BLACKPINK’s Lisa Tops Charts Only in Thailand: A Disappointing Solo Comeback
After establishing her own label, BLACKPINK's Lisa released her first new single, marking her solo debut, but the results were somewhat disappointing
On the morning of the 28th (Korean time), Lisa released her new single “ROCKSTAR” on global music sites. “ROCKSTAR” is Lisa’s first solo single in three years since “LALISA” in 2021, and it is also her first release after establishing her own label, LLOUD Co.
“ROCKSTAR” showcases Lisa’s skillful rapping and energetic pop vocals. The song features contributions from Ryan Tedder, a member of the American pop rock band OneRepublic, and producer Sam Homaee. Lisa also participated in writing and composing the song, enhancing its quality.
Lisa heightened expectations for her new song through the concept photos, where she showcased a bold visual style with items like goggles, chains, tooth gems, a wolf cut hairstyle, and tanned skin.
The music video, filmed in Bangkok, Thailand, emphasizes Lisa’s identity as a Thai native. It includes scenes of Thai culture and everyday life, as well as Lisa dominating the city with her stunning choreography.
After the release of the song and music video, opinions were divided. Many praised Lisa’s powerful rapping and strong charisma, suggesting she has ascended beyond K-pop idol status to become a global pop star. However, others commented, “We still love BLACKPINK’s Lisa the most” and “It’s too different from her image in BLACKPINK, which feels awkward.”
The chart performance was also somewhat disappointing. “ROCKSTAR” reached 8th place on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart on the day of its release and topped the Thai chart. However, it ranked 29th in Korea, 14th in the Philippines and Hong Kong, 10th in Taiwan, 9th in Malaysia and Singapore, and 79th in Indonesia.
On the iTunes Top Songs chart, it only reached the top position in Thailand and did not enter the Top 100 on Korea’s Melon chart. Compared to her previous single “LALISA,” which topped the iTunes Top Songs chart in 72 countries upon its release, the results are underwhelming.
However, there is still room for a rebound, as “MONEY” experienced an unusual resurgence on major charts worldwide a month after its release.
Following her appearance in HBO’s original series “The White Lotus” season 3 and the release of her solo single, Lisa’s future activities as a global solo artist are highly anticipated.
