere on October 14 as an all-access documentary, covering the four years since BLACKPINK's explosive debut in 2016 with video footage from their days training, the members' home lives, behind the scenes stories and honest interviews with the members.

On November 20, American lifestyle magazine Variety announced that the group would be named "Group of The Year" in their 2020 Hitmakers issue. On December 2, the group announced their first online concert, entitled BLACKPINK: The Show , would be held on December 27 (later postponed to January 31, 2021) exclusively on YouTube.

2021: BLACKPINK: The Movie, 4+1 Project

On May 12, 2021, YG announced that BLACKPINK would have their comeback in the later half of 2021.

On June 16, 2021, it was announced that BLACKPINK: The Movie will air on August 8, as part of their "4+1 PROJECT" to commemorate the group's fifth anniversary. On July 14, YG announced that BLACKPINK would be joining WEVERSE on August 2, as part of the “4+1 Project”. [55] On July 28, YG announced BLACKPINK’s 2021 Summer Diary as part of the “4+1 Project," it is set to be released on August 25. To celebrate their 5th anniversary, a BLACKPINK island, ‘In Your Area Island’, will be released on Animal Crossing: New Horizons on August 6. [56] As the final part of the "4+1 PROJECT," a special pop up exhibition will be opening on August 21 until August 30. The exhibition will reflect the concept of the songs BLACKPINK has released so far.

2022: BLACKPINK: The Virtual, "Pink Venom" and "Born Pink"

On July 6, 2022, YG Entertainment announced that BLACKPINK are in the final stages of recording their new album and it will be released in August. It was also stated that they will be going on a world tour later this year. [57]

On July 12, 2022, YG Entertainment revealed that BLACKPINK would hold a virtual in-game concert in PUBG Mobile from July 22 to 30, including performances of the group's hit songs as well as a special track titled " Ready For Love " to be previewed during the event for the first time. It was released in full on July 29, 2022. [58]

On July 26, 2022, YG Entertainment stated that BLACKPINK are in the middle of filming a music video and added that it's the most highest production cost they have ever spent on an MV. [59]

On August 1, 2022, a Born Pink announcement trailer was posted on the group's social media accounts announcing that the group will be releasing a pre-release single in August, an album in September, and starting a world tour in October. [60] Later that day, YG explained that Born Pink is the project name for their upcoming releases. [61] On August 8, a teaser poster was posted which revealed that the group will be releasing the pre-release single, " Pink Venom " on August 19. [62] The next day, a schedule announcement was posted which announced that the world tour, BLACKPINK World Tour 'Born Pink' , will start on October 15 at Seoul, South Korea. [63] On August 10, a teaser poster was posted which revealed that the group will be releasing their second studio album, Born Pink on September 16. [64]

On August 16, BLACKPINK announced that they will be performing at the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, this makes them the first Korean female act to perform there. [65]

On August 24, YG Entertainment revealed that BLACKPINK are filming the music video for the title track for Born Pink at Gyeonggi province. They also added that the title track will shock the fans and that the music video will raise the status of Kpop quality to something that hasn't been seen before. [66]

On September 16, Born Pink and its title track " Shut Down " were both released.

BLACKPINK was named the 2022 Entertainer Of The Year by TIME Magazine which makes them the first girl group to receive the title of Entertainer Of The Year. [67]

All members were awarded Members of British Empire (MBE) by King Charles III in 2023 for the group's contribution to Music. Only Rosé is realistically possible to later become a Dame and be called Madam, as she is still a citizen of a Commonwealth country, as she was born in New Zealand and gained citizenship by birth.

Endorsements

Within three weeks of debut, BLACKPINK placed second behind EXO for brand reputation based on a study by Korea Institute of Corporate Reputation in August 2016. Another study targeting girl groups revealed that the group's brand influence had already surpassed that of Girls' Generation and Twice for September. The chief of the reputations research lab described the feat as a "first". They became endorsers for several brands including Reebok, Moonshot and Saint Scott. They were also featured as models for major magazines including Nylon Korea, South Korean 1st Look, and Singapore's TEENAGE.

• Moonshot (2016)
• Reebok (2016)
• Saint Scoot (2016)
• Mise-en-scène (2018)
• TREVI Stylish Sparkling Water (2017)
• LG G6 (2017)
• Olens (2017) (2021)
• Sprite (2018)
• Adidas Korea (2018)
• Puma (2018)
• CRUUM Japan (2018)
• Shopee Indonesia (2018)
• Woori Bank (2019)
• Paradise City Hotel & Resort (2019)
• KBank (2019)
• Samsung (2020)
• Bugatti (2020)
• Globe Telecom (2020)
• Pepsi Thailand (2020)
• PUBG Mobile (2020)
• Tokopedia (2021)

Discography

Videography, music videos, music video appearances, other releases, filmography, concert and tours, headlining concerts, blackpink japan premium debut showcase (2017), headlining tours, blackpink arena tour 2018 (2018), black pink world tour [in your area], blackpink: the show, external links.

• They’re the 4th K-Pop Group overall.
• They are the second most followed Korean act.
• BLACKPINK has spent 39 weeks at #1 on Gaon Social Chart.
• BLACKPINK and BIGBANG are the only Korean groups to hit 1 million unique listeners in 24 hours on MelOn. (Before the chart reform)
• BLACKPINK is the first K-Pop act to have 3 M/V's with over 1.1 billion views on YouTube.
• BLACKPINK is the first and only girl group to have 6 M/V's surpass 1 billion views on YouTube. They're tied with Coldplay as the second group to achieve this.
• They’re tied with BTS for the most music videos with over 1 billion views (6).
• BLACKPINK is the third female artist with the most music videos with over 1 billion views.
• They’re the most streamed female group on the platform.
• They gained over 300 million streams in 2022 so far.
• They gained over 2 billion streams in 2021. They're the only group to achieve this. This is their third consecutive year to achieve this, and are now the fastest female group to hit the mark of 1B streams in a single calendar year (23 weeks).
• They were the 20th most streamed female artist in 2021.
• They're the 31st most streamed female artist in the platforms history.
• BLACKPINK is the 9th most followed female act on Spotify. (29M followers)
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed female group in 2021 with 2.88 billion combined Spotify and YouTube streams.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female K-Pop artist with the most monthly listeners overall. (16.119M)
• They’re the second female artist to surpass 60M subscribers on the platform.
• They are the fastest artist in history to achieve 30M, 40M, 50M, 60M & 70M subscribers on YouTube.
• BLACKPINK has the top 3 most liked music videos by a lead female artist on YouTube. (HYLT 20M, KTL 19M, DDU-DU DDU-DU 17.489M)
• BLACKPINK is the second female artist to have a music video surpass 20 million likes along with Halsey.
• BLACKPINK is the first 3rd generation group to have 3 songs spend 4 months each in the top 10 on MelOn monthly chart. (DDU-DU DDU-DU, How You Like That, Lovesick Girls) They’re also the first idol group to achieve this.
• BLACKPINK ranked at #1 as the best-performing female group for digital, physical, and overall on Gaon in 2020. (1,724,461 album copies sold)
• BLACKPINK had the highest gain in followers for a K-Pop female act on Spotify after the streaming service’s launch in South Korea. (52,875)
• BLACKPINK is ranked as the 2nd highest-grossing female group in tour concerts for 2020. $10.53M (3 shows)
• BLACKPINK is the 30th most followed act on Spotify. They’re the only female group in the top 50.
• According to RollingStone, BLACKPINK received 392.7 million on-demand audio streams in the US in the Top 500 Artists of 2020. They’re also the only K-Pop female act listed.
• They’ve spent 40 weeks total at #1.
• BLACKPINK was the most streamed female group in 2020 with over 2.2 billion streams.
• BLACKPINK's YouTube channel earned a total of 6.8 billion views and gained 22.7 million subscribers in 2020.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most songs to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify. (18)
• The Independent named BLACKPINK as one of the 50 women who broke barriers in the music industry. [68]
• They are the sixth most followed group on Spotify surpassing One Direction.
• They gained over 8.9 million new followers on Spotify in 2021. They’re the first female group to do so in 2021.
• They have gained over 1 million new followers in 2022 on the platform.
• BLACKPINK was the most streamed female act on YouTube in South Korea (341 million streams), Indonesia (1.070 billion streams), Vietnam (554 million streams) and Thailand (749 million streams) in 2020.
• BLACKPINK was the most streamed act on YouTube in the Philippines during 2020, with 764 million streams.
• BLACKPINK was the top streamed K-Pop female act on YouTube in 2020, with over 9 billion streams. (#8 overall)
• BLACKPINK had the most unique listeners for a female group on MelOn in 2020. (HYLT 60.383M)
• BLACKPINK was the first and only K-Pop group to perform at Coachella in 2019.
• BLACKPINK is the only K-Pop girl group that reached #1 on the Billboard World Albums chart in the last 3 years.
• BLACKPINK has over 16.4 million followers on VLIVE.
• BLACKPINK has over 18 million followers on Facebook.
• BLACKPINK has over 30.4 million followers on TikTok.
• They’re the 25th most followed female artist on Instagram.
• BLACKPINK surpassed 800K followers on MUBEAT.
• BLACKPINK Official has over 7 million followers on the platform.
• They’re the 9th most followed group on the platform.
• They're the third most followed female group in the platforms history.
• BLACKPINK and OH MY GIRL are the only female groups with multiple tracks (2) inside the 2020 MelOn Yearly Chart.
• BLACKPINK is Pepsi’s new brand ambassador in Cambodia and the Asian Pacific.
• BLACKPINK is the first ever Female Group in Gaon history to sell over 1.5 million total copies of an Album in a single year (SU, KTL, HYLT, THE ALBUM).
• BLACKPINK surpassed 2.4 million albums sold on Gaon. They are the 2nd best selling female group with only 4 Albums (2 Mini, 1 Single, 1 Full Album).
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to have 10 songs surpass 200 million streams on Spotify. They are also tied with Little Mix as the female group with 4 songs surpassing 400 million streams.
• BLACKPINK ranked #1 in brand reputation for a female group in February 2021.
• BLACKPINK becomes the first female group in history to have all members enter the Top 10 of South Korea’s Girl Group Member Brand Reputation, 6 times.
• BLACKPINK (2.595M overall sales) is now the 6th best selling girl group in K-pop in history.
• It gathered over 2.6 billion views in 2021.
• It is the most viewed YouTube channel by a female artist in history.
• It’s the fourth most viewed channel for an artist on the platform.
• It’s the most viewed Korean channel on YouTube.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 K-Pop female group with the most cumulative days of songs charted on Spotify Daily Global Top 200 chart. (16 songs within 1,070+ days)
• They are also the first K-pop artist to surpass 200 million views on 6 dance practices/dance performance on YouTube.
• BLACKPINK is the only female act to have the most music videos surpass 11M likes on YouTube. (6)
• BLACKPINK ties with Little Mix as the female group with the most songs that have surpassed the mark of 300M streams on Spotify (5 tracks each).
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most music videos over 400M views on YouTube. (9)
• BLACKPINK is the only K-Pop female artists with the most music videos over 7M likes in history. (8)
• They're the #1 female artist/K-Pop act with the most M/V's with over 16 million likes on YouTube. (4)
• They’re the #1 female artist with the most M/V’s with over 10 million likes on YouTube. (8)
• BLACKPINK is the fourth female group with the most weeks in the top 10 on MelOn weekly chart (91 weeks).
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop female act to enter the Top 10 of Spotify South Korea Official Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the 2nd most viewed Korean Act Channel on YouTube. (15.9B)
• BLACKPINK are the only female artist with the most entries on Spotify South Korea Weekly chart with 16 songs charted during the 1st week of the launch.
• BLACKPINK has over 200 million certified streams in Japan. They are the second K-pop female act and the third overall to do so. (6 songs)
• BLACKPINK’s YouTube channel revenue alone makes up 6% of YG Entertainment's sales in 2020. Digital sales increased by 39.3% year-on-year to 13.7 Billion won overall.
• BLACKPINK has over 2.1 billion combined streams (Spotify + YouTube) in 2021 alone. Making them the first girl group to do so and the most streamed girl group so far.
• BLACKPINK currently has 8 songs charting in the top 200 on MelOn daily chart (during February 24), the most for any female group.
• BLACKPINK along with Brave Girls are the only female groups to surpass 400 million digital index points on Gaon in 2021.
• BLACKPINK was appointed as the Public Relations Ambassadors at the United Nations Conference for Climate Change in 2021. [69]
• BLACKPINK are the current ambassadors for Adidas (Korea) Originals in 2021, with the “Watch Us Move” campaign. (“The campaign aims to uplift all women, stand against prejudice, and champion their freedom of expression”.)
• BLACKPINK has over 100 million streams in the US this 2021 combined via Rolling Stone Artist chart & YouTube US Artist chart. They're currently the most streamed female group in the US so far. (56.2M on-demand streams; 54.15M YouTube streams.
• BLACKPINK has over 5 billion digital points on Gaon. They’re the second K-pop girl group and the #1 YG artist to do so.
• BLACKPINK is the only female group to have all Korean title tracks (9) surpass 100,000 likes on Melon.
• BLACKPINK has 25 certifications in 10 countries.
• BLACKPINK has the 1st and 2nd best charting (peak) K-pop female act albums on the US Billboard 200 chart. (The Album at #2 and KTL at #24)
• BLACKPINK joins IU as the only female artists in history to have a song chart for 20 weeks in the Top 10 of MelOn’s Weekly Chart. (LSG)
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with most days at #1 on Melon Female Group Chart in 2021. They became #1 for the whole month of February. (46 days total)
• BLACKPINK has the most songs inside the Top 10 of the most streamed songs by female groups on Spotify. (3) (#7 KTL, #8 Kiss and Make Up, #10 HYLT)
• BLACKPINK has been charting in the top 10 on MelOn monthly chart for 8 consecutive months so far.(July/2020-February/2021)
• BLACKPINK has the top 4 female group albums with the most points on Worldwide Apple Music Album chart (since July 2017) ( #1 SQUARE UP – 1.889M) (#2 THE ALBUM – 1.789M) (#3 Kill This Love – 1.683M) (#4 SQUARE TWO – 972K)
• BLACKPINK is the female group with the most B-sides that surpassed 50,000 likes on Melon. (6)
• Variety mentioned BLACKPINK as one of the “Women That Have Made an Impact in Global Entertainment.” [70]
• BLACKPINK is the first and only Korean act to win at the Gold Derby Music Awards.
• Spotify's official playlist for 'This Is #BLACKPINK' has surpassed the mark of 2 million followers. It's the first 'This Is' playlist for a female group to do so in the platform's history. It is the sixth most followed female playlist overall.
• BLACKPINK is the 7th most followed female artist on Melon (197,663 total followers).
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most songs that have surpassed 170,000 likes on MelOn (6).
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most songs that have surpassed 150,000 likes on MelOn (7).
• BLACKPINK is the second 3rd generation girl group with the most songs that achieved over 2,500,000 downloads on Gaon. (5)
• BLACKPINK is the #1 top viewed female act on YouTube in 2021 so far. (753M)
• BLACKPINK has surpassed 1.5 million searches on MelOn in 2021. They’re the top searched female group so far.
• BLACKPINK is the fourth girl group to surpass 200,000 followers on Melon.
• BLACKPINK are tied with Twice as the only female groups with multiple songs to achieve this.
• BLACKPINK is the only Korean act with the most top 10 entries on Global Apple Music Daily Chart (2) and reached a new peak at #6.
• BLACKPINK is the first ever female group to peak at #1 on Global Digital Artist Ranking.
• BLACKPINK extends their record as the only K-pop girl group with the most song entries in UK official singles chart. (5)
• BLACKPINK is the only K-pop act with 2 top 20 hit songs in the UK official singles chart.
• BLACKPINK are the only K-pop act with the most UK top 40s hits. (4 songs)
• BLACKPINK were mentioned in Apple Music’s “Women Making History” short film.

