Attention BLINKs, it’s here! Rosé, the angelic main vocalist of BLACKPINK has finally released her debut album. 

Rosé Debut Album

Titled “R,” the album dropped worldwide on March 12th. It consists of 4 all-English tracks, two of which are instrumental versions of the prior ones. The first teaser for “On the Ground” hit 12 million views on the first day. YG released the teaser for “Gone” a few days prior to BLACKPINK’s The Show, an online concert that the girls put on for their fans. They performed songs off of their debut album along with other hits like “Kill This Love,” “Ddu Du Ddu Du,” and their Lady Gaga collaboration, “Sour Candy.” Rosé took the opportunity to debut “Gone,” as a treat for BLINKS. 

Rosé took part in co-writing both songs for her debut album, along with YG’s producer, Teddy. In the album release press conference, Rosé said “I’m a person who heals through music and learns a lot through music.” “On the Ground” portrayed her struggles since debut. Lines like “I worked my whole life/Just to get high, just to realize/Everything I need is on the/Everything I need is on the ground,” revealed the hardship of an idol. “Gone” is a strip-back ballad about lost love. Both songs illustrated her ability to tell stories and evoke strong emotions. Rosé revealed that she recorded “Gone” two years ago and felt that it was necessary to include it in this album. 

“Many people call me by many names, so ‘R’ comes from the first letter of my names, and it represents my start of going solo,” she said when discussing the title of the album. In a symbolic way, this is her debut as a singer, rather than a K-pop idol. 

“R” exceeded 400,000 pre-order sales just 4 days after the pre-order link went live, surpassing the previous record of 180,000 held by IU. 

“On the Ground” MV

The MV for “On the Ground” premiered on BLACKPINK’s Youtube channel on March 12th at 2 pm Kst and 0 am Est. The powerful anthem was paired with an equally passionate and beautiful music video with the glamorous Rosé as the star. Flames and explosions surrounded her as she worked sings about her perception of herself as an idol. The MV gained an impressive 39 million views after 24 hours.

We haven’t heard anything about the music video release of “Gone” but knowing YG, it will definitely come when you least expect it. 

The Importance of Rosé Debut Album

This debut album beautifully shows off Rosé’s ability to write soulful music as well as distinguish herself as a prominent vocalist of our generation. BLINKS are able to witness her raw talent and range outside of BLACKPINK’s activities. Rosé said that the songs are in English because she felt more comfortable in the language and it better helps her tell her story. 

After Jennie’s “SOLO” in 2019, BLINKs were eager for new music from the rest of the group. YG Entertainment had previously announced that other members’ solo projects would follow one after another but after years of waiting, BLINKS were feeling discouraged. The company has notably been criticized for poor management of their groups, primarily, not giving them enough promotions and projects. However, the release of “R” signaled positive progress for YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK. 

Rosé’s Early Life

Born Roseanne Park (Park Chaeyoung) in New Zealand on February 11, 1997, Rosé grew up in Australia with her parents and sister. Music has always been a big part of her life. Rosé started learning to sing and play the guitar and piano during secondary schooling. She also performed regularly as part of her church’s choir. 

When YG Entertainment held its auditions in Melbourne in 2012, her family encouraged her to audition for it. She often jokes that her father was getting tired of hearing her sing at odd hours of the night, so the audition was his chance to ship her back to South Korea. Rosé ranked first out of 700 participants and signed with the company shortly after. She dropped out of school and got a one-way ticket to Seoul to start her training.

Pre-debut/Trainee days

Rosé joined YG Entertainment in 2012. She trained alongside the other members of BLACKPINK (Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa) for four years. In their Netflix documentary, Light Up The Sky, Rosé discussed their trainee days and the group’s close friendship. When the girls first met, including Miyeon who later debuted in (G)I-DLE, they instantly clicked and formed their little group. YG held monthly evaluations and the girls all worked together efficiently. As a group, they came up with choreography, distributed routines, and determined who would be the “center.” Other trainees would have fights about line distributions, but Rosé noted that the four girls never had a disagreement. 

In her first year at the company, G-Dragon of Big Bang featured Rosé in his song “Without You” for his EP One of a Kind. 

After Debut

BLACKPINK made their official debut in June of 2016. Rosé made her first solo venture when she appeared on King of Masked Singer in 2017. King of Masked Singer is a South Korean singing competition where contestants wear elaborate masks and costumes to hide their identity and compete against each other. Later that year, she also made an appearance on Fantastic Duo, a show where fans can duet along with their favorite artists. Rosé performed in front of Gummy, the South Korean singer known for her soundtrack for K-dramas. 

Aside from music, Rosé is also the global brand ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent and Yves Saint Laurent Beauté. She was the first global YSL ambassador in 59 years. She is also an endorsement model with the Korean cosmetic brand, Kiss Me, along with bandmate Jisoo. Currently, she has 37 followers on Instagram, making her the third most followed K-pop idol on the platform, tying with Jisoo. 

What’s Next for BLACKPINK?

BLINKs are anticipating the release of Lisa and Jisoo’s solo project. Earlier this year, YG Entertainment announced that Lisa’s solo is in the work and will be released towards the end of the year. Jisoo is currently filming her K-drama “Snowdrop” which will premiere in the latter half of this year. 

Rosé will perform “On the Ground” on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on March 16th. Check out the music video for “On the Ground” below. And listen to “R” on any streaming platform. 

To learn more on Blackpink’s solo projects, watch the video below!