South Korean girl group, BLACKPINK, recently released their much-anticipated debut titled, “The Album” on Friday, Oct. 2. “The Album” consists of eight songs, including two pre-released singles. It is the group’s first official comeback since their “Kill This Love” era in 2019.
BLACKPINK is the definition of a girl-crush concept, reminiscent of the Spice Girls. Hip-hop beats and powerful anthems make them stand out among the bubblegum pop genre that is dominant among girl groups in the K-pop industry. Despite their official debut in Aug. of 2016, the group had only released mini-albums and a few singles before “The Album.”
In an interview with Grammy, the girls explained why this was the perfect time to finally release a full debut. “We had four years to kind of build our own colors as BLACKPINK,” said Rosé, the group’s main vocalist and lead dancer. “Throughout those four years, we got to explore different genres and really find out our exact, distinct colors. I think now is the best time to come out.”
As Rosé stated, “The Album” fully illustrates their color and range. The pre-released single “How You Like That” is a hip-hop trap anthem about inner strength and having the power to rise up after a breakup or when trying to survive life in general.
The other pre-released single, “Ice Cream” featuring American singer Selena Gomez, showcases the girls’ ability to sing a full-English song. True to their roots, though, Lisa’s rap incorporates some Korean lines. Lyrics like “Look so good yeah look so sweet/Baby you deserve a treat” displays their “pink” nature, as well as their playfulness and innocence.
“The Album” continues with “Pretty Savage,” a rap track that pays homage to the body-shaming culture in K-pop using minimal trap beats. Lyrics like “Born skinny, bitch, thin/no matter how much weight I gain” is lead rapper Lisa’s way of telling haters to back off her weight, which she has been ridiculed for since their debut.
American rapper Cardi B collaborated with the girls on the all-English track “Bet You Wanna,” an up-tempo beat that features pleasant and flirtatious energy. The title track, “Lovesick Girls,” comes in the middle of their album. This acoustic tells the story of girls wanting to find love but sadly being “born to be alone,” as they sing in the song.
“The Album” concludes with the emotional ballad, “You Never Know.” The song includes plaintive piano chords and a dramatic string section which gives off a closing-montage feel. The message behind the song is clear with lyrics like “But you’ll never know unless you walk in my shoes” and “’Cause everybody sees what they wanna see/It’s easier to judge me than to believe.” As BLACKPINK gains global fame, it becomes easier for people to observe and dissect their every move. This song is about them not letting these distractions get in the way of their happiness.
BLACKPINK remains true to themselves and their colors, and this is one of the reasons why they have accumulated musical and personal recognition. “The Album” is a statement that lets the world know they are not going anywhere anytime soon. As Jennie once said, “BLACKPINK is the revolution.”
