For many years, BLACKPINK dominated the K-Pop world(and the music world as a whole). With multiple hits, record-breaking world tours, and accolades, they have become one of the most successful acts in K-Pop ever, and have become the blueprint for artists who come after them. After working so hard together for so long, BLACKPINK decided to take 2024 off to focus on solo projects. Each member, Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie, and Rosè had many business and artistic ventures they wanted to go on alone before they came together again, and they have decided to take this time to focus on those things. Now, every member of BLACKPINK has actually released solo music before 2024, but this year, it seems like all of their members(besides Jisoo) wanted to dive into doing this again. It started with Lisa, who dropped her single ‘ROCKSTAR’ back in June. She followed up ‘New Woman,’ featuring Rosalía in August, and then dropped another single, ‘Moonlit Floor(Kiss Me)’ in October. All three of these tracks had a ton of success and showcased Lisa’s many talents. Jennie was the second member of BLACKPINK to release solo music in 2024; she put her single, ‘Mantra,’ back in October as well. This track was a smash hit, with its cool energy making it perfect for clubs all around the world. Not long after ‘Mantra’ came out, Rosé burst back onto the scene with her new single ‘APT.’ featuring Bruno Mars. Admittedly, this track has become a favorite of mine in 2024; I have not been able to get enough of it since it came out, as its light and quirky energy just puts me in a good mood when I hear it. After announcing that her debut album would be coming out soon, ‘Rosé’ released her second single of the year, ‘Number One Girl,’ a few weeks ago. This song has a lot more calm and somber energy than its predecessor, showing a deeper side to Rosé’s artistry. That debut album from Rosé, titled rosie, is now here. Considering the quality of its singles, this is a project I feel has a ton of potential. With that being said, here is how I feel about Rosè’s new album rosie. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from rosie, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole!
Rosé gets rosie going with the aforementioned single ‘Number One Girl.’ This is a powerful way to begin the record. That is for sure. Although the instrumental is not anything over the top, Rosè’s performance is captivating enough in its own right. ‘Number One Girl’ is a Chamber Pop track that starts acoustic and picks up emphasis as the track moves along. About halfway through the track, some synths come in to complement the piano riff and a light beat pops up as well. The piano riff that drives this one is sweet yet melancholy. There is something about it that feels warm, but also a bit wary. Rosé’s vocals on this song are excellent and are definitely what drives its quality. Her tone is strong and the emotion in her voice is palpable; the way in which Rosé sings ‘Number One Girl’ makes it hit hard. In ‘Number One Girl,’ Rosé sings about longing for a partner, stating that she would do anything and everything to be the one for this person. ‘3am’ is a song with a somewhat similar tone to the song that precedes it, albeit with a bit more of a jumpy and modern approach. The tone of the melody for this one really is not that different from what we get on ‘Number One Girl.’ This one is driven by a guitar riff instead of a piano riff, which does give the song a bit more of a Rock feel to it instead of Chamber Pop. This Pop-Rock melody is out on top of a pretty light Trap beat. Although ‘3am’ is technically Pop-Trap, there is something about it that makes me think of the early 2000s Pop-Rock by artists like Michelle Branch or Avril Lavigne. Rosè’s soft and relaxed tone fits this track super nicely. I especially enjoy the harmonies on the hook of this track, as they give depth and help feel more poignant. On ‘3am,’ Rosé once again longs for this partner. She only has eyes for this one person, and will do anything to get them to want her too. ‘two years’ has a bit colder of a tone than the first two tracks of the record. The melody for this one is driven by some full and luscious synths with varying levels of distortion, making the melody feel heavy. The tone of these synths do not have the kind of brightness that we got on the first two tracks. Instead of making me think of the sun, the tone of this melody makes me think of a brisk autumn day. ‘two years’ has a Pop-Trap beat that is a bit more pushy than the one we got on the previous track. Rosé’s vocals on ‘two years’ are more delicate than they are on the songs that precede it. Instead of going for power with her vocals, she sings with a delicate tone and a range that makes the sentiment of this track hit home in a big manner. On ‘two years,’ Rosé reminisces on a relationship with someone she still misses a ton, going back and forth on whether she should want to be with this person again. ‘toxic till the end’ is the track that has been popping off the most since the release of this record. I am not going to lie, I can certainly see the appeal. The first thought that came to my head when checking this one out is “man, this reminds me of old Taylor Swift.” Particularly, it makes me think of songs from the Red era. This track is driven by a bright Pop-Rock guitar riff that is complemented by some synths that pick up distortion as the song moves along. The further we get into this track, the bigger and more anthemic it gets. By the end of the track, ‘toxic till the end’ takes on a massive, energetic sound that is very fun to sing and jump along to. Rosé’s vocals on ‘toxic till the end’ are just as emphatic as the instrumental. She totally matches the energy of the instrumental and makes this song feel very big and fun. In ‘toxic till the end,’ Rosé sings about a bad relationship with someone who just caused her more problems than what it was worth.
