It’s been a while since we’ve last had an album from one of the biggest K-Pop girl groups in the world, and what a wait it’s been! After their successful debut songs ‘Whistle’ and ‘BOOMBAYAH’, BLACKPINK have been on a roll smashing records. After releasing hit after hit with ‘How You Like That’, ‘DDU-DU DDU-DU’, and ‘Kill This Love’ (to name a few), the girls have not only ushered a trend of flashy performances and viral dance moves but have made a reputation for themselves with their playful and daring fashion.
It was only a matter of time before we heard the news that the girls will be pursuing solo activities. But for Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé, their period of growth was worth the wait. After almost two years, we were welcomed into their new era with ‘Pink Venom’. With eight new tracks boasting a vicious and feisty persona, as well as a fusion of pop, rock & roll, and hip-hop, the quartet finally released their new must-hear album. Born Pink is the album that only BLACKPINK can pull off, and here are the three tracks that caught our eye the most!
1. ‘Shut Down’
If ‘Pink Venom’ was the track we weren’t prepared for, ‘Shut Down’ is the track that captures the essence of the album, and for good reasons. The second track of the group’s comeback, ‘Shut Down’ is heavy on hip-hop while sampling a late 18th century tune from Paganini’s ‘La Campanella’ which you hear as soon as the song starts. It’s a unique blend of music that sets the mood for what the girls wanted to accomplish with the song.
‘Shut Down’ served as an anthem for the group to confidently address their haters and show off how far they’ve come and how much further they plan on going. The music video even made references to many of their past performances. With good choreography and of course stunning visuals that are hard to match, BLACKPINK shows us a powerful “hello” after being gone for so long. It’s as if they’re here to remind us who the real queens are and to let everyone else know their place.
Like Jennie said in her verse, “it’s not a comeback since we’ve never left.” They were ready to bring chills and to serve, and boy, did they serve.
2. ‘Typa Girl’
We’ve asked around with a lot of BLACKPINK fans what their top picks were for the album, and ‘Typa Girl’ always made it on the list. Of course, after listening to it, we understood why it became the fan-favourite. While it’s a fully-English song with lyrics that are easy to follow, it leaves a powerful message for women empowerment. It begins with a soft melody, but that’s quickly flipped as it transitions into deep bass, bringing in a trap hip-hop sound to the song. The melody is catchy and addictive, and really brings a different flavour for Born Pink. The vocals are flawlessly delivered, and Lisa’s rap is just insane.
‘Typa Girl’ is the track that shows us that the girls are really switching up their tone. Clearly, the track is on brand for BLACKPINK. It’s pretty savage (no pun intended!), and definitely the song in the album that exudes confidence and makes you feel badass.
3. ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’
If we’re here to talk about versatility, then ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ is the track that shows that BLACKPINK can crossover from rock & roll and hip-hop into a lane of disco-pop and new wave. ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah’ brings us back in time with its nostalgic and retro vibe. The song begins with rhythmic guitar riffs before going full disco and playing with the synth, offering a more romantic mood in general for the album.
Co-written by Jisoo and Rosé, the lyrics give us a softer and more wholesome theme than what we’re used to. We’re talking about the moments you realise you have a crush, and maybe from someone unexpected, and how you wish that the person you like likes you back. It’s like a classic love song that can make you waver. Overall, we love this song for its emotional delivery and how easy it is to listen to, as if it was a fresh hit from the 80’s.
While Born Pink only sees eight tracks for an almost 25-minute album, it features a lot of flexibility and boldness in the BLACKPINK soundscape. The album is giving us hip-hop, rock & roll, and touching power ballads. Yet it still shows the familiar branding of Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé both as individuals and as a group. Fans from around the world have never been this excited for their comeback. They waited for quite a while, after all, and it was definitely worth the wait.
BLACKPINK has taken the opportunity to focus more on their sounds, and this time it’s been made even clearer as to what songs they want to create. It’s a big change from their debut album The Album while still keeping their theme of empowerment in place. With Born Pink, the girls have shown us how much more they’ve matured over the years of fame and how impressively they’ve grown. This time around, the girls have given us a sneak peek of what they could have in store in the future, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
SEE ALSO: Our Fave BLACKPINK Videos