(“In this short film, red carpet’s worth of music’s leading ladies & Opening up about what it means to have agency, power and sisterhood”.)

• BLACKPINK has sold over 100,000 albums copies in 2021 on Gaon Chart. They’re ranked at #3 in overall sales on Gaon’s charts in 2021 so far.
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to rank in the top 10 of IFPI's year end global pure sales sales chart since Destiny's Child in 2004. They join PSY as the only YG Entertainment Artists and K-Pop female act to rank on IFPI year-end charts.
• BLACKPINK is the second girl group in history to have 3 members rank #1 on Girl Group Individual Brand Reputation Ranking after Red Velvet.
• BLACKPINK is the first girl group to have 2 members reach #1 on Korea’s Individual Girl Group Brand Reputation in 2021. Both Jennie and Rosé have achieved this.
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop act in history to win 6 consecutive and 2 triple crowns in a row on SBS Inkigayo.
• BLACKPINK had the #1 highest-peaking monthly listeners for a Korean female act on Spotify. (29.4M+)
• BLACKPINK are the second female artists in history to have at least one album surpassing 400,000 copies sold on Hanteo.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 K-Pop female act with the most weeks on Billboard Hot 100 (19 weeks).
• BLACKPINK is the third girl group with the most PAK (Perfect All-Kills) overall. (125)
• BLACKPINK is the second K-pop artist to enter the Top 10 of both Billboard’s Global 200 Singles Chart & Excl. US Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 K-Pop female act with the most weeks on Billboard 200 (31 weeks).
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop girl group to reach #1 on UK iTunes song chart.
• BLACKPINK is the highest charting girl group on Apple Music UK, US, Canada and China chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first girl group in history to reach 62 #1s on iTunes.
• They're the only girl group to top #1 twice (Sour Candy & Kill This Love ).
• Each single release charted in all top 10 markets making them the only girl group to do so in 2020.
• BLACKPINK has been the most streamed female group for 329 consecutive days on Spotify.
• BLACKPINK surpassed 20 billion streams worldwide (across YouTube, Spotify, MelOn, Genie).
• BLACKPINK has 129 million on-demand audio streams in the US within 16 weeks of 2021.
• BLACKPINK has over 1.7 billion video streams on YouTube Music chart in 2021.
• BLACKPINK is the only female group in history to have all singles released since debut reach 100 million streams on Spotify.
• BLACKPINK is the only Kpop girl group to enter on the Portugal Top 3000 singles Year-end Chart (2020) with 7 songs entries.
• BLACKPINK has been certified in 11 countries recording industries. The most countries for any Korean female act.
• BLACKPINK is the first female group in history to have 2 EPs surpass 700M streams on Spotify (Kill This Love and Square Up).
• BLACKPINK has sold over 891,000 tickets (physical & online) with their 4 concerts.
• BLACKPINK owns the record of most successful & highest grossing tour by Kpop girl group of all-time with "IN YOUR AREA WORLD TOUR, $56M; 472K tickets sold" & also the most successful & highest grossing online concert by a girl group with "THE SHOW, $10M; 280K membership".
• BLACKPINK is the only female group to have multiple albums with more than 1 song over 500M digital points on Gaon (SQUARE UP and The Album).
• BLACKPINK is the only female group with multiple songs to surpass 100M digital points on Gaon in 2021.
• BLACKPINK was Spotify’s most streamed female group for the month of March in 2021 (193,108,871 streams; up 2.5% compared to February).
• BLACKPINK is the only K-Pop female act & Korean girl group on the all-time ranking of Most Streamed Albums on Spotify. They are also the youngest group on the list (2016 debut).
• BLACKPINK joins Fifth Harmony as the only female groups to have an album spend half a year on the Billboard 200 Chart (Within the 2010 decade).
• BLACKPINK is the only Korean female artist to have an album rank in the best selling albums (all formats) in 2020.
• BLACKPINK ties with Twice as the female group with most songs to be certified Platinum Streaming on Gaon (3).
• BLACKPINK is the only female group to appear on both Year-end IFPI Album charts.
• BLACKPINK was the best selling female group in March 2021 with 47,121 cumulative sales.
• BLACKPINK joins Ariana Grande in having the most songs in the Top 10 biggest debuts for an all-female collaboration in Spotify history (3).
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed Korean female act of all-time with about 22 billion streams worldwide.
• BLACKPINK is the fastest artist in history to surpass 17 billion views on YouTube (4.75 years).
• BLACKPINK is the #1 searched female group on MelOn (Over 1.7M searches).
• BLACKPINK ranked within the top 20 Top Music Influencers on Instagram, April 2021. They are the only female kpop artists and kpop group in the Top 20.
• BLACKPINK has 3.2 billion streams this decade on Spotify. They are the most streamed female group of this decade.
• BLACKPINK is the first K-Pop artist to enter the Top 10 on Worldwide Apple Music Song Chart Artist Totals (Since April 2013).
• BLACKPINK’s North American sold-out arena show at Forum, is the highest grossing single-concert by a female group in North America history ($1,876,188).
• BLACKPINK has 14 songs on the MelOn Daily Top 1000 songs in Korea last April 20, 2021. The most for any female group.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 K-Pop act to have the most songs surpass 2.5 million unique listeners on Genie. (3)
• Each of BLACKPINK’s singles since debut have ranked within the Top 10 on Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 K-Pop female act with the most weeks on the UK Singles chart. (39 weeks)
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed female group on United States YouTube music insights with over 127 million streams accumulated in 15 weeks of 2021.
• BLACKPINK is the female group with the most songs to chart for 300 days in the top 100 on MelOn Daily Chart (5).
• BLACKPINK reached 250 million certified streams in Japan (RIAJ; 7 songs).
• They’re the first and only artists from YG with the most RIAJ (Japan) certified streams.
• BLACKPINK ranked #2 on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity Overall Power Ranking in 2021.
• NYLON mentioned each of the members of BLACKPINK in their list of The Best Kpop and Fashion Crossovers We’ve Seen So Far.
• BLACKPINK is the first and only female K-Pop act to be nominated at the Billboard Music Awards in 2021. They’re the first female group that debuted in the 2010’s to receive a nomination.
• BLACKPINK is the 5th most streamed female act on Spotify in 2020 with their songs released only that year. (1.630B streams; 9 songs released)
• BLACKPINK ranks among the top 10 most followed female acts of all-time on Spotify they’re the only female group inside the top 10.
• BLACKPINK was Spotify’s most streamed female group in April 2021 with 166,966,722 streams.
• BLACKPINK is the first Kpop female act in history to have 10 songs sell over 500K units in the US.
• Gold House named BLACKPINK as one of the 100 Most Impactful Asians of 2021, BLACKPINK are the only Kpop act on the list.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group in 2021 with the most cumulative days of songs charted on Spotify Daily Global Top 200 chart. (103 days, 3 songs)
• BLACKPINK is the first female group in 2022 with the most song entries on Spotify Global Chart (4 songs).
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to hit #1 on the Spotify Global Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first girl group with the most songs to chart on Spotify Global Chart Top 50. (13)
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop female act with the most songs entered on Spotify Global Chart Top 200. (17)
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed female group for the past 13 consecutive months on Spotify.
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop group to hit #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to spend 30 weeks on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart since the Pussycat Dolls.
• BLACKPINK has 5 songs with 100 million on-demand streams each in the US. The most for any Korean female act.
• BLACKPINK has the most entries for the most viewed female music videos on YouTube. They’re the only group in the top 100. (5 songs)
• BLACKPINK is the first act in Gaon history to receive a certification for all of its existing categories (Album, Streaming and Download).
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed YG artist on Genie. (563M).
• BLACKPINK is the 16th female artist with the most followers on the main streaming and social media platforms (Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and Deezer).
• BLACKPINK is the most streamed K-Pop female group on Pandora with 91.1 million streams, surpassing Girl's Generation 81.1 million streams.
• BLACKPINK is the 1st Korean act ever to be eligible for a VEVO certification.
• BLACKPINK is the first group & female act in history to be on the cover of Vogue Korea (multiple times).
• BLACKPINK ranks among the top 10 most followed female acts on YouTube and Spotify. (#1 female group on Youtube #2 overall, #9 on Spotify #33 overall)
• BLACKPINK has spent over 400 cumulative weeks in the top 100 on MelOn weekly chart.
• BLACKPINK and and OH MY GIRL are the only female groups with the most song entries on the Melon Daily chart Top 1000 (14).
• BLACKPINK’s Official YouTube Channel has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the “Most Subscribers for a Band on YouTube”.
• BLACKPINK is the 29th best selling digital artist in the world. They’re the only female group in the Top 70 of the list.
• BLACKPINK is the 8th best performing female act across digital platforms.
• BLACKPINK is the only YG Artist to enter Spotify Japan Weekly Top Albums Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first and only K-Pop female artist to have an album spend more than one week on the Billboard 200. (KTL)
• BLACKPINK is the first and only K-Pop girl group to be certified in the UK multiple times. (3 certifications)
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to have four songs spend 50 weeks in the top 100 on MelOn weekly chart. (PWF, AIIYL, DDDD, HYLT)
• BLACKPINK has 3 billion views on YouTube in 2021 alone (only MVs & Dance Practice). Overall they have 3 Billion cumulative chart views on YouTube Music chart in the first 23 weeks of 2021.
• BLACKPINK has the most streamed song by a female group each year since 2017 on Spotify. (AIIYL, KMU, KTL, HYLT)
• BLACKPINK has been the K-Pop female act with the most monthly listeners on Spotify for 36 consecutive months (since June 2018).
• BLACKPINK is the only female group to have multiple songs with over 5.4 unique listeners on MelOn. (2)
• BLACKPINK has over 200 million on-demand audio streams in the US in 2021.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most songs to spend at least 40 weeks each in the top 50 on MelOn weekly chart. (3)
• BLACKPINK is the only Korean female group to enter UK Spotify Daily Chart with 12 song entries.
• BLACKPINK has the most top 10 entries among female groups on the global Spotify chart. (7)
• BLACKPINK is the first K-pop Act to enter the top 3 in history on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first girl group to debut in the top 15 in history on the US Rolling Stone Top 100 Chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first female artist with the most videos over 20M likes on YouTube in history. (2)
• BLACKPINK is the only female group/act in the Top 25 most liked videos on Youtube. They’re the only female act with four videos on the list.
• BLACKPINK becomes the female group with the most songs (3 songs) to surpass 800 million Digital Points on Gaon.
• They’re the only YG Artist to reach a million wever (followers).
• They are the most followed female group on the platform.
• BLACKPINK becomes the first female group in history to have multiple albums surpass 400M streams on MelOn (2).
• BLACKPINK has seven songs in the top 200 of the most streamed songs on Genie.
• BLACKPINK is the first female act in history with 60 videos reaching 1 million likes on YouTube.
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most non-single tracks to reach 100 million streams on Spotify (7).
• BLACKPINK is the first girl group on Gaon with 2 albums with at least 2 songs to be certified Platinum on Streaming (100,000,000 streams).
• BLACKPINK has accumulated 4.096 billion views on YouTube Music Global Chart in 2021.
• They’re the #1 female group with the most #1s in South Koreas brand reputation index (20).
• BLACKPINK ties with Oh My Girl as the only girl groups with multiple songs that exceeded 60 weeks each on the MelOn Weekly Chart Top 100. (2)
• BLACKPINK is the #1 female group with the most songs to spend at least 50 weeks each in the top 100 on MelOn weekly chart.
• BLACKPINK ranked #2 as the ”Highest Earning K-Pop Artist YouTube Channels of 2021” by Forbes Korea with the total estimated earning of 13.5 Billion Won ($11.6 Million)
• BLACKPINK is the best selling 2010s female group worldwide with over 17 million album sales combined.
• BLACKPINK is the first & only Kpop female artist in the Top 300 most streamed albums on Spotify.
• BLACKPINK is the fourth female group in history to have an album sell over 6M worldwide (CSPC).
• BLACKPINK was the first and only Korean female act to perform at MTV Video Music Awards in 2022.
• BLACKPINK is the first K-Pop female group in history to win the category for best Metaverse Performance.
• BLACKPINK becomes the 6th female group to have a song with over 500 million streams on Spotify. (HYLT)
• They're tied with Fifth Harmony as the female group with most songs to do so (2).
• BLACKPINK is the first K-Pop female act with an album certified in the UK.
• BLACKPINK was the most streamed girl group globally on Deezer in 2021.
• BLACKPINK was the top most streamed female group of Spotify wrapped in 2021 (#2 globally).
• BLACKPINK ranked at #36 on Billboard Global Excl. US Artists Year-end chart in 2021. They’re the highest-charting female group.
• BLACKPINK is the first female group in history to reach 100 award wins for an album (The Album).
• BLACKPINK has over 50,000 followers on Vibe Naver, the second most followed female group on the platform.
• BLACKPINK is the only girl group to appear on Gaon Year End Digital Chart Top 50 for 6 straight years from 2016-2021.
• BLACKPINK is the first and only K-Pop female group to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 singles chart.
• BLACKPINK is the first female group to simultaneously debut at #1 on the US and UK albums charts since Destiny's Child in 2001. (Born Pink)
• BLACKPINK is the first Korean girl group to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. (Born Pink)
• BLACKPINK's code is 757, so called because it's their birthdates added together.
• As of November 2023, all members were awarded Members of British Empire by Prince Charles III for their services to Music.

