BLACKPINK’s latest single “Pink Venom” was created with huge ambitions, but these ambitious moves might have backfired.
2 years ago, we witnessed the explosive successes of BLACKPINK as “How You Like That” broke numerous records and “Ice Cream” made BLACKPINK the first Kpop girl group to ever enter the Top 20 of Billboard Hot 100. Both of these songs carried huge ambitions, and they both succeeded.
First, “How You Like That” is a trap/hip hop track that continues the popularity of megahits “DDU-DU DDU-DU” and “Kill This Love”, solidifying the color of BLACKPINK and ensuring a grand explosion.
Meanwhile, “Ice Cream” is more dreamy, pink, and includes the appearance of top US pop star Selena Gomez, which secures international success.
Through the 2 aforementioned songs, the calculations and efforts of the production team really paid off, as the name “BLACKPINK” spreaded throughout the world. However, many netizens believe that such explosiveness is more due to the BLACKPINK “brand” than the quality of their music, as “How You Like That” is “not groundbreaking enough” and “Ice Cream” receives mixed responses.
A song filled with ambitions to the point of fragmentation
After 1 year and 10 months, BLACKPINK finally dropped their pre-release single “Pink Venom”, which is set to build the hype for their 2nd full album “Born Pink”. However, “Pink Venom” is a blatantly ambitious move, even more so than “How You Like That”.
First, there’s the sound of geomungo – a traditional Korean instrument right in the intro of “Pink Venom”, which is then followed by heavy guitar sounds in the pre-chorus and somewhat an Indian inspiration in the chorus. Meanwhile, the rap parts take things right back to old school hip hop, especially in the 2nd verse of the song. As a result, “Pink Venom” is so diverse in terms of elements, it feels fragmented from time to time.
In essence though, “Pink Venom” is still a trap/hip hop song, similar to most other hits of BLACKPINK. The structure of the song also sees little renovations, with a chorus filled with simple and catchy lyrics, sung by either Jennie or Lisa. Even the switch-up in the final chorus sounds similar, embracing the signature “party sound” of YG.
Therefore, despite adding all the new elements, “Pink Venom” is not considered an innovative song. In addition, these elements do not contribute anything crucial to the track, as the chorus and outro retains the normal “BLACKPINK” sound.
Another “ambitious move” in “Pink Venom” is the fashion utilized in the MV, with each member wearing clothes from the brands they represent. However, aside from particular scenes, most of the fashion feels more like an ad, and the lyrics which integrