Rosé, Roseanne Park, or Park Chaeyoung is a Korean New Zealander (I think that’s how you say it), and probably one of the most well-known k-pop idols in the world, having debuted in the chart-topping group BLACKPINK with Jennie Kim, Lalisa Manobal, and Kim Jisoo in 2016.

Here are my credentials: So, if you’ve been on this blog for a while, you’ll know I used to be a Blink! Blackpink was the first kpop group I was ever a fan of (read that review here), all the way back in the yesteryear of 2019, and my bias was actually Rosé. So even though Blackpink and their music aren’t for me anymore, I still have a lot of love for the members, her especially. I covered the music she had out in my first solo ranking. And when I heard she was releasing an album, I decided: hey, why the hell not take a trip down memory lane and fall back in love? This is going to be more relaxed than my usual, not in the least because Rosé doesn’t have that many songs, but also because it’s finals week and I. Am. Tired. So, grab some popcorn, steal a fluffy dog (not Hank or Berry, please), get in your nicest pajamas, and let’s get into it!

Single #1: On The Ground

I remember watching On The Ground when it first came out, when I was starting to transition from just being a Blackpink fan into loving k-pop in general, and I remember liking it, but I don’t think I’ve sat down and listened to it since. It’s not especially unique in terms of production, but that doesn’t mean it’s not powerful, or that I didn’t sing along the whole time. Its acoustic guitar mixed with backing electro feel like a mix of kpop and alt-pop, down to earth and starstruck, and the lyrics’ ruminations on fame and roll-off-the-tongue rhymes (“my life’s been hectic, seems electric”, “my life’s been magic, seems fantastic”) still affect me as much as they did then, especially now that I know she wrote them.

I admit that I’m looking at this through rose (no pun intended) tinted glasses, but this song has always occupied a special place in my heart. I don’t know what it was; the exploding cars, the ability to deliver such simple lyrics with such a gut-punch, or the self-reflection that I didn’t see in her bandmates’ solos, but I still remember thinking, the first time: “This girl’s gonna be a star.”

Single #2: Gone

Gone was technically from the same single as On The Ground, a “b-side” in the purest form of the word. Its On The Ground’s foil in many ways; though Rosé’s voice skips along and the acoustic guitar is light as ever, its tone is far less nostalgic and much more sardonic, furiously digging its nails in. The first time I heard this, at the age of sixteen, it didn’t hit me the same way as On The Ground, the same way that it does now. Maybe I hadn’t lived enough life the first time, I’m not sure. I’m not saying it’s a masterpiece, because it’s not; the lyrics are very simple, the hook is a bit bare, and it doesn’t do much differently from a very over-matured genre. And yet, her voice makes it come alive, feeling honest and heartbroken. It’s a transition song, that’s for sure, but not an unwelcome one.

Single #3: Viva La Vida

Viva La Vida isn’t a Rosé original, but rather a cover of the classic Coldplay song that she sang for the second season of the show Pachinko. (Side note, if you haven’t seen the show, please check it out; it’s amazing). But I think that it’s worth covering here, both because it’s a great song but also because I think covers, if done well, can really give you a window into how an artist thinks. Anyway, onto the song. While the original is anthemic, almost triumphant, her version feels much sadder, tinged with regret, and really leaning into the bitterness of the lyrics. Perhaps I’m looking too much into it (likely), but I can’t help thinking that it’s almost like the flip side to On The Ground, with the former being about looking back at the top after falling down and the latter being about looking back at coming from nothing from on top of the world. I’m also reminded what an incredible voice she has, hearing it raw like this. She’s twisted the song to suits her well, which is the mark of both a great vocalist and someone with the potential to be an even better songwriter.

Single #4: Hard To Love

Hard To Love is again, not *exactly* a single, but instead a solo of Rosé’s from Blackpink’s Born Pink album, but I decided that if I was doing this, why not cover it here? Coming out around halfway between her first official single, On The Ground, and her second, APT, Hard To Love. (Note: I watched the live performance, not just the song, to treat it like a single). I was prepared for a ballad for Hard To Love’s first few seconds; Rosé’s voice stands alone for the first few moments of the track, letting the listener marinate in the strength of her words. And then handicapping percussion and a funky electric guitar come through, ushering in the kind of building pre-chorus and expansive hook that I haven’t seen in a Blackpink song since Lovesick Girls. This doesn’t quite reach that level (few songs do), but it aces for a crying-on-the-dancefloor sound, managing to find a happy medium between its self-deprecating lyrics and synth-led beat. Also, it lets her swear, which, hey, I’m always in favor of.

Single #5: APT

You’ve already heard APT. How do I know this? Because APT has been, how should I say…utterly inescapable since its surprise release on October 18th of 2024. At time of writing, its official MV has 271 million views on YouTube, it’s smashed so many records, broken into so many charts, and wormed its way into so many ears, willingly (like mine) or unwillingly (like my poor mother). It’s a little funny, because on principle, I shouldn’t like it. I’ve made clear my annoyance at catchphrase choruses, anti-drops, features for clout, and super short tracks in general, and this song does all that spades. But the difference is that it not only does them all well, but it has so much fun reveling in its own pop-punk ridiculousness that it’s almost as impossible to dislike as it is to get away from. I really like its feature from Bruno Mars, who’s both a great fit for the energy of it and doesn’t take the track away from Rosé. This song is kpop, quintessentially, in the best possible way, and I mean that as a great compliment.

Single #6: Number One Girl

Number One Girl is the second prerelease to Rosé’s album Rosie, and doesn’t just move in the other direction from APT, but full-on skips town and makes a new life for itself in Siberia. Shot through an intimate lens that feels both retro and modern, it’s a remarkably simple music video for someone from a group know for their maximalist aesthetic and big budget, but it puts the emphasis on her words instead. And the words are crushing: “I’m dying to hear you…tell me I’m worth it, tell me I’m loved…don’t know why I need it so much.” “Vulnerable” is the operative word throughout the whole thing, Rosé’s voice beautiful even when it grows increasingly begging and desperate. Though it starts out quiet, it goes through a slow but incredibly satisfying build in the second verse and chorus before even more slowly and painfully petering out. It’s a power ballad in the purest sense, and she aces it.

Album #1: Rosie

Toxic Till The End is the album’s lead single, and goes for neither the pop-punk sound of APT or the heartbroken power ballad sound of Number One Girl. Instead, it goes for the full-throated I-knew-you-were-trouble anthem, that jugs begs for a sing-along. It’s so becoming a karaoke song. By the way, I really loved the music video, which stars Rosé and Evan Mock, and is shot at a beautiful isolated mansion that slowly becomes a horror movie as they keep hurting each other over and over.

Much has been made of the “I can’t forgive you for a lot of things, for not giving me back my Tiffany rings” line, but I’m partial to “His favorite game was chess, who would ever guess, playing with the pieces in my chest”. Also, the “ladies and gentlemen, I present: the ex” line is so delightfully petty, and kind of reads as a big “screw you” to any crazy fan who thinks their idols shouldn’t date. I don’t think it’s as good (or unique) as the two other singles, but it’s probably the best choice to get at the sound of the album. And, who am I kidding, I’m a Swiftie, it’ll be on my shuffle all of December.

And now for the main event: Rosie, the album! At time of writing, it’s been about twelve hours since it came out, so these are pretty unfinished thoughts, and I’m going to note what stood out to me. Firstly, there’s 3AM’s percussive acoustic guitar and rambling, confessional style. Then there’s Call It The End’s trembling, piano-led wonderings of “Do I call you the one or the one who got away?” and Stay A Little Longer’s simple structure yet utterly heartbreaking raw vocals (Its line “can’t stand these four walls unless you’re inside them, build me a castle, then leave me in silence”…ouch). And of course, how could I forget the nostalgic, quasi-anthemic Too Bad For Us, which may have been my hidden gem. It’s early days, sure, but I’m confident enough to say that this is such a good album, and I’m confident enough to say that it will only get better with time.

Verdict: TL;DR

I’m glad I did this! Like I said, this review was more for fun than for analysis, and so I watched more behind the scenes content than I usually do, spending the better part of my Sunday going down memory lane. (Seriously, so much, from her new video on Hot Ones to her interview with Zach Sang to BP’s Light Up The Sky documentary). Maybe I don’t have a leg to stand on here, no longer being a Blink, but through this whole review, I just felt so, so proud of Rosie. She left home at fifteen to chase her dreams in a country whose language she didn’t speak, and look at her now! She may be several years older than me, but I still feel like I watched her grow up, and fight tooth and nail for the freedom to make the kind of music she always wanted to. In the end, I was crying happy (and sad!) tears, and I just wanted to scream, hell yeah, that’s my girl!!, you know?

My Top 5 songs were On The Ground, APT, 3AM, Hard To Love, and Number One Girl with Too Bad For Us as an honorable mention. Rosé gets a 9.25 out of 10 from me. She has such a talent for storytelling, down to the finest details that really makes her work come alive. I’m not the first person to make the connection between her and Taylor Swift, but I think it’s apt. Or, APT, I suppose. (This is a joke only for my father. Hi Dad.) I’m not going to pretend that her work is perfect or that I’m not biased, but in just sixteen songs, all-self-penned, Rosé has shown herself to be not only a great vocalist but also a great guitar player, and, perhaps most of all, a great writer I can’t say enough how proud I am of her and how excited I am to see where she goes next.

Next time, we’re going from the newest k-pop to the oldest; back to the very (very) beginning. Tschüss!