Latest Releases

• The news comes as Blackpink wraps up its "Born Pink" world tour, in what has been described as the largest world tour by a K-pop girl group.
• The last two days of the tour, held in Seoul on September 16 and 17, will be hosted by Blackpink. [71]
• ↑ @ygent_official on Twitter (June 29, 2016)
• ↑ Korea Herald: Black Pink is newest YG girl group
• ↑ @ on Twitter (August 3, 2016)
• ↑ Genie: "Whistle" Song Information
• ↑ Genie: "Boombayah" Song Information
• ↑ IMDB: Blackpink: Whistle
• ↑ IMDB: Blackpink: Boombayah
• ↑ Billboard: Blackpink’s Major Debut: New K-Pop Girl Group Lands No. 1 & 2 on World Digital Songs Chart
• ↑ Gaon Chart: Digital Chart 2016.08 Month
• ↑ Gaon Chart: Download Chart2016.08 Month
• ↑ Gaon Chart: Streaming Chart 2016.08 Month
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Tops 3 Charts On China’s Leading Music Site
• ↑ AllKpop: These 10 groups are the fastest to win a music show
• ↑ DK Pop News: Black Pink to End Their Promotions With Goodbye Stages At 'Inkigayo' on Sept 11
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Wins “Inkigayo” With “Whistle”; Performances By MOBB, Red Velvet, NCT DREAM, And More!
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Reveals Second Comeback Title Track “Stay” Teasers
• ↑ Genie: Square Two Album Information
• ↑ [ Billboard: Blackpink Earn Second No. 1 on World Digital Songs, Debut on Social 50
• ↑ YouTube: BLACKPINK - '불장난 (PLAYING WITH FIRE)' 1106 SBS Inkigayo
• ↑ 《Comeback Special》 BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) - STAY @인기가요 Inkigayo 20161106
• ↑ YouTube: (BLACKPINK - PLAYING WITH FIRE) Comeback Stage M COUNTDOWN 161110 EP.500
• ↑ YouTube: (BLACKPINK - STAY) Comeback Stage M COUNTDOWN 161110 EP.500
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK To Officially Debut In Japan
• ↑ Soompi: Watch: BLACKPINK Last MV
• ↑ Gaon Chart: 100 Million Streams/ 2.5 Million Downloads
• ↑ Billboard: Blackpink Score Third No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales Chart, Lead K-Pop Females
• ↑ YGEX: Released on 8/30 (Wed.) M/V (JP ver.) from Japan debut mini album "BLACKPINK" released!
• ↑ @ygent_official/ on Twitter (June 1, 2018)
• ↑ @ygent_official/ on Twitter (June 4, 2022)
• ↑ Gaon Chart: Digital Chart 2018.06 Month
• ↑ Gaon Chart: Digital Chart 2018.07 Month
• ↑ Billboard: Billboard Hot 100
• ↑ Billboard: BLACKPINK Makes K-Pop History on Hot 100, Billboard 200 & More With ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU’
• ↑ @ on Twitter (September 12, 2018)
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Signs With U.S. Label Interscope Records
• ↑ @ on Twitter (November 1, 2018)
• ↑ Billboard: BLACKPINK, Greta Van Fleet To Perform GRAMMY Eve At UMG Party
• ↑ Billboard: BLACKPINK to Perform on ‘The Late Show’
• ↑ Good Morning America: Female K-Pop group BLACKPINK performs live on 'GMA' as North American tour is announced
• ↑ Billboard: Blackpink: See All 5 Billboard Covers
• ↑ Soompi: Update: BLACKPINK Unveils Preview Of Physical Album For “Kill This Love”
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK And HYUKOH Confirmed To Perform At U.S. Music Festival Coachella
• ↑ Allkpop: BLACKPINK reveals album cover for the Japanese version of 'Kill This Love'
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK’s “In Your Area” World Tour Named As Most Successful Tour By K-Pop Girl Group
• ↑ Sweet 'Sour Candy'! Blackpink, Lady Gaga collaboration confirmed, finally
• ↑ Forbes: Blackpink Reached A New Hot 100 Peak With ‘Sour Candy,’ But Their Next Single Could Chart Even Higher
• ↑ Pink Villa: Countdown begins for BLACKPINK's epic three-part comeback; To drop pre-release single on THIS day
• ↑ Korea Times: BLACKPINK members to release solo tracks
• ↑ YG Life: BLACKPINK to Release Second New Single on August… Shocking Collaboration Coming Up
• ↑ @ygent_official on Twitter (July 28, 2020)
• ↑ Billboard: Selena Gomez Confirms BLACKPINK Collaboration
• ↑ Billboard: Blackpink & Selena Gomez Just Confirmed the Title of Their Collaboration & It’s a Treat
• ↑ Headline Planet: “Ice Cream” Music Video Also Arrives On August 28, BLACKPINK & Selena Gomez Share Teaser
• ↑ @BLACKPINK on Twitter (July 1, 2020)
• ↑ BLACKPINK WEVERSE Announcement
• ↑ BLACKPINK Island Released on August 6
• ↑ Billboard: Here’s When BLACKPINK Will Be Back With New Music & A World Tour
• ↑ Release date confirmation .
• ↑ YG Entertainment Shares That BLACKPINK Has Started Filming Music Video
• ↑ 'BORN PINK' Announcement Trailer .
• ↑ (KR) Naver: 블랙핑크, 9월 정규 2집으로 돌아온다…10월부터 월드투어
• ↑ @BLACKPINK on Twitter (August 8, 2022)
• ↑ @ygent_official on Twitter (August 9, 2022)
• ↑ @BLACKPINK on Twitter (August 10, 2022)
• ↑ @BLACKPINK on Twitter (August 16, 2022)
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Revealed To Be Filming MV For Upcoming Studio Album “BORN PINK”
• ↑ Soompi: BLACKPINK Becomes First Girl Group In History To Be Named TIME Magazine’s Entertainer Of The Year
• ↑ 50 Women Who Broke Barriers in the Music Industry
• ↑ BLACKPINK Ambassadors For Climate Change
• ↑ Variety Names BLACKPINK As Women That Have Made An Impact in Global Entertainment
• How You Like That
• Pretty Savage
• Bet You Wanna
• Lovesick Girls
• Crazy Over You
• Love To Hate Me
• You Never Know
• Ddu-Du Ddu-Du
• Forever Young
• See U Later
• Kill This Love
• Don't Know What To Do
• Ddu-Du Ddu-Du (Remix ver.)
• Playing With Fire
• Whistle (Acoustic Ver.)
• On The Ground
• All Eyes On Me
• As If It's Your Last
• Whistle (Acoustic ver.)
• Ddu'Du Ddu-Du
• 3 BLACKPINK

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Critic’s Notebook

Blackpink and the Limits of K-Pop Maximalism

The genre’s more-is-more moment might be coming to an end, and younger acts like Aespa and NewJeans point a way forward.

By Jon Caramanica

As K-pop was broadening its global ambitions in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it was also expanding its appetite, becoming the hungriest pop music scene on the planet. It feasted especially on American pop, hip-hop, R&B and dance music, alchemizing it all into a maximalist fantasia, creating an aesthetic of absurdist excess that became, for a while, that world’s most progressive and most popular approach.

Acts like the YG Entertainment girl group 2NE1 thrived in that environment (along with its boy band compatriots BigBang), and helped set the stage for the genre’s worldwide takeover. Here was music — largely masterminded by the producer Teddy Park — that was curious, chaotic and cocksure. Other pop scenes seemed to dematerialize in its wake.

Blackpink, the next-generation YG girl group that debuted in 2016, seemed poised to carry that torch with the early success of singles like “Whistle,” “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” and “How You Like That.” But by the time of its first full-length release, “The Album,” in 2020, the group’s music had become somehow more bombastic and more brittle than that of its predecessors, and the blueprint was showing its seams.

“Born Pink,” the second full-length Blackpink album, is in theory an opportunity to innovate, both for the group and for the genre itself. And it finds Blackpink — Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Rosé — at a crossroads: whether to continue its high-energy sonic collision; whether to fully embrace the English-language market; whether to dismantle its own house.

The first single, “Pink Venom,” is classic Blackpink — which is to say, pandemonium stitched so tight it achieves its own internal logic, both caffeinated and fatiguing all at once. Jisoo’s singing is as rich and austere as ever, and Jennie’s rapping is flexible and dotted with clever little filigrees.

“Pink Venom” plays like a theme song, more a jingle for the group than a pure musical statement. And it is something of a relief that the album doesn’t over-index on this approach, which has become a genre default.

“Born Pink” is occasionally galvanic, and occasionally iterative. When the group does push into new territory — or more accurately, unshackles itself from familiar ground — it doesn’t leave much of an impact. “The Happiest Girl” is a brittle melodrama of a piano ballad, and “Yeah Yeah Yeah” is a cheerful ’80s pop simulacrum that also nods to the Weeknd and Daft Punk.

Four of the songs are wholly in English, including “Hard to Love,” performed in full by Rosé (Blackpink is far more effective in this idiom than, say, BTS). And there’s cursing as well — not new for the group, but still a pointed gesture.

Densely stacked production remains central to the group’s mission and positioning, especially on the songs Park worked on. And throughout the album, there is intense sonic layering, with G-funk swirls and classical music string samples and references that are so buried that they might not even be there at all. “Still Tippin’” on “Typa Girl”? “Mighty D-Block (2 Guns Up)” on “Pink Venom”? “My Baby Takes the Morning Train” on “Yeah Yeah Yeah”? Who can say?

The smorgasbord of Blackpink, or 2NE1 before it, was at least in part a reaction to an earlier wave of girl groups that helped establish K-pop’s ambitions and scale, but whose dalliances with Western influences were more glancing.

Last month, one of the crucial acts of that era, Girls’ Generation, released a new album, “Forever 1,” 15 years after its debut. More than a decade ago, Girls’ Generation was among the first, if not the first, K-pop acts to release an album on an American major label. But its ambitions aren’t as relentless as Blackpink’s.

“Forever 1” is a refreshing throwback to a less agitated moment in the genre. The production is largely mellifluous and bright, and the singing is sweet and uncomplicated. It is redolent of an era in which K-pop was still establishing its own grammar, before it voraciously consumed everyone else’s. There are light flickers of hip-hop and new jack swing, as on “Seventeen” and “You Better Run.”

But in the main, this is classicist music — the sheer brightness of the piano on “Closer,” the light sashay on “Summer Night.” It posits the music not as a world killer, but as a respite and a dream.

As compelling as “Forever 1” is, it doesn’t feel of the moment, more like a rediscovered memento. That’s especially clear when it’s contextualized not simply alongside Blackpink, but also the intriguing wave of girl groups that has arrived in that group’s wake, identifying the contours of its success and building upon them.

Of those acts, Aespa has been the most vital in recent years, and its recent EP, “Girls,” is one of the year’s most impressive K-pop releases precisely because of its dual mastery of the intricate and the elegant. That’s captured in its closing run: “Black Mamba,” a warrior stomp that channels flamboyant early 2000s pop, the throwback up-tempo ballad “Forever,” then “Dreams Come True,” which feels like a nod to K-pop’s earliest engagements with R&B.

By contrast, Itzy stands out for its resolute quirk. Its recent “Checkmate” EP continues the group’s boisterous mayhem, with vocals that are intensely alert and jubilant, and production that seems to be bubbling in real time. “365” recalls industrial or avant-garde club music, and “Racer” sounds like Disney theme park music run through a glitter factory.

Finally, and perhaps most promisingly, there’s NewJeans , which has just released a stellar self-titled debut EP that’s utterly cool and poised. The production is sensuous and restrained, and the singing is both lustrous and unhurried.

On the surface, NewJeans harks back to an earlier, pre-2NE1, unhectic moment in K-pop. But its submerged references are deeply modern, especially the detour into New Jersey club music on “Cookie.” NewJeans deploys its contemporary reference points in service of a throwback idea, though. Or perhaps more pointedly, it’s learned all of the lessons the world has to offer, and is bringing them back home.

Jon Caramanica is a pop music critic for The Times and the host of the Popcast . He also writes the men's Critical Shopper column for Styles. He previously worked for Vibe magazine, and has written for the Village Voice, Spin, XXL and more. More about Jon Caramanica

Inside the World of K-Pop

The popular music genre hailing from south korea has won over a global fanbase with viral hits, precision-drilled dancing and custom-groomed artists..

As K-pop continues its long march to American awareness, what are the potential risks of that embrace ?

Musical acts like Balming Tiger are challenging the idea  that K-pop is nothing but polished, perfectly synchronized boy bands and girl groups.

Fans of the K-pop band BTS have known for years that a day would come when its seven members would all be doing mandatory service in the South Korean military. That day arrived on Dec. 12, 2023 .

Over the past few years, the musical group Blackpink has emerged as a worldwide force , reaping the benefits of K-pop’s globalization. But younger acts are now charting the way forward .

In conservative South Korea, few L.G.B.T.Q. entertainers have ever come out. The young members of QI.X, a fledgling K-pop group, don’t see the point of staying in .

The 2012 viral hit “Gangnam Style” helped pave the way for K-pop’s global ascent. But Psy, the artist behind it, spent years being  haunted by the song’s success .

OCTOBER 27, 2022

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• Concert , Events , Featured Columns

A UP Diliman graduate explored Blackpink’s impact in this thesis

• BY Jelou Galang
• June 23, 2022

Oftentimes, we like making our own worlds with our idols.

There’s comfort in plastering photos of our favorite groups on our chipped bedroom wall, creating Twitter seryes that reimagine our biases, and joining communities that make us feel like they know us. Because of this, putting them under a lens of scrutiny is another level in the fandom book. But a Blink did just that—and in his thesis manuscript to boot.

