NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� She was the first to go 鈥淪OLO.鈥�
Seven years ago, global pop phenomenon Jennie became the first member of the to release solo music. On Friday, she to drop a debut solo studio album, the English-language 鈥淩uby.鈥� It's a kaleidoscope of different sounds for Jennie, full of incongruous, polished pleasures.
鈥淪OLO,鈥� her debut single, was a product of its time 鈥� nostalgic EDM-pop with pitched up whistle effects and simple, declarative lyrics. 鈥淚鈥檓 goin鈥� solo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo," she repeated on the chorus. You had to believe her: She wasn鈥檛 leaving her band, but a lackluster relationship, an ex so innocuous they're barely a player in the song. 鈥淭his time I鈥檓 only lookin鈥� at me, myself and I,鈥� she sang, 鈥淚鈥檓a do it on my own now.鈥� A lot has changed in the time since, but the core of her and her band's sonic messaging 鈥� self-empowerment above all else 鈥� hasn't wavered.
On 鈥淩uby,鈥� it's strongest on the singles 鈥淢antra," where Jennie cheerleads in a chant-along chorus: 鈥淧retty girls don鈥檛 do drama 鈥檒ess we wanna / it鈥檒l be depending on the day" atop brassy production perfect for primetime commercial placement. Or 鈥淓xtraL鈥� with whose acicular raps give additional weight to 鈥淵eah, we lappin鈥� the men,鈥� a line delivered with laughter.
But it isn't all assertions of autonomy. On the languid 鈥淟ove Hangover鈥� with Dominic Fike, she's falling into destructive patterns with an undeserving partner; in a falsetto, her chameleonic vocal performance is so convincing, the recording almost doesn't even sound like Jennie. Or maybe it just doesn't sound like the Jennie fans have grown to known?
Across 鈥淩uby,鈥� don鈥檛 expect cuts that would make a Blackpink record. Prior to 鈥淩uby,鈥� Jennie had only worked with one producer 鈥� Teddy Park, a man synonymous with her girl group hits. This time around, she worked with an eclectic team ranging from to El Guincho 鈥� new voices to explore different facets of her personality. It's ambitious and glossy, moving from an acoustic ballad here (鈥淭win鈥�), virtuosic rapping there (鈥淶en鈥�), to familiar beats on ("With the IE (Way Up)" and 鈥淪tart A War鈥�). And it pays off.
Jennie tries her best phrasing on the 鈥淪tart A War," and maybe spends too much time with robust collaborations 鈥� Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis on the nostalgic R&B of 鈥淒amn Right,鈥� on 鈥淗andlebars" that launches straight into the chorus 鈥� perfect for TikTok.
In whole, Jennie's 鈥淩uby鈥� is a solid re-introduction to the Blackpink superstar. The songs are strong and diverse and nostalgic 鈥� but maybe not wholly distinctive. It is still a reason to be excited for her future solo work.
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
