Rosé, best known as one of the four members of the global K-Pop phenomenon, Blackpink, has released her debut solo album titled “rosie.”
The songs are in English, which might come naturally to Rosé, born in New Zealand and raised in Australia, but it contrasts with the expectation that a K-Pop artist would sing in Korean.
It’s also noteworthy that, except for one, all song titles and the album name are stylized in lowercase.
So let’s delve into some of the tracks from “rosie.”
The album kicks off with a simple piano ballad, “number one girl”, which had previously been released as a single. It’s a relatively straightforward song where the piano serves mainly as an accompaniment to Rosé’s voice. A competent ballad, though not particularly memorable.
“3am” is a slightly more interesting track, with more elaborate pop vocal melodies over a guitar, and a somewhat faster pace. It’s quite short, and I wish it had a bit more musical development.
“two years” is a typical melancholic electro-pop song, emblematic of a style that’s been in vogue over the last decade. It recalls the music of artists like Lana Del Rey, and particularly Rosé’s fellow New Zealander, Lorde, to name a few references.
“toxic till the end” follows this same modern electro-pop pattern with a sad sound. It reminds me of the Scottish trio, Chvrches. I wish this had been the overall direction of the album.
When discussing “rosie,” we can’t overlook the song of the season, “APT.” Undoubtedly, the trendiest song on TikTok and Instagram at the moment. With hundreds of reels of people mimicking the movements from Rosé’s original video, featuring guest artist Bruno Mars, it’s been impossible to miss.
“APT.” is incredibly effective at hooking listeners. Its production is modern, but its influences are clearly from the golden eras of American pop, particularly the ’80s (think of Cyndi Lauper’s sound but polished and sped up). All set to a beat straight out of the ’60s. I think this fusion of sounds from different eras is interesting.
“stay a little longer” is another piano ballad. I think it’s a bit more interesting than “number one girl” as Rosé shows off her voice in a more powerful way, proving she’s not just another pop singer.
“not the same” surprises a bit with its acoustic guitar sound influenced by flamenco. Undoubtedly one of the album’s highlights, at least for its stylistic variation. Vocally, it’s one of the songs that seem the most dynamic and engaging.
The album concludes with “dance all night”, a light pop song that could have fit anywhere in the collection.
I feel that “rosie” doesn’t resemble the typical K-Pop sound nor the more elaborate, energetic, and interesting music of Blackpink. I think it mostly echoes American commercial pop. To make this more apparent, the entire album is in English, and even features an American artist on one song, rather than any of the many excellent Korean artists available.
As a Blackpink fan, I had hoped for a bit more from “rosie.” The album’s strength might be that it includes a few different styles from song to song, ranging from piano and guitar ballads to electronic pop, to even a brief appearance of flamenco-flavored guitar.
Yet, most of the songs come across as overly simple and underdeveloped, especially considering the considerable arsenal of different composers and producers who worked on “rosie.” The tracks could have been more substantial.
In this context, and judging by the quality of singles released so far, I have more hope for Lisa’s (Rosé’s fellow Blackpink member) upcoming solo album, set to be released on February 28, 2025.
“rosie,” an album I think is destined to be just a fleeting moment, elevated only by Rosé’s worldwide recognition and the success of “APT.” It might be quickly forgotten.