In his third year of college, University of the Philippines Diliman speech communication major Cayl Andrew Franco started getting caught under Blackpink’s spell. “I was enticed by their music and began to research more about them, a few weeks after ‘DDU DU DDU DU’ came out,” he says. “I immediately fell in love with the group because they reminded me of 2NE1’s charisma, the group, along with H.O.T. and Girls’ Generation, that brought me into the world of K-pop.”

Soon enough, stanning Lisa, Jennie, Rosé, and Jisoo evolved into something bigger than a serotonin boost for Cayl. Apart from their portrayal of a “fierce girl image, coming from their girl crush concept,” the supergroup became his thesis’ muse for their game-changing popularity. Thus, the birth of “Blackpink Is the Revolution?: A Case Study on the Rhetorical Power of Blackpink as a Popular Culture Icon” in 2021 as his (last) ticket to graduation.

Although some people weren’t initially on board with the idea, he emphasized that he wanted to dissect their impact intertwined with wide-scale issues, like gender and media.

“As someone who was part of a cultural activist organization, we were able to find out how culture plays a big role in how we can shape our society, alongside its political, and economic structure,” he explains. “Given that there is fame in K-pop, which was analyzed as a petit-bourgeois interest, I wanted to talk about in my study the advantage of using this popular culture phenomenon in arousing, organizing, and mobilizing the fellow youth in forwarding genuine change in Philippine society.”

In this interview, we talk to the now-23-year-old public relations associate about his experience in completing the sacred chapters of his testament to stanhood (and beyond).

Aside from unpacking BLACKPINK as the current icons that they are, you also weaved together themes like representation and exploitation of women in media, even in the Philippine context. Can you tell us more about this?

It was noted in the literature review of my study that there were various frames of representation of women from pre-Hispanic times up to the contemporary period—and they were predominantly negative. The ideological state apparatuses, as well as standards on how women were viewed in society, were exposed. These talk about women receiving [lower wages] than men despite doing equal or more workload, the division of labor between genders, and other gender roles. I saw how the socio-economic conditions of those times led to how women are being identified in different industries in Philippine society such as media.

In your study, you utilized Sonja K. Foss’ Visual Rhetoric Theory and Laura Mulvey’s Visual Pleasure Theory in dissecting a few of their biggest music videos. What points piqued your interest the most in this process? 

Interestingly, upon dissecting three of Blackpink’s music videos showing them in different eras, there have been minor details that when analyzed, actually mean so much.

For example, there have been frames in music videos with shots of the members’ beautiful faces that can actually show how powerful women can be towards having a say in their own body or how they want to present themselves. Using Mulvey’s Visual Pleasure Theory, I was able to pull images that show narcissism, fetishism, and voyeurism.

Voyeurism is identified as instances where people engage in sexual, sordid, or scandalous acts without the other’s knowledge; fetishism means getting pleasure from openly looking at an object that is satisfying in itself, and narcissism is when the artifact draws the viewer to want to be them. It occurs when the viewers recognize their own self and their likenesses in the images, or if they imagine themselves mirroring these images at some point.

Through embedding significant beauty shots in different parts of their music videos, Blackpink continues to set beauty standards for other people, hence employing narcissism as people continue to view them as someone they want to be like. This further entices the audience to see them as objects of power and not [figures for] objectification.

We often see music videos as they are but tend to overlook the meaning behind the different frames in them. As media consumers, we have the power to analyze and dissect all the content we consume. From fact-checking articles to unraveling “easter eggs” in visual content, we have the responsibility of providing ourselves with fruitful information and learnings that can help us become better more and more each day.

You were able to talk to 17 young Filipino BLINKs for your study. How was this experience, and what’s the most memorable thing you’ve learned from them?

All the Blinks who were interviewed came from different backgrounds: senior high school students, university students both from UP and outside the university, a member of a prominent human rights’ organization, and people already working in the private sector. They became Blinks in different eras of Blackpink, which offered more interpretations of how and why Blackpink gained popularity, and how it meant to each and every one of them.

The thing about being a Blink or a K-pop fan is that the level of one’s admiration for the idols is not determined by the number of merch you have from them, but rather how they continue to impact one’s mundane lives. Not everyone has the capacity to buy merch or go to their concerts, but everyone can see how invested they are in their content while they see these idols as an inspiration for them to reach their dreams.

K-pop stans know the rigorous training process that these idols go through even if they don’t have any assurance that they would debut in the future. The younger participants in my thesis see this hard work as an inspiration to keep working hard and persevere to achieve success. It’s not about the number of photocards you have or concerts you’ve been to, but it’s more about how you continue to see them as role models to be a better version of yourself, not just for you but for everyone else around you.

Can you share with us other highlights of your thesis you feel particularly very drawn to? 

The findings of my thesis, especially the part showing its impact on society really struck me, as I was able to prove my point on how we can continue to see the K-pop phenomenon as a way to tackle certain issues such as women and gender empowerment, Asian representation, and collective action.

This proves how their rhetorical power is being manifested by the audience—reinforcing them as a popular culture icon in instances wherein Blackpink’s content continues to make a change and influence other people.

Blackpink continues to be role models for genuine change ; we can take [as an] example when Blackpink was appointed as one of the ambassadors for the United Nations Climate Change conference in February  2021. This prompted some Blinks worldwide to create campaigns on climate change awareness. Moreover in the local scene, Kabataan Partylist used “DDU-DU-DDU-DU” as one of their campaign jingles in the 2019 national elections, incorporating their advocacies in the lyrics to the tune of that song.

Blinks’ presence continues to make Blackpink a part of popular culture, giving them the power to be catalysts of change in society. They continue to bring ideologies that shape people’s minds and influence them on how to live their everyday lives.

Blackpink promotes feminism in various ways, showing power and dominance through the different themes revealed in my study. On top of this, fans have utilized their strong connections within their fanbase to generate campaigns that aid in social change. Filipino Blinks have done various donation drives and fundraising activities to help fellow countrymen affected [by] calamities that have passed.

For some, one’s stan life getting combined with a make-or-break academic requirement might feel like an out-of-the-comfort-zone choice. For you, what’s the best thing about doing a study on something you love?

Throughout countless papers I’ve done during my time as an undergraduate, my thesis was one of the works I wrote which gave me a sense of fulfillment, not just because it is my final requirement, but [also] because of how it gave me the opportunity to prove that my interest is relevant and not just a hobby.

Though it was not an easy road for me, the goal of wanting to show everyone the capabilities of K-pop idols to influence other people for the betterment of society was my main motivation to keep this going.

We K-pop stans know that our favorite idols come and go, and with the time we have with them throughout their contract, we want to make the most of showing people how they are game-changers not just in music, but also in the society we are living in. We see our idols as role models as we continue to reach our own dreams.

Who knows, someone reading this interview might finally pursue a thesis topic on their own fandoms. I’ll ask this for them: How was the experience presenting this to your thesis adviser and panelists?

Upon presenting this topic to my adviser, she was very excited about this as my study was one of the first rhetorical studies about a K-pop group, which, actually, made it difficult for me as there were limited studies about this phenomenon. Throughout the process of writing, there were ups and downs but with the help of my thesis adviser, the study became a success. I was able to raise awareness on the presentation and representation of women in K-pop music videos, especially Blackpink’s.

I aim to make people understand the shared experiences of fandoms altogether as they watch their favorite K-idols’ performances and music videos. This way, we are able to attract more fans as I prove the relevance of this subculture in society. Hopefully, it provided a new perspective on raising awareness on social issues using K-pop.

Now, do your lifetime wishes include Lisa, Jennie, Rosé, and Jisoo reading your thesis?

While this dream has always been there, I also want to be an inspiration for the youth to continue fighting for what they love and what is right. Using our shared experiences to come together and fight for a good cause is what’s important, and this is attainable through our love for K-pop. As a wise philosopher once said, “Radikal ang magmahal.”

You can access Cayl’s thesis here . 

This article was originally published in Scout . 

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‘Light Up the Sky’ Doesn’t Gawk at Blackpink—It Tries to Understand Them

Appealing to both casual viewers and obsessive fans, the Netflix documentary brings nuance and care to the K-pop discussion

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The first few seconds of the Netflix documentary Blackpink: Light Up the Sky are worrying.

Huge heels click-clack across a silent room. The camera zooms in on legs in short skirts, brightly colored hair, and shaking hands holding microphones. No voice-over, no music—just silent reporters staring at the silhouettes of four faceless, voiceless girls. In the span of 10 seconds, all the most sexist, stereotypical portrayals of K-pop girl groups flash before your eyes.

Fortunately, just as the film begins to play like a documentary version of the most offensive reductions American media have made about K-pop, it flashes forward three years in an instant. Blackpink’s smash hit “Boombayah” kicks in, the grinning girls crash through a set of doors to a sea of noise and adoring fans, and director Caroline Suh turns those initial sexist, stereotypical seconds on their head. That’s when you realize: We are in trustworthy hands.

Netflix’s documentary about Blackpink is the latest in a string of attempts by Western media to capitalize on K-pop’s growing worldwide popularity. Like Netflix, many studios have tried to make their own introductory documentaries on the subject, with varying levels of success. The recent BBC documentary K-Pop Idols: Inside the Hit Factory gained praise for its respectful coverage of the K-pop industry , but reviewers like The Guardian ’s Lucy Mangan still found the film, and the musical industry it portrayed, wanting. “Anyone over the age of 15 won’t be able to tell them apart, but that’s almost the point,” she wrote of the many idols featured.

Needless to say, fans of all ages can, and it’s not. But it’s hard to imagine anyone walking away from Blackpink: Light Up the Sky with a similarly dismissive takeaway. The four members of the girl group Blackpink—Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa—are given room to establish themselves as distinctive, individual personalities under the affectionate gaze of the seasoned documentarian Suh. But the film also serves as the kind of nuanced primer on the K-pop industry that past films have attempted and too often failed to provide. By showing the foundations of K-pop through the eyes of four women who have not only lived through the industry but shaped it, Suh exposes many of K-pop’s shortcomings while also showcasing its revolutionary advances in global popular music.

And Blackpink is nothing if not global. Longtime fans are likely tired of hearing about the diverse origins of Blackpink’s members—they hail from Korea, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia—but their cultural adaptability throughout the documentary is compelling, as the girls cycle through different languages mid-scene, and often mid-sentence. Much of the film is in English, thanks to fluent speakers Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, as well as English-speaking producers Teddy Park and Joe Rhee. But Jisoo is most comfortable in Korean, and the girls are careful to include her in conversations and interviews. Lisa also speaks in her native Thai in several interview segments, mostly while talking about her childhood in Bangkok. “Every group has their own cultural background that makes them who they are,” says Teddy. “But this combination … that’s what makes Blackpink unique.”

Teddy, the YG Entertainment producer who is credited with direction and oversight of the group, is featured at length in the first segment of the film, as he introduces the audience to each of the girls. It’s here where there may be a disconnect between how the “locals”—the internet’s term for casual bystanders—and fans experience the film. People who are new to Blackpink will appreciate Teddy’s short introductions—he clearly knows the girls well and cares about them, and he sums them up concisely. “Jisoo … a straight-up Korean girl that grew up in Korea. The unnie of the group—the oldest,” he says. “She does have that professional poker face. I’ve known Jisoo for a good six years. I’ve seen her cry … once.” He performs a similar introduction for the rest of the girls, including Lisa: “She’s always got that cool, calm, ‘It’s all good, we’re gonna be OK’ smile. But when it comes to certain moments—when the music starts, when it’s crunch time—she has this executioner killer instinct.” For new audiences, they’re helpful, charming introductions, based on personalities more than performances.

But for loyal fans, this isn’t new information—in fact, much of the documentary isn’t. Compilations of Jisoo’s tears—or lack thereof—are all over YouTube . Lisa’s killer instinct when it comes to performance isn’t news to fans who witnessed her stone-cold mentorship on a recent Chinese idol trainee show . Rosé’s acoustic covers, in which she showcases her piano and guitar skills, are a dime a dozen online , and anyone who has watched Jennie’s behind-the-scenes “Solo” footage knows how quickly she can switch between intense focus on her work and playful silliness.

It would be absurd to expect everyone watching this documentary to have seen all of those videos. But the reality is that K-pop fans are incredibly dedicated and voracious when it comes to consuming content, past and present. Such is the tension of any K-pop doc made while the industry is still integrating into pop culture at large: the need to explain everything to the newcomers, while also satisfying the people who’ve been on board for years. And to Suh’s credit, Light Up the Sky succeeds at least partially on both fronts. There’s plenty of never-before-seen content, including new interviews, childhood videos, and studio footage—scenes depicting Rosé’s self-penned, long-awaited studio sessions are particularly thrilling. But as the girls cringe into their seats rewatching their embarrassingly endearing YG audition tapes, you get the sense that the audience is supposed to be seeing them for the first time. And if you think fans haven’t dug up those tapes long ago , you just don’t know the fans.

Still, the most compelling part of the film is focused on the group’s pre-debut years. The K-pop trainee system has often been unfairly painted as a grim spectacle, an abusive clone factory where Korean youth take their dreams to die. The most pearl-clutching depictions suffer largely from ignorance and exaggeration, but some criticisms bear truth. K-pop trainees are put through a lot at a young age—for better and, sometimes, worse—in pursuit of their dreams. But the grotesque caricature of the system only grows when it’s not faced head-on, and Light Up the Sky is smart enough not to sugarcoat the foundations of its subjects.

Teddy and the girls of Blackpink spend significant time explaining the benefits of their time as trainees, and the girls openly remark on the struggle of the years they spent working their way up to debut. And years it was—Jennie trained for six years, Lisa and Jisoo trained for five, and Rosé trained for four. Accounts vary from Jisoo detailing her overwhelming training schedule, to Jennie mourning the normal high-school experience she wished she’d had, to Lisa looking back on grueling expectations as the company’s main dancer. Put simply, “It wasn’t a very happy vibe,” says Rosé.

Again, that’s no surprise to fans—anyone who has stanned a YG Entertainment group experiences a sort of Pavlovian shudder upon sight of those trademark, dismal practice rooms—but it’s never fun to watch Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa dance like their lives depend on it for a line of unsmiling men who appear to hold the girls’ careers in their hands.

