Yahoo Lifestyle Blackpink’s Jennie Unveils Debut Solo Album ‘Ruby’
Jennie, a member of K-pop powerhouse Blackpink, is poised to make her mark as a solo artist with the announcement of her debut studio album, “Ruby.”
Due to release on March 7, the album will be distributed through her self-established label, Odd Atelier, in partnership with Columbia Records. The 15-track album features collaborations with artists such as Childish Gambino, Dua Lipa, Doechii, Dominic Fike, FKJ and Kali Uchis.
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The single, “Mantra,” released in October, will feature on the album. It has already gained significant attention, topping iTunes’ Top Songs chart in 47 countries, including the U.S., Brazil, Singapore and Mexico. It also made history as the first song by a female K-pop solo artist to reach No. 1 on iTunes’ Top Songs chart in the U.S. and appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks.
In a 33-second album trailer released on Wednesday, Jennie, sporting red hair, offers fans a glimpse into the album’s aesthetic and lyrical themes, with lines like “In the dark I grew” and “Money cannot buy no real friends.”
Fellow Blackpink member Lisa is preparing to unveil her first solo studio album, “Alter Ego,” on Feb. 28. Rosé kicked off the solo album wave late last year with “Rosie,” her debut project, which was released on Dec. 6.
Jennie, who signed as a solo artist with Columbia Records in partnership with her record label and entertainment company Odd Atelier in September last year, first emerged in 2016 as a member of Blackpink, the highest-charing female Korean act on the Billboard charts and the only artist from the country to headline Coachella. In 2023, she teamed up with the Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp on the song “One of the Girls,” and appeared with the two in the controversial HBO series “The Idol.”
The musician was born in Korea, but studied in Auckland, New Zealand when she was 10 for five years before returning to Korea and joining the YG’s talent academy. Blackpink formed in 2016 and has gone on to become the first music group and Korean female act to have five music videos accumulate 1 billion views each on YouTube, as well as the most-followed girl group on Spotify.
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