Although ‘toxic till the end’ is popping off with the masses, ‘drinks or coffee’ is a song that I have immediately gravitated towards since this record came out. I hope this one pops off as a sleeper hit, as it is so unique and cool. The melody for this one is driven by twinkling synths with a heavily distorted HyperPop tone that is so vibrant. The synths that drive this melody are complemented by vocal harmonies which give them a soothing element. The beat on ‘drinks or coffee’ has a glitchy tempo that feels like an ultramodern version of 1990s Garage music. This beat is quirky and exciting and really stands out. Rosé sings with a delicate flow and tone that contrasts the power of the instrumental in a nice way. On ‘drinks or coffee,’ Rosé sings about a budding relationship with a new person and trying to initiate hangouts with this person because she digs them a lot. Next, we get the iconic song ‘APT.’ featuring none other than Bruno Mars. Considering I already did a full write-up on this track pretty recently(which you should go read if you have not done so yet), I am not going to say a ton about this track here. ‘APT.’ is a fun and exciting track with a Retro Pop feeling that will get anyone dancing when it comes on. This song has an infectious energy that just makes me as a listener feel good when I hear it. Rosé and Bruno Mars’ chemistry is exceptional on this track; the way their tones and vocal styles mesh just adds to the light, infectious energy of this track. On ‘APT.’ Rosé and Bruno Mars sing about a budding relationship, relating the way they feel to a fun Korean drinking game that they like to play(presumably with the person). ‘gameboy’ is probably the most downtrodden-sounding song of the record to this point. The melody for this one is even colder than the one on ‘two years.’ There is something about this one that just feels negative. This track is driven by a forlorn Pop-Rock guitar riff with a bit of glitchiness to it that is complemented by some intricate synths that come in and out. The beat for this track is pretty punchy and tough, which adds to the heaviness of the track. I will say that Rosé vocals on this track are alright, but nothing to write home about. I would say this is probably the least noticeable vocal performance of the record, which is a shame because it has a pretty cool instrumental. On ‘gameboy,’ Rosé once again talks about how hard it is for her to get over her ex. Even though she has not been with this person for a while, she still has this attachment to them that just will not go away. ‘stay a little longer’ is a Chamber Pop ballad that is akin to the opening track of the record. This one is driven by a deliberate, melancholy piano riff with a tone that contains a ton of emotion and strength. This piano riff is on its own for the first half or so of the song, picking up instrumentation as the song progresses. The first thing that kicks in is the beat. Which has a slow, choppy tempo that moves the song along nicely but does not take away from its softness in any way. The further we get into this track, the bigger the melody gets. The melody is first complemented by some deep synths, with a Country-tinted guitar riff eventually coming in that gives the song a ton of life. ‘stay a little longer’ has one of Rosé’s biggest vocal performances of the record to this point. She sings with a level of boldness and strength on this track that makes it hit very hard. Because of Rosé’s vocals, this is one of the biggest songs on the record to this point(if not the biggest). On ‘stay a little longer,’ Rosé begs her partner to stick around and not hurt her even more by leaving when she needs them the most.
‘not the same’ has a sound and tempo that really stands out on this record. This one is super unlike anything that precedes it. The tone of the guitar riff that drives ‘not the same’ actually has a Tropical Folk feeling to it. The mix of the guitar riff and the way that it is played makes me think of old-school Country Folk music. The tone of this melody, however, has an Island element to it that makes me think of frolicking the night away on some beach down south of the border. The instrumental for this solely consists of that guitar riff and a synth that complements it. Even though this instrumental is pretty simple and subdued compared to a lot of the rest of the record, it still contains a level of strength that makes it pop. Rosé’s vocals on this song are deeper and a bit more raspy than they are on any other song. This gruff nature that she sings with really makes this song feel potent. On ‘not the same,’ Rosé sings about a former partner who has changed a lot as time has moved on. She feels this person is very different from who they were when she was with them. ‘call it the end’ is another dainty and sweet Chamber Pop track. This song is driven by a bright and ethereal melody that has a tone that is simultaneously happy and sad at the same time. There is something about the tone of this melody that is inviting but also feels a bit despondent. The mix on the melody actually has an organ feeling to it. Because of this, it makes ‘call it the end’ take on a bit of a Gospel feeling(which is complemented by the harmonizing vocals that come in and out). Rosé really demonstrates her range on this track. What we lack in power in the instrumental is made up for in the way that Rosé sings this track. On ‘call it the end,’ Rosé wonders what the status of her relationship is. She does not know if she should stay with the person, as the longer she stays with them, the more it seems like things will not work out well at the end of the day. The Folk Pop feeling that we got on the track ‘no the same’ comes back on ‘too bad for us.’ Like that track, ‘too bad for us’ is driven by an Acoustic Guitar riff with a very whimsical feeling to it. This guitar riff makes me think of sitting around a campfire and listening to Rosé pour her heart out about the heartbreak she has been experiencing. A light Folk beat does come in about halfway through this track which makes it feel bigger and more mighty. Some synths and backing vocals do eventually pop onto the track as well, adding to the strength that this beat provides. The end of this song feels like a true climax, as it closes out with a ton of energy and emphasis. Rosé’s vocals on this one are not the most commanding, but they do just enough to not take away from the sentiment that the track carries. On ‘too bad for us,’ Rosé sings about the end of her relationship, and how she can not see positivity in what happened with this person anymore. Rosé closes out the record on a lighter and more positive note with ‘Dance All Night.’ The Country-Pop elements on this track reign through from the jump. The melody that drives this one is provided by a balmy and cozy Country guitar riff that is complemented by a sweet piano riff that gives it some depth. This is an additional track that immediately makes me think of Taylor Swift when first listening to it. The beat for this one has a jumpy, sing-songy tone that will get anyone on their feet clapping to the rhythm when it comes on. There is something about this melody and beat pairing that is infectious and enlightening, which I dig a bunch. Rosé does not give her biggest vocal performance of the record on ‘dance all night,’ but the charming tone and smooth tempo she sings with makes this track so catchy. The melody is one that will get stuck in your head when it plays, and Rosé’s vocals emphasize that feeling majorly. On ‘dance all night,’ Rosé sings about how she is not going to let the downfalls of her past relationship drag her down. She is going to stay positive and make sure she ends up happy and healthy in the end. This is a very pleasant way to close out this record, and it sends things off on a nice and hopeful note.
As I stated in the introduction, I went into rosie with fairly high expectations. I was pretty impressed by the singles released in anticipation of the record, and I thought that Rosé showed a ton of potential as a solo artist. I have to say, Rosé did a decent job of living up to the expectations. There is one thing that is very evident from the start of rosie: that is Rosé’s abilities as a lyricist and vocalist. She shines in both of these regards throughout the project. Rosé bares her all on these songs, letting listeners see an emotional side to her that they have never seen to this point. She has always been a pretty private person, and it was nice to see her open up and let listeners into her life a bit on rosie. Throughout the record, Rosé flexes how wide-ranging a vocalist she is. Rosé hits so many notes on this record that prove how strong and powerful her voice is, and varies the power in her voice from song to song to match each one’s feeling. Now, I will not say that rosie is the most exciting or thrilling record sonically. In fact, I would say that it is pretty vanilla. The tracks that stand out for me are the ones that go outside the box a bit, but for the most part, we stay pretty tame on this project. The Taylor Swift influence on rosie is incredibly apparent. As I listen to this album, it almost feels like we are going through the eras of Taylor’s music at times. Overall, rosie is good for what it is, and it shows how much potential that Rosé has. I hope this is not the only solo project we get from her(I am sure it will not be), because there is something pretty special here that can be expanded on in the future.
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