But what Light Up the Sky ultimately proves is that in the end, it wasn’t up to those men at all. Blackpink isn’t an unprecedented success because of the tried-and-true YG Entertainment system—they’re an unprecedented success because they grew beyond it, and are now forcing the industry to grow with them. They’re a success because of Rosé’s deep affection for music, and because of Jisoo’s dry wit and unwavering care for her younger members. They’re a success because Lisa was “born to do this,” no matter where in the world she was born, and because Jennie preserved her individual artistry and optimistic spirit through six years of being told she wasn’t good enough.

Netflix was right to trust a woman with Blackpink’s story, and Suh cuts through K-pop’s strongest stereotypes to get to the truth behind not only the group, but the four unique women who make it. Not perfect, not polished; just trying their best in an industry that has exploded beyond what any of them could have expected.

The film ends with Blackpink’s Coachella performance in 2019. Moments before taking the stage, the four women worry that no one will be there to see them. How many Coachella-going, Western-music lovers would be interested in a K-pop group, the girls fear, when they could be listening to something—anything—else? As it turns out, thousands . And it’s that same magnetic appeal that will bring casual viewers to Netflix’s documentary and spit them out as fans. Welcome to the squad, everyone. We’re called Blinks.

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Blackpink review – K-pop juggernaut with world-beating attitude

O2 Arena, London Despite arriving late, and rumours of rifts behind the scenes, the South Korean superstars unleash their expertly blended mega hits with total commitment

K -pop prides itself on vertiginously high standards in all aspects of production, from its choreography to the carefully curated public images of its stars. So it’s surprising that the European leg of the biggest tour ever by an all-female K-pop act begins a tad late. A bemused American voice apologises for “technical difficulties” over the PA. (Blackpink’s world tour has transferred from a successful run in the US.) There’s little for “Blinks” – Blackpink fans – to do but watch the band’s videos and bash their heart-hammer light sticks , which produce a polite squeak, on the nearest hard surface.

When the assault on the senses finally begins, though, it is in earnest. Arena pop is known for its OTT staging and pyrotechnics. K-pop puts a rocket under all that. One of the drivers of the genre’s ubiquity in the past decade is the ability of the all-powerful South Korean production houses to cherrypick the most impactful aspects of western pop – trap beats, Swedish production signatures, anthemic pre-choruses, 1980s keyboard lines – and throw them in a blender, then sell them back to the world in enhanced forms.

Now on their second official studio album, having broken all sorts of records – the band sold 2.2m copies of the latest outing in just 48 hours in South Korea alone – Blackpink are especially skilled at this copy-paste shock and awe. For a tour promoting that long-awaited follow-up – Born Pink , released in September – minimalism was never an option. Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé come armed with as many dancers as they do hydraulics, plus a live band, umpteen costume changes and confetti cannons.

The four entertainers do not disappoint. From 2020’s The Album , Pretty Savage boasts a nagging motif and Korean-English raps, encapsulating the appeal of this most successful of girlbands: tough-girl “attitude”, but delivered with big, soaring choruses and sharp choreography. Every accusation that critics can level at pop – that it is mass-produced, that its cookie-cutter blandness feels unchallenging and repetitive – goes double for a lot of K-pop. But the very best of the genre (and Blackpink are huge for a reason) simply does away with everything musically boring. Soppy ballads are the very worst thing about pop. There are none here.

Tally , a banger from Born Pink , moves the attitude plot along significantly. “No one’s keeping tally, I do what I want with who I like,” sing Blackpink, boasting of their sexual freedom in a lyric liberally sprinkled with F-bombs. K-pop contracts are infamous for their restrictiveness , with trainees allegedly prevented from having relationships, and reportedly banned from fraternising with the opposite sex in the talent academies, allegedly until three years after their debut . Six years in, Blackpink are well clear of that clause (on paper at least), but tonight it feels as if they may still be singing this particular song from the heart.

Alternatively, they might just be very good at cosplaying a lot of swagger derived from US hip-hop and R&B. K-pop has long had huge issues with cultural appropriation that it has yet to satisfactorily resolve. Although not on a par, the band’s playful attempts at British accents tonight are pretty cringey too. You’re just grateful they don’t twerk.

For the uninitiated, there are introductions. Rosé – part-raised in Australia, her hair a pinky-blond colour – does a lot of the talking in between songs. Lisa, from Thailand, is one of Blackpink’s two rappers and seems to embody the Blackpink USP of sleek pugnaciousness a little more naturally than the others. The demure, enigmatic Jisoo draws particular affection from both the crowd and her bandmates, while rapper Jennie, who spent some years in New Zealand, handles more fan niceties. “Show me all your energy!” she asks.

Ah, energy. There is a common complaint among Blinks that Blackpink have actually produced very little music since debuting in 2016 compared with their more prolific K-pop peers. Although three of the four have released successful solo albums, all have side gigs in TV and film, and very visible tie-ins with French fashion houses , which has seemingly slowed their workrate. The upshot of all this alleged “laziness” (the internet fandom can be cruel) is that you get to hear a great deal of Blackpink’s potent, fat-free back catalogue over the course of a nearly two-hour show, with solo tunes from each member. Jisoo, yet to produce solo material, sings a cover; Rosé and Lisa – whose Lalisa single broke records on release last year – have the upper hand here. This is a slick show, delivered with commitment and the odd glimpse of human error. While trying to cover her bandmates with confetti, Rosé drops her mic off the stage.

The internet suggests that there might be rifts between members , and some previous legs of the tour have seen Blackpink accused of lacklustre performances. Speculation is intense about whether they have signed another contract with YG Entertainment, given that the standard seven-year contract many K-pop acts sign before fracturing is theoretically up for renewal in 2023. But Blackpink are booked to play what video ads tonight are claiming to be the biggest ever K-pop gig outdoors in Hyde Park next summer. Whatever the snafus at the O2, their careers seem to be running right on schedule.

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How Blackpink Went From Strangers to Sisters to Pop Supernovas

By Haeryun Kang

Haeryun Kang

I n an otherwise ordinary Seoul neighborhood, the headquarters of YG Entertainment rise like a giant spaceship above the Han River. YG is one of South Korea’s largest entertainment agencies, producing international K-pop stars, as well as, more recently, actors and models. Opened in 2020, its new complex extends nine stories aboveground and five below. The upper floors are brightly lit and open: meeting rooms with huge windows, an employee cafeteria, even a pho restaurant. Hundreds of YG employees walk busily about. There are screens everywhere, showcasing YG’s huge roster. 

The underground floors feel more like a secret den: This is where artists practice in dance studios, record music, and trainees mingle with the stars. And it’s where Blackpink , the world’s most popular girl group, are recording songs for their next album, their first since the early days of the pandemic. Once the album (due sometime later this year) is complete, the flurry of activity will start again, giving the YG employees something new to buzz about and sending the lives of the group’s four members — Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé — into overdrive.

Jennie, who like her bandmates on this April afternoon is dressed down and wearing very little makeup, takes a deep breath before describing what’s ahead. “These days . . . I think every day, ‘OK, how do I prepare myself for my next busy two years?’ ” she says, alternating between Korean and English. After the interview, she’ll hop on a flight to attend Coachella and stop by the L.A. flagship store for the eyewear brand Gentle Monster. She’s an ambassador for the brand, as well as Chanel. The other three members have similar gigs, for the likes of Celine (Lisa), Saint Laurent (Rosé), Dior (Jisoo), and more. Just earlier this year, all four were gallivanting around Paris, with front-row seats at fashion week. 

Blackpink are one of the most popular artists to ever come out of South Korea. They’re the most-followed music act on YouTube; on the streets of Seoul, you see them everywhere, from tiny screens in elevators to billboards on skyscrapers. Even the South Korean president has credited the group, among other cultural exports, for “giving hope and happiness to many around the world.” In the U.S., Blackpink have filled arenas and collaborated with stars like Lady Gaga and Cardi B. “From the management and business side, we did have our view and vision to the States and outside of Asia,” says Daniel Hong, the CEO of YG’s U.S. branch. “Who doesn’t want to perform in the States?”

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Their last LP, called simply The Album, sold around 1.2 million copies in less than a month after its 2020 release, making Blackpink the first million-selling K-pop girl group. In the first quarter of 2021, YG reported an 84 percent jump in revenue over the previous year, largely thanks to Blackpink. Their massive success is part of the Korean Wave, which refers loosely to the global popularity of South Korea’s cultural industry. 

“I feel proud of them, like I am being loved,” says Jeong Yujung, a 23-year-old from Busan, South Korea. Jeong is a Blink, one of the millions of Blackpink fans around the world. “When I see them being photographed or performing with these global stars, I feel proud. Of course, the disadvantage is we don’t see them as often in Korea.” 

Blackpink’s music projects an explosive, larger-than-life force that’s both invigorating and addictive. They make serious bangers, mixing powerful hip-hop beats with house, EDM, and more. Their videos are filled with bursts of color and inventive dancing, embodying YG’s characteristic dedication to “swag” — a term emblazoned in large letters in one of the company’s bathrooms — and fiercely independent womanhood. “Rather than emphasizing how cute or feminine they are,” Yujung notes, “Blackpink’s confidence seems to stem from a certainty about themselves as individuals. Like, ‘If you don’t like me, you’ll regret it! I’m lovable and cool, you just don’t know it.’ ”

Related: Buy the Collector’s Edition Box Set featuring Blackpink here

In person, Blackpink are more down-to-earth. They’re prone to laughter, constantly talking over one another. “My mom and dad are proud of me, but I don’t feel like a world star,” says Jisoo in Korean, chatting in a conference room and wearing a beige mask she occasionally pulls down to slurp on iced coffee. “I’m the same person that started training in high school. My social standing may have changed, but to me, I’m just . . . too me.” 

“More than anyone, we want to be ordinary girls,” says Jennie. “Sure, there are times when we talk about what kind of influence we could have. But what we actually love is talking about our cats, dogs, good food, and pretty places.” 

Blackpink come from diverse backgrounds. Lisa (real name: Lalisa Manobal), 25, is from Thailand, a dancer and rapper who spits fierce rhymes in multiple languages. Rosé (Roseanne Chaeyoung Park), also 25, was born in New Zealand and grew up in Australia. She’s the guitar-playing, high-note-hitting main vocalist with the “golden voice,” as fans love to point out. Twenty-six-year-old Jennie Kim, the group’s main rapper, grew up in Seoul and New Zealand, before joining YG in 2010. She’s been living in Seoul with her mother for the past year. There’s no leader in Blackpink, but sometimes Jennie feels like one, calm and collected, often answering the more difficult questions on behalf of the group. And 27-year-old Jisoo Kim grew up in Gunpo, about 20 miles south of YG headquarters; she’s the lead vocalist and an expert harmonizer, both quick-witted and philosophical in interviews. 

These days, Blackpink are spending as much of this comparatively quiet time as possible with family and friends. “I feel like I’m recharging myself,” says Jisoo. “My life these days is not too busy, because we’re not actively performing yet. I want to come back with music quickly. I live alone, but my parents are in the same apartment building, so we share meals together.” 

Lisa recently returned to Bangkok for the first time in three years, to celebrate her birthday. “My mom and dad are getting old,” she says wistfully, speaking in both English and Korean. “Whenever I have time, I want to return to Thailand. I don’t want to waste my time. I want to see them as often as I can.” 

Rosé, who had Covid four weeks ago, apologizes for her dry cough while munching fried rice at that pho restaurant. As a child in Melbourne, she would play piano and guitar and sing until so late that her parents and sister Alice (who all live in Seoul now) had to take turns telling her to stop. She recently picked up her guitar for the first time in ages. In both Korean and English, she talks about recording her voice on an iPad, exploring and playing and experimenting. “I hadn’t been doing that for the past two or three months,” she says. “Caught up in life. I even told my mom, ‘I want to be by myself for the next few days.’ So she didn’t come over.” 

Despite their massive success, Blackpink’s path wasn’t easy. And while cats, dogs, good food, and pretty places are indeed topics of discussion, they are also figuring out larger questions about their music, their individual voices, and who they are. 

Outside YG’s bustling HQ, amid mom-and-pop stores, “We wash your cars by hand” signs, and an unmemorable apartment building called “Korea Proud,” life is quieter. Cherry blossoms fall like snow over the alleyways of the Hapjeong-dong neighborhood. This area was Blackpink’s adolescence. They spent their teenage years as trainees here: living away from their families, singing, rapping, and practicing dance routines for more than 12 hours a day. They were hell-bent on getting to release music and perform in public. “Debut, debut, debut,” Lisa says. “That was the only thing on our minds.”

“We were on survival mode,” says Jennie. “Every month, our friends were forced to leave, go home. Getting stressed? Having it rough? Those feelings were a luxury. What mattered was debuting.” 

YG Entertainment, founded in 1996, has produced international K-pop hits like BigBang and 2NE1, both precursors to Blackpink. All four members of Blackpink passed auditions to become trainees; all came to YG at different times. Jennie was around the longest, spending six years as a trainee before the group debuted with the singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah” in 2016. Jisoo trained for five years, as did Lisa, who left Bangkok to become a trainee in 2011. Rosé joined in 2012, ranking first among 700 contestants in a YG audition in Sydney. At 15, she left her family and life in Melbourne behind and walked into YG’s headquarters carrying the same guitar she still plays today. “That guitar is over 10 years old now,” she notes. “It’s older than my dog Hank.” 

That was the day all four girls met, jamming in the YG dormitory kitchen in their pajamas until dawn. Many other trainees would cycle through the project in the years-long process of forming Blackpink, but somehow, fortuitously, the final four members were assigned to the same dorm in those early days. Rosé had just said a teary goodbye to her parents when she met her bandmates. “I think Jennie said, ‘Chaeyoung, play something for us!’ ” remembers Rosé, whose friends call her both Chaeyoung and Rosie. “So we sat around the kitchen table with my guitar. Jisoo was great at harmonizing.” 

“We started out sitting in chairs and then gradually went up onto the table,” Lisa says, laughing, during a group interview. “Everyone was like ‘ Wooooo. ’ It was so much fun.” 

“My seat was facing the kitchen window; I remember the sun rising,” says Jisoo. 

“Gosh, we’re lucky our neighbors didn’t complain,” giggles Rosé. 

“You know, if you’d gone to bed early that day, you might have felt sadder,” Jennie tells Rosé thoughtfully. 

In that three-bedroom apartment with the white walls faded to ivory, the four girls shared two rooms, while their manager slept in the other one. They played Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who would use the single bathroom first in the morning. 

“Going grocery shopping was so fun,” remembers Rosé. “We’d cook together after a long day of training. Nothing spectacular, all frozen stuff. But I still miss the taste of that food.” 

“I made scrambled eggs with milk,” says Jennie. 

“And we ate that with strawberry jam,” adds Rosé. “It was delicious.”

They needed that kind of camaraderie, because the life of a trainee can be demanding. K-pop’s trainee systems, inspired by Motown in the U.S. and Johnny’s Entertainment in Japan, come under frequent scrutiny. There’s no guarantee of ever succeeding, which means trainees can remain in limbo for years. The curriculum differs from agency to agency; at YG, the future Blackpink members underwent a rigorous monthly testing system, where trainees performed solo and in teams for judges, developing everything from their own choreography to styling. 

“When was this going to end? Like, when? Do we have to get tested every single month?” says Lisa, who initially didn’t speak Korean but is now fluent. “I’d call my mom [in Thailand], wanting to quit, and she’d tell me to hang on just another year, just hang on.” 

“If I was going through a hard time, I’d go to the bathroom, sob my heart out, then on to the next thing,” says Rosé. “I was on autopilot or something. If you told me to do that again, I could never.” 

In addition to long working hours, there are different restrictions on trainees’ lifestyles. Blackpink were forbidden from dating, driving, and drinking, though it’s not clear how strictly they followed the rules. Rosé once said on Radio Star, a Korean TV show, “These bans were negotiable with the company. They just didn’t want us to do them behind their backs.”

The members say they received classes devoted to mental health, as well as therapy, but ultimately, they weren’t helpful. “We had the same problems, so it was better to talk to each other,” says Jisoo. 

“We just endured,” adds Jennie. 

T he difficult parts of Blackpink’s journey — and the immensity of their achievements — fade into the background when the members are all together. A few days before we meet at YG, they’re all sitting in an unadorned waiting room between photo shoots. (In case you were wondering, the members prefer to have their left side photographed, except Jisoo, who prefers her right.) When Rosé points out the lipstick on Lisa’s teeth, the latter grins back with an extra-toothy smile. Jisoo squeals when a mosquito flies her way, while Jennie makes fake nails with empty pistachio shells. They shriek with laughter, reminiscing about the trainee days as the room fills with the noise and warmth of a family kitchen.

Back in their trainee days, the members would sometimes devise schemes to skip practice. One episode revolved around Potato Teacher, a longtime YG choreographer who taught Blackpink to dance. (Potato, whose real name is Kim Hee Jung, got her nickname in elementary school, at a time when, for some reason, it was trendy to refer to your classmates by the names of fruits and vegetables.) “She was considered a legend, so everybody was scared of her,” Rosé says.

“But we were dancing literally every single day. Sometimes we really, really wanted to take a break,” begins Jisoo. “So one day . . .” 

“No, you wouldn’t,” Lisa shrieks, laughing. 

“. . . we took out one of the cables.” 

“ Arrrrgh! ” Lisa shouts, a feeble, last attempt to protect their secret. 

“We took out one of the many cables connected to the speaker, and said, ‘Huh? Why isn’t the music coming out?’ ” Jisoo continues, undeterred. “Our class was an hour long. The engineer eventually came and fixed it, within 30 minutes.” 

“But even those 30 minutes were so precious, so precious,” says Jennie. 

“We were such a problematic group,” Rosé says, cracking up. 

“I don’t think Potato Teacher knows about this story, to this day,” says Jisoo. 

B lackpink are involved in every step of the creative process, from conceptual brainstorming to final styling. They’re co-writers on smashes like “Lovesick Girls” and many others, as well as on their solo singles, some of which are massive hits. 

“We don’t just receive a completed song,” says Jisoo. “We are involved from the beginning, building the blocks, adding this or that feeling, exchanging feedback — and this process of creating makes me feel proud of our music. If we just received pre-made songs, it would feel mechanical. I feel more love for the process, because we say, ‘How about adding this in the lyrics? How about adding this move in the choreography?’ ”

At the heart of their music is Teddy Park, Blackpink’s main producer. “Blackpink in your area!” the iconic phrase that pops up in many of their singles, was Teddy’s doing. 

“Oppa directs all of Blackpink,” says Lisa, using the honorific for an older man. “He knows us incredibly well,” she says. “He pushes us hard. ‘Again, again, again,’ he’d say.” 

“He’ll just randomly call me one day, ‘Yo, Jennie, we gotta step up,’ ” says Jennie. “He’s like an alarm, reminding us to keep moving musically. All he has to do is call, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, my God,’ tensing up. But it’s a good tension that Blackpink needs.” 

A Korean American from Los Angeles, Teddy gained mainstream fame in Korea in the late 1990s, first as a rapper in the YG-produced hip-hop boy band 1TYM. The group is often seen as a precursor to BigBang, combining rap, dance, and the good looks typical of K-pop idol groups. “Teddy is hip-hop down to his bones,” says Jennie. “And we inherited that.” 

It’s hard to talk about K-pop without mentioning its beating heart of hip-hop. MTV, launched in 1981, was broadcast in South Korea through AFKN, the U.S. military’s broadcasting service in South Korea. American GIs and Koreans danced to everything from New Jack Swing to Michael Jackson in nightclubs near Seoul’s U.S. military base. Seo Taiji and Boys, a critical precursor to today’s K-pop idols, began their career through dance battles at Moon Night in the Itaewon neighborhood. 

“The history of hip-hop in Korea did not begin with rappers and DJs; it did with dancers performing to New Jack Swing,” write blogger T.K. Park and music critic Youngdae Kim in Vulture. “The fact that the cradle of hip-hop in Korea was the dance club has deep implications that can be seen to this day in mainstream K-pop . . . the identity of Korean hip-hop as dance music flowed into the mainstream K-pop idol groups, particularly through the producer YG.” 

Yang Hyun-suk, one of the boys (in Seo Taiji and Boys) and a legendary competitor at Moon Night, would later found YG Entertainment, around the time Korean pop started looking beyond its borders. The agency created hip-hop groups like Jinusean and 1TYM, and found success through BigBang in the mid-2000s. (Yang resigned in 2019 amid a slew of allegations involving some of the label’s biggest stars, including sex trafficking and covering up a drug scandal.)

Teddy rarely gives interviews. In 2013, he told Korean news site OSEN that he goes to bed at 9 a.m. and wakes up at 3 p.m., making music during most of his waking hours. Though Teddy has been behind many of the biggest chart-topping hits in Korean pop, he says he doesn’t like chart-topping songs, because “I want to eat food that was made by hand in a worn-out store, rather than a franchise dish that sells like it has wings.” 

Korean hip-hop is more than K-pop idols — think legends like Deux, the Movement Crew, Verbal Jint — but YG’s brand, with Teddy at the center, is undeniably one of the most globally popular. Blackpink’s potent, inventive sound combines the YG spirit of swag and self-confidence with moments of vulnerability and inventive beats. “Love to Hate Me” recalls 2000s R&B; “How You Like That” is permeated by trap rhythms and catchy, repeating one-liners (common in Blackpink songs). “Crazy Over You” packs in retro hip-hop beats, Balkan touches, and tricky lines — “Simple is so, so, I need that oh no/Don’t you know I’m loco” — expertly rapped by Lisa. 

“Hip-hop is in my blood,” says Lisa, who went solo for the first time with a single written by Teddy. “Lalisa” is infused with a maximalist mix of rap, EDM, brass riffs, and even traditional Thai instruments. Another solo single, “Money,” dethroned Drake to take the top spot on Billboard ’s Rap Digital Songs Sales chart. 

“I don’t think hip-hop is just about rapping. Look at Rihanna, she could make anything hip-hop. Hip-hop means something different to everyone,” says Jennie, who loves Brockhampton (and just saw them at Coachella). 

“To me, it’s the spirit of cool — vibes, swag, whatever words you can use. I think Blackpink’s hip-hop is something the world hasn’t seen before,” she continues. “We, four girls in their twenties from different backgrounds, are using -Korean and English to weave pop music with a hip-hop base. Maybe if the really cool rappers in America, who do ‘real hip-hop,’ look at us, it can seem a little like kids doing things. Our hip-hop isn’t the rebellious kind, but we are doing something very cool. What hip-hop is this? I don’t know! It’s just cool!” 

J isoo sits in the YG conference room, high above the mighty Han. Known as the funny one within the group, she’s quiet and serious today, thinking about big questions and wearing a cap that says “As time goes by it will be better.” Jisoo’s the only member who hasn’t released solo music, though there’s buzz she might sometime this year. “I’m not sure how much I want to go solo yet,” she says. “The music I listen to, the music I can do, and the music I want to do — what should I choose? I love songs with lots of instruments. I love different bands and rock music. What do people want from me? There’s a chaos of conflicting questions.” 

There’s no indication Blackpink is anything but full speed ahead, but behind the veneer of pop perfection, the artists are still figuring out their paths as individual musicians. Each has solo activities: Jisoo acts, and the other three have released singles, including some massive hits — although the sounds don’t stray too far from Blackpink’s sonic palette, with Teddy involved in most of the songs. 

“Is hip-hop the only thing I’m good at?” wonders Lisa. “What if it turns out I’m also good at traditional Thai music?” Her 2021 solo single “Lalisa” incorporated different Thai visuals and sounds, and she points to artists like Rosalía as an exemplar: “Rosalía is so cool. She has her own Spanish culture, that’s inside her person, that influences her music. . . . I’m curious to know how much I can expand what I do. Music-wise, dance-wise, I feel like I still have to learn more.” 

“The Jennie you’ve seen so far has been practice,” says Jennie, the first member to go solo, in 2018, with the single “Solo,” on which she mixes mellow vocals with her characteristically swaggering rap (the video has more than 800 million views on YouTube). “I have so many things I like . . . I love vocals, rap, dance. I can contain all of that in a single song. I have that diversity.” 

Fun or not, making music is full of pressure, as the foursome recall during a break from the photo shoot. “The most fun is before we start making it,” Jisoo says with a laugh. 

“Or when it’s in the past,” says Jennie, giggling. 

“When I recorded something for the first time,” Rosé says, “I was so excited. I didn’t know any better, so it was fun. I envy that now. Now, no matter how hard I try, a part of me is never satisfied.” 

“That’s an occupational disease,” Lisa tells Rosé. “And I feel exactly the same.” 

Jisoo loves creating, loves building a song from scratch with an expert team. But she sometimes struggles with questions of purpose and the pressures of fame. “What do I exactly like?” she asks. “It’s still a mystery. I love to perform, but I don’t always enjoy being part of the spotlight. I think it’s different for the other members: They love to receive the spotlight, feeling energized by the people who come to see us, and then getting a bit depressed when the stage is over and silence arrives. I’m a little different. When I’m onstage, I think about not making mistakes. Performing sometimes feels more like a test than something genuinely fun.” 

Lisa talks about a period of fighting with her own voice. “That whole year between ‘As If It’s Your Last’ [2017] and ‘Ddu-du Ddu-du’ [2018] was rough for me,” she says, sitting in a dimly lit recording studio on a basement floor of YG. “I couldn’t sing. When I went to the studio to record, nothing came out. I cried. I felt like I was bringing the team down. Teddy pushed me hard: ‘You can’t? No. Try harder. Go back in there.’ Because of Teddy, I overcame that time.” 

Jennie regularly does Pilates, yoga, boxing, and other exercises to stay healthy. “For me, so far, when I’m good in my body, I feel happier and healthier in my mental health. . . . And have good people around you that you can trust,” she adds. “And pets.”

Now, Blackpink are revving up to launch new music — to unleash more bangers, to further cement their place as one of greatest girl groups of all time — with no end in sight. “I mean, won’t Blackpink last at least 10 more years? We’ll be nearly 40 by then,” Lisa says. “Someday we’ll get married and things like that. But then I see the Spice Girls, how they got together for a reunion concert. Can we do that too someday? Will I be able to dance then, like I do now?” Then she laughs in her characteristically hearty way. 

“Even if we’re 70 and we have different lives, I’ll still feel like I’m Blackpink,” says Jennie. “As corny as it sounds, I don’t think Blackpink will ever end in my heart. It’s a part of my family. You can’t deny your family.” 

Last year, Rosé released her first solo single, “On the Ground.” I ask what the lyric “Everything I need is on the ground” means to her. She pauses. Her shoulder-length blond hair wisps around her face as her eyes narrow into focus. “Just us as people. A year and a half ago, maybe two, I remember us eating. It was the four of us and Teddy. We were just hungry people — we got to the restaurant, very hungry, and the food was really good. This is what makes us feel like people. Just us, eating with the people we love.”

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Everything We Know About BLACKPINK's New Album, 'Born Pink'

After a two-year hiatus, BLACKPINK are on the brink of releasing a new single, "Pink Venom," and a highly anticipated sophomore effort, 'Born Pink.' Here’s everything you need to know about the quartet’s forthcoming full-length album, out Sept. 16.

It’s been two years since BLACKPINK released their debut studio album, The Album , which featured the Top 40 hits" How You Like That " and" Lovesick Girls " as well as guest appearances from Selena Gomez and Cardi B . The record-breaking album quickly solidified the quartet as K-pop superstars, and they became known as the" biggest girl group in the world ."

As COVID-19 prevented BLACKPINK from embarking on a promotional tour, the innovative foursome decided to bring the show to fans at home, with a livestream pay-per-view concert that was critically lauded and commercially successful . 

Shortly after the promo tour wound down, the group went on a hiatus to regroup and pursue other projects. Lisa and Rosé dropped solo albums, while Jennie and Jisoo pursued acting careers — Jennie will star in the Weeknd’s upcoming HBO Max series," The Idol ," and Jisoo played a college student in the Korean TV drama," Snowdrop ." 

Now, the girls are back together and ready to kick off their comeback with Born Pink , out Sept. 16 through YG Entertainment. Here’s everything GRAMMY.com knows about BLACKPINK’s sophomore album.

Born Pink Arrives On Sept. 16

Fans can pre-order physical copies of the album, including a limited-edition pink vinyl, via the group’s website, which is also offering an exclusive box set — available in black and pink — which comes with a CD, folded poster, sticker, poster book, photo cards and more. 

BLACKPINK & YG Entertainment Began Promoting The Album In July

YG Entertainment, the group’s record label, thrilled fans when they announced the quartet’s new album and world tour on July 6. A few weeks later, BLACKPINK shared a series of promo pics on Instagram and dropped a trailer on YouTube with their forthcoming schedule. 

The 30-second trailer has racked up more than 20 million views since, which comes as no surprise — the girl group recently became the most-followed musical act of all time on YouTube, where they have more than 75 million subscribers.

There Are A Few Fan Theories About Born Pink

Since their debut in 2016, BLACKPINK has forged a strong connection with their loyal fanbase — affectionately known as Blinks — through live streams and interviews where they sometimes offer playful spoilers about the lyrics, visuals and choreography in their upcoming new releases. 

And like any great fanbase, Blinks have taken these clues and created theories and predictions that they share via YouTube, Reddit, Discord, and other online communities. Alongside speculation that the album will explore heartbreak, some fans believe that Jisoo’s name will finally be mentioned in the lyrics of a Born Pink track. (Lisa, Rosé and Jennie’s names appear in "Ice Cream," "BOOMBAYAH" and Lisa’s debut solo single, " LALISA ," respectively.) 

Unreleased Track "Ready For Love" May Appear On Born Pink

In July, the girl group partnered with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile for the mobile game’s first-ever virtual concert, which featured a performance of " Ready for Love ," an unreleased song that the quartet is seen recording in their 2020 Netflix documentary, BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky . The song’s inclusion in the documentary sent fans into a frenzy, and they began speculating about the group’s next era. 

The tracklist for Born Pink has yet to be released, so it’s unclear if "Ready for You" will appear on the album, but the song is listed on Genius .

Their New Single, "Pink Venom," Drops Aug. 19

On Aug 8., BLACKPINK commemorated the sixth anniversary of their formation with messages of gratitude and love on Instagram . As an anniversary gift to fans, they announced the Aug. 19 release of "Pink Venom," their second single of 2022. Fans can digitally pre-order the highly anticipated song on BLACKPINK’s official website or pre-save it on streaming services. 

After announcing "Pink Venom," the group shared a set of concept teaser photos on Instagram, in which they appear in blush pink costumes posed in front of broken glass arranged in the shape of spider webs. The promo blitz continued the following day with the release of "Pink Venom" teaser concept videos for each member, giving fans a sneak peek of the quartet’s costuming for the upcoming visual.

OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder Produced Tracks For The Group That May Appear On Born Pink

The singer-songwriter behind Beyoncé ’s "Halo" discussed his collaboration with the foursome in a recent interview with "Good Morning America ": "I think one or two of my songs have made the album," he said. "From what I’ve been told, and the stuff that I did with them, I can just say is very true to their sound." 

This isn’t Tedder ’s first time working with the K-pop sensations — he helped write and produce " Bet You Wanna ," a hit track from The Album featuring a verse from GRAMMY-winning rapper, Cardi B.  

The Group Will Embark On A Global Tour To Promote Born Pink  

In mid-October, BLACKPINK will set off on a global tour in support of Born Pink and their label says it will be the biggest the world has ever seen.

"On top of new music and large-scale projects, BLACKPINK will also go on the largest world tour in the history of a K-pop girl group by the end of the year to expand their rapport with fans worldwide," YG Entertainment stated in a press release. The Born Pink World Tour kicks off in Seoul and will touch down in 26 cities, including Los Angeles, Bangkok, London and Auckland, with more to be added at a later date. 

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly . Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly .

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube . This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg , Doggystyle . This is for Illmatic , this is for Nas . We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal , Anna Wise and Thundercat ). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift 's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN ., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers .

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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New Music Friday: Listen To New Releases From Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Blackpink & More

The summer of 2023 may be winding down, but its musical offerings remain white-hot. Check out some new songs and albums that arrived on Aug. 25, from Maluma to Burna Boy.

The faintest hint of fall is in the air, but the summer of 2023's musical deluge continues unabated. Across genres, scenes and styles, the landscape continues to flourish.

We have Miley Cyrus 's first song since Endless Summer Vacation — a vulnerable, proudly " unfinished " offering. On the opposite end of the vibe spectrum, Selena Gomez has thrown caution to the wind with the carefree "Single Soon."

And that's just the beginning — beloved acts from Burna Boy to BLACKPINK are back with fresh material. Before you dive into the weekend, add these songs to your playlist.

Miley Cyrus — "Used To Be Young"

On her first song since Endless Summer Vacation arrived in March, two-time GRAMMY nominee Cyrus avoids tidiness, and pursues honest reflection.

"The time has arrived to release a song that I could perfect forever. Although my work is done, this song will continue to write itself everyday," she said in a statement. "The fact it remains unfinished is a part of its beauty. That is my life at this moment ….. unfinished yet complete."

"Used to Be Young" belongs to the pantheon of "turning 30" jams; therein, Cyrus looks back on her misspent youth, and the attendant heat of the spotlight. "You say I used to be wild/ I say I used to be young," she sings. 

In the stark video, she gazes unflinchingly into the lens, without varnish or artifice.

Selena Gomez — "Single Soon"

Where Cyrus' new song bittersweetly gazes backward, Gomez's carbonated new jam "Single Soon" is focused on the promised reverie of tomorrow — sans boyfriend.

"Should I do it on the phone?/ Should I leave a little note/ In the pocket of his coat?" the two-time GRAMMY nominee wonders, sounding positively giddy about her unshackling from Mr. Wrong.

As the song unspools, Gomez gets ready for a wild night out; the song ends with the portentous question, "Well, who's next?" If you're ready to slough off your summer fling, "Single Soon" is for you.

Ariana Grande — Yours Truly: Tenth Anniversary

The two-time GRAMMY winner and 15-time nominee's acclaimed debut album, Yours Truly , arrived on Aug. 30, 2013; thus, it's time to ring in its tin anniversary.

Granted, these aren't "new songs," per se: rather, i n a weeklong celebration , Grande is reintroducing audiences to Yours Truly .

Dive in, and you'll find "Live From London" versions of multiple songs. Plus — perhaps most enticingly — the sprawling re-release contains two new versions of "The Way," her hit collaboration with late ex Mac Miller.

Maluma — Don Juan

Papi Juancho is dead; long live Don Juan. "Fue un placer," Maluma wrote on Instagram last New Year's Eve. (It translates to "It was a pleasure.")

And with that, the Colombian rap-singing heavyweight ushered in a new character. He's now Don Juan — in a reference both to the fictional libertine and his birth name of Juan Luis Londoño Arias.

Now, Don Juan's out with his titular album — which he dubs a "mature" blending of the musics that got him going, like reggaeton, house, salsa, and hip-hop.

Burna Boy & Dave — "Cheat On Me"

Just over a year after his latest album, Love, Damini , Burna Boy is back with I Told Them… The Nigerian star offers another forward-thinking missive with his seventh album.

Featuring the likes of 21 Savage , J. Cole , and Wu-Tang Clan 's GZA and RZA , I Told Them… is one highlight after the next — and "Cheat On Me" is one of them. For the advance single, the GRAMMY-winning Afro-fusion dynamo teamed up with London rapper Dave.

Therein, the pair expound on getting out of their own way. The chorus, powered by a sample from British-Ghanian singer/songwriter Kwabs, sums it all up: "I couldn't see/ I was cheating on, cheating on me." 

Blackpink — "The Girls"

BLACKPINK are a bona fide cross-cultural sensation , but they won't stop at the music: they're a game now.

A little over a year after their second studio album, Born Pink , the acclaimed South Korean girl group has released a mobile app, succinctly called "The Game." Therein — and above — players can watch the video for "The Girls," their first post- Born Pink jam.

Don't say Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa didn't warn you: "Stop sign, we're burning it down/ Better watch out, we coming in loud/ Bang, bang, just playing around/ Don't mess with the girls, with the girls, with the girls."

The Killers — "Your Side of Town"

The Killers ' beloved debut album, Hot Fuss , turns 20 next year; as a ramp-up, here's "Your Side of Town," a new slice of electro-pop from the Vegas crew.

The sleek, aerodynamic, Auto-Tuned "Your Side of Town" is their first single since their acclaimed pair of albums, 2020's Imploding the Mirage and 2021's Pressure Machine .

Here, the five-time GRAMMY nominees take a Pet Shop Boys -like tack with the music; lyrically, they're still putting the "heart" in heartland rock.

"I'm hanging on your side of town/ I notice when you're not around," frontman Brandon Flowers sings on the chorus. "Can't keep my cool, I'm burning inside/ A broken heartbeat, barely alive."

But the Killers — like everyone on this list — remain very alive.

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Photo courtesy of Y G Entertainment.

5 Ways BLACKPINK's MetLife Concert Was A Joyous Celebration Of Their Career

K-pop phenoms BLACKPINK took over New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Aug. 11 and 12, marking both their biggest North American shows to date and their 7th anniversary as a group. Take a look at five special highlights from night one.

At one point in BLACKPINK's concert at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 11, Jennie tilted her head toward the sky. It was the K-pop juggernaut's first of two nights playing at the football stadium, and the singer wanted to properly say hello to the tens of thousands who had gathered. 

"Second floor! Third floor! And… is that fourth floor?" She surveyed the BLINKs seated at the edges of the venue before turning to members Jisoo, Rose and Lisa with a look of disbelief. "No way," Lisa responded as the entire stadium erupted in cheer. "New Jersey has leveled up — whole other level," Rosé said. "Unbelievable."

Just last year, BLACKPINK performed in New Jersey at a sizable, but much smaller venue. Prudential Center had three levels instead of four, and the boost in attendance could easily be felt at MetLife. The sky glowed rosy pink as the legions of BLINKs waved the group's hammer-shaped lightsticks in hand. 

The concert on Aug. 11 was part of BLACKPINK's Encore leg of their Born Pink World Tour, and MetLife was the first North American stop. Born Pink kicked off in Seoul in October 2022, and since then, BLACKPINK has traversed dozens of cities around the globe. Though the setlist was expected to be similar to that of last year's — BLACKPINK has not released music as a group since their 2022 stateside concerts — that did not lessen the Encore shows' demand.

Besides, BLINKs know 2023 is a major year for BLACKPINK: the act is celebrating their seventh year anniversary — almost exactly to the date, since they debuted on Aug. 8, 2016. The group's contract is also set to expire this year, and given that YG Entertainment has not announced news of renewals, there's an added sense of urgency for many BLINKS to watch their beloved idols perform live. 

And BLACKPINK did not disappoint. Across two hours, Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa delivered one rousing hit song after another and showed how far they've come since August 2016. Here are five ways the first of the group's two MetLife concerts was a celebration of their career.

At Last, Every Member Performed Solo Music 

Though BLACKPINK has not released new songs as a group in 2023, earlier this year Jisoo made her solo debut , becoming the final member to do so. At past BLACKPINK concerts, Jisoo sang covers including Camila Cabello 's "Liar" and Zedd ft. Foxes ' "Clarity" as the other members performed their solo music. And while the covers showcased Jisoo's sophisticated charm, they left fans wanting her solo music to come sooner — and the wait was finally over.

Jisoo performed both the springy dance-pop track "Flower" and, for the first time, the buoyant EDM-infused "All Eyes on Me." And all eyes were surely on the eldest BLACKPINK member as she strutted down the runway in a sparkling silver dress.

With all of BLACKPINK performing songs they have their personal stamps on, the setlist not only demonstrated how they have grown both collectively and individually — it felt more complete than ever.

The Throwback Songs Had The Venue Shaking — Literally

BLACKPINK's more recent singles, from "Shut Down" to "Pink Venom," are undeniable pop anthems. But the ensemble has released addictive bangers since the very start of their career, and the fervor at MetLife during the throwback songs was a testament. 

When "Boombayah," one of BLACKPINK's debut songs, started playing, the already roaring screams rose in volume. BLINKS swung their lightsticks more powerfully than before to the heavy beats of the song, and there was no hesitation when Jennie yelled "jump!" as the final verses approached. The floor began to shake as fans on all levels leapt in place while the group did the same on stage.

The quartet's 2020 hit song "Lovesick Girls" played immediately after, and once again the tens of thousands jumping across the stadium caused the ground to quake. The same electrifying energy filled the space when BLACKPINK performed their other early songs — from "DDU-DU DDU-DU" and "Forever Young" to "PLAYING WITH FIRE" and "As If It's Your Last" — in the second half of the show. 

With pyrotechnics and fireworks, the MetLife show was already leaving a searing impression. But there's nothing quite like feeling the impact of a group through the floor literally trembling.    

Diversity Of BLINKs Was On Full Display

Anyone who has attended a BLACKPINK concert knows that the group's fans come from all backgrounds, genders and ages. This was also extremely evident from one look at those waiting in line to enter MetLife. 

But one addition to the concert from last year's Prudential Center show highlighted BLINKS' diversity even more. The giant screens presented a dance challenge in the minutes before the encore, and cameras zoomed in on fans who grooved to the music — some replicating the choreography to a tee while others improvised with pizzazz. 

Two young girls in matching black shirts and sequined magenta skirts danced to "Pink Venom," and moments later a man in a rosy bucket hat performed the "Flower" choreography with a lightstick in hand. Two women in hot pink hijabs swayed to "How You Like That," before a male BLINK in a white dress shirt body rolled to the post-chorus and ended the performance with a wink. 

BLINKS Joined BLACKPINK In Singing Happy Birthday

The most obvious way this show celebrated BLACKPINK's career was, well, with an actual celebration. Near the end of the concert, the members crowded around a four-tiered black and pink cake adorned with ribbons and roses. 

"Can we sing happy birthday to ourselves?" Rosé asked as the four artists held banners that read, "Happy 7th year anniversary / BLACKPINK BLINK FOUREVER." The crowd of course screamed a resounding "YES!" and joined in on the song. "Happy birthday to Jennie Jisoo Lisa Rose," Lisa sang with a chuckle. 

BLACKPINK Reminisced On A First Meeting From 10 Years Ago

The most heartwarming moment of the show happened shortly after the birthday celebration. "Remember the day that we met?" Jennie asked softly. "So romantic," Rosé laughed, seemingly surprised at the turn in conversation — just after she said she didn't want to cry that evening. 

"I remember the first day you came to YG," Lisa said to Rosé. Then, BLINKS were treated to a different kind of performance. "Should we reenact the elevator scene?" Rosé asked as she put down the anniversary banner and stepped in front of the cake to get ready.

"I was with all my books and stuff," Lisa recalled as she gathered more anniversary banners and clutched them in front of her chest as if they were books. Rosé pretended to press an elevator button. "I'll go downstairs to say hi to the girls," she said, almost in a whisper. "Oh, I'm so nervous." 

Together, the two of them pretended that the elevator door opened with a ding. "And then I walked into the room and was like this [ motions a wave ], 'Hi,' and they were so welcoming!" 

At this moment, Jennie and Jisoo embraced her in a hug. "And then all night we played the guitar, til morning," Rosé remembered as her fingers strummed the air. 

In the past 10 years, BLACKPINK has trained together, debuted together, and now, celebrated their seventh anniversary together. So much of their journey to becoming a top girl group is unseen by the public, but for those few minutes Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa warmly welcomed BLINKS into their memories — creating an unforgettably meaningful celebration for everyone involved.

All images courtesy of Y G Entertainment.

Inside SoFi Stadium At TWICE’s Record-Breaking L.A. Show

Photo: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella

Get To Know 5 Asian Artists Taking Center Stage At 2023 Festivals

From Jackson Wang’s historic Coachella set to NoSo’s marvelous Kilby Block Party debut, here are 5 artists of Asian heritage performing at popular music festivals this year.

Festival season is upon us and among the many names in those occasionally hard-to-read lineup posters, artists of Asian heritage have been rising to headliner status.

BLACKPINK might be first to come to mind: the South Korean group dropped jaws with their revolutionary Coachella performance, becoming the first K-pop group to headline the massive spring festival. From NewJeans to TOMORROW X TOGETHER to aespa making appearances at festivals later this August, K-pop in particular has continued to take the festival circuit by storm.

Indie, rock and EDM stars of Asian heritage are also making their mark on festival stages this year. Four Tet turned Coachella upside down alongside Skrillex and Fred again.. , and Beabadoobee will take on Lollapalooza Chicago, Outside Lands, and All Things Go, all after opening for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour and headlining her own EU tour.

From mainstays like NIKI and Raveena to rising stars like Yaeji and Wallice , festival lineups are bursting with talent this year. In honor of AAPI month, here are five Asian artists bringing their striking performances to major festival stages this year.

Although spill tab makes bedroom pop, her music was destined for festival stages.

Born Claire Chicha, the breakout French Korean singer/songwriter  shapes her introspections into ambitious alternative pop. Swimming through layered vocals and electropop tinges, the artist knows how to transform her dreamy reflections into eye-catching performances.

After playing Austin City Limits last fall, Chicha graced the stage at Kilby Block Party in Utah this spring. Having already opened for everyone from Wallows to Sabrina Carpenter, spill tab knows the stage like the back of her hand.

The Rose is making their Lollapalooza Chicago debut this August, but the K-pop four-piece have been festival-ready since their mainstream debut in 2017.

Newly under the management of label Far East Movement, The Rose is known for their escalating soft-rock ballads like “She’s In The Rain” and “sorry.” Able to switch from electric to acoustic with ease, the group’s versatility translates into a bright, contagious energy meant for festival stages.

Marked by poignance and soft guitar, NoSo’s performances fill a venue with comfort. Just a few months after performing for NPR’s popular Tiny Desk Concert series, NoSo put on an emotionally enlightening show at Kilby Block Party.

The Korean American artist, who also identifies as nonbinary and transgender, released their debut Stay Proud of Me in 2022. The album tells stories centering around their racial and gender identity, offering a serenity akin to a healing force.

Jackson Wang

Hailing from Hong Kong, Jackson Wang made waves at Coachella as the first Chinese solo artist invited to perform at the festival. Bringing out Ciara to perform their sultry R&B collaboration “Slow,” the singer-rapper proved he’s full of surprises.

Previously part of the K-pop group GOT7 , Wang’s massive platform is only continuing to grow. His smooth, breathy voice molds to every genre from pop to rap, and his spectacular Coachella performance highlighted how his shining stage presence will only continue to mesmerize audiences.

After a long dusty day of stomping around festival grounds, Tanukichan’s refreshing set can help you recharge.

Born Hannah van Loon, the San Francisco-based indie rock star balances warmth and grit perfectly, individualizing her own sound after four years in the pop band Trails and Ways. Just a few months before her Kilby Block Party debut, she released her dynamic album GIZMO , which followed her 2018 Toro y Moi-produced debut and tour support for Kero Kero Bonito.

TXT, Blackpink, Aespa & More: Here Are All The K-Pop Tours And Events You Can Catch This Summer

• 1 Everything We Know About BLACKPINK's New Album, 'Born Pink'
• 2 GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
• 3 New Music Friday: Listen To New Releases From Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Blackpink & More
• 4 5 Ways BLACKPINK's MetLife Concert Was A Joyous Celebration Of Their Career
• 5 Get To Know 5 Asian Artists Taking Center Stage At 2023 Festivals

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Gender and genre: BTS versus Blackpink

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As any inhabitant of planet earth with access to a computer or TV will have noted, boy band BTS and girl group Blackpink are seismically moving and shaking the global music scene, surfing a tidal wave of K-pop as it crashes upon global shores.

The exposure of the two supergroups recently sky-rocketed to ever greater heights when, one after the other, they smashed YouTube records of “Most Viewed Clips in the first 24 Hours.” Blackpink was first with “Kill This Love” – ringing up 56.7 million views.  Barely 24 hours later, BTS shattered that number, raising it by 20 million views, with “Boys with Luv.”

Both have also performed on massive American stages – Saturday Night Live  for BTS and the Coachella music festival for Blackpink.

So has K-pop as a genre truly gone global? Or is it simply that, as the world goes gaga over the Bantang Boys, BTS is dragging Blackpink in its foaming wake?

Sorry Blackpink, but…

The two groups come from the same place and are often mentioned in the same breath. But when it comes to  sales, the chasm between them is glaring.

In 2019, Blackpink’s EP  Kill This Love  broke the record for the highest first-day sales for a girl group album with 78 275 copies sold, according to Hanteo. Compare that to BTS: The Bantang Boys pre-sold 2.6 million copies of their latest album  Map of the Soul : Persona , according to Billboard.

BTS is also a phenomenon in a way that Blackpink just are not.

On Wednesday night, BTS paid homage to pop gods The Beatles – who they’ve been compared to repeatedly in terms of their effect on fans, and in the transformative power of pop culture – when they appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Their performance there deliberately mirrored the Fab Four’s world-shaking appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

While Blackpink might be garnering YouTube views by the million and filling concert hall seats by the tens of thousands, they cannot compare with the thunderous buzz that surrounds BTS – who are, arguably the biggest band in the world today and the biggest Asian act of modern times.

Of course, this is nothing new in the music world. Some acts were always more popular than others and this has never stopped a genre from having massive success.

But there is a boy band-girl group undertone to the BTS-Blackpink dynamic, and on the gender-expectation front, Blackpink have limited room for manoeuvre. That is not the case with BTS and other Korean boy bands, who are turning Asian and global norms of “masculinity” on their heads.

K-pop or gay-pop? 

“How do we blur gender norms?” asked Michael Hurt, a professor of Cultural Studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. “One way to do that is dressing up women as tomboys – but that’s nothing new. On the contrary, Korea is creating another definition of sexiness – for men.”

In today’s social media era, when gender neutrality and fluidity is very much to the fore, Korean boy bands are redefining maleness with the “flower boy” concept of the pretty, pure, gentle man. K-pop men do things that are have traditionally been associated with, well, women: They wear make-up, dress up, act cute and show that they care.

Among some Western males, this form of masculinity is derided as being “gay.” Millions of Western girls and women, however, have clearly been smitten. And as online pundit  Ask a Korean has often noted: Korean boy groups have tens of thousands of women screaming their names during concerts. If that’s not masculinity – what is?

Hurt calls the “flower boy” trend a new form of “hyper-masculinity” and compares it to a fashion show: Models hit catwalks sporting styles that are not designed for everyday wear, but will spark and define trends and conversations in the real world.

This is new. Meanwhile, girl groups like Blackpink are stuck with a sexualised presentation format that dates back to pre-history.

Boys challenge norms, girls reinforce them 

”Pretty dancing girls is an old formula and Korea does it well,” said Hurt. “They maxed out the way you can harness the female body for economical gain.”

“Maxed out,” indeed. However, the problem for Korean girl groups does not stop at being unable to upgrade an already highly sexualized image. At home, girl bands are subject to societal pressures that their male counterparts have been able to challenge.

“Blackpink is just a harder sell than BTS,” John Lie of UC Berkeley’s Sociology Department told Asia Times. “Boy groups project an image that they’re well-built physically and they’re nice, romantic guys. It’s the contrary of what South Korean society actually is, which is, at the core, very masculinist and misogynistic.”

So, while the boy bands are bringing something new to the table – the “flower boy” look and concept – girl groups are stuck.

“While boy groups reflect a difference with Korean culture itself, girl groups are closer to what Korean society projects,” Lie said. “In K-pop, women are submissive, cute and sexy: their self-presentation is not that much at odds with how South Korean women are expected to act.”

Still, even “flower boys” can be very, very bad boys.

Lie noted that the ongoing  Burning Sun scandal – in which multiple A-list K-pop male celebrities have been named and shamed in a sex trafficking, drugs and bribery ring centred on the Burning Sun night club in Seoul’s funky Gangnam district – exposes the hypocrisy of at least some male bands’ idealistic images.

The scandal, though, probably won’t affect K-pop as a whole: After all, the genre’s top names, BTS and Blackpink, are not implicated. The question now is what will drive the genre forward.

Being real is the new deal

According to Bernie Cho, a Seoul-based industry player with DFSB Kollective, the future of K-pop is not about gender, it is about how truly global they the genre can go. In that sense, both BTS and Blackpink point to a new future.

“BTS can sing, rap, or chat comfortably in Korean, English or Japanese,”  Cho said. “Blackpink goes even further as they have members who can also communicate in Chinese and Thai.” Moreover, unlike most Asian music, K-Pop artist names and song titles are often provided in a bilingual Korean-English format, Cho noted.

For the music industry executive, BTS and Blackpink represent a new kind of act in K-pop where being highly trained singers or dancers is not enough.

BTS are “actual authentic artists who play key roles in producing, composing, and writing lyrics to their own hits,” he said. “Even Blackpink can’t be placed in the ‘just cute’ category. If they ever wanted to be a live band, they could pull it off.”

Rather than being carefully curated products manufactured on factory-line production process – the previous formula for K-pop acts – BTS and Blackpink indicate that it is now about being artists, rather than simply performers.

“The ‘fake it ’till you make it’ days are over,”said Cho. “Being real is the deal now…authenticity has displaced automation as the new normal.”

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The Complex, Gender-Bending History Behind ‘Florals for Spring’

Essayist Olivia Laing delves into the surprisingly subversive lore behind the motif.

We got married at a University of Cambridge college, in a 15th-century hall decorated with Pre-Raphaelite exuberance in the same unusual black, red, and green palette as the dress. There were heraldic roses and other botanical motifs everywhere you looked, rising up the walls and swarming across the painted ceiling. It was like entering a fantastical Eden, at once traditional and anarchic.

Flowers are often coded as sweetly feminine, especially in fashion, but their historical use is far stranger and more subversive. Before I became a writer, I trained as an herbalist, falling deep under the spell of medieval herbs, with their bewitching floral associations. Flowers had once formed a kind of secret language, an arcane code that only an adept could read. Bouquets, paintings, even dresses could carry a hidden message, by way of the humble plants they contained.

While I was researching my new book, The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise , I came across a historical study with the beguiling title of Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d . It was an account of the marvelous dresses the Tudor queen had worn, many of them densely embroidered with flowers, which broadcast a coded message about her virtues. The dress worn by Elizabeth in the famous Hardwick Portrait includes pansies for humility, lilies for purity, and roses to emphasize her Tudor lineage. They appear on a dress swimming with floral, animal, and even monstrous life. It wouldn’t look out of place on a catwalk now, perhaps worn by Gwendoline Christie at Maison Margiela .

It was William Morris who brought the lost language of flowers back into everyday circulation. He’d pored over medieval herbals as a child, and their flowers reemerged in his fluid, fertile prints. Morris wanted everything to be as beautiful as possible, and he covered the staid bedrooms and stiff drawing rooms of the Victorian world with a restless profusion of marigolds and roses, chrysanthemums and lilies. His flowers encoded a subversive dream of a shared Eden, a secret message he even managed to install in the Throne Room of St James’s Palace.

The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise by Olivia Laing

There’s a similar sort of subversion going on in the clothes of Steven Stokey-Daley, a young British designer much loved by Harry Styles. Stokey-Daley is a gay working-class man who draws his inspiration from the elitist and highly coded uniforms of British public schools. His label S.S. Daley deploys the distinctive shapes and styles of an aristocratic wardrobe, creating a gorgeous Brideshead Revisited world of dressing gowns, flowing shirts, and rowing blazers. It’s not so much an emulation of privilege as an exposure and reclamation of how power is worn.

Since presenting his debut collection in 2020, Stokey-Daley has incorporated flowers into his work, often using 16th-century botanical prints. One of my prized possessions is an oversize S.S. Daley men’s shirt, finely striped and covered in an angular tracery of orange poppies. His flowers spell out a distinctive and defiant queerness, disrupting the conventional language of gender.

Simone Rocha’s spring 2024 collection was also awash with gender-bending florals. She sent both male and female models down the catwalk in shirts and jackets cunningly folded to create outsize floppy roses. Some models carried roses; others had rose transfer tattoos on their legs. The pièce de résistance was a series of tulle dresses stuffed with real roses. “They smelled amazing,” she told me. Rocha is a keen gardener, especially of roses, and it felt natural to incorporate the flowers she loves into her clothes. What excited her was “to contrast the natural with the man-made. In particular, the stuffed rose dresses were almost to mimic the boning of a garment, but trapping it and exposing it in tulle.”

This is the kind of floral fashion I love. Queen Elizabeth I would have understood its appeal: clothes that are like walking inside a private garden, in bloom summer and winter alike.

Olivia Laing’s new book, The Garden Against Time: In Search of a Common Paradise, is published by W. W. Norton.

A version of this story appears in the June/July 2024 issue of ELLE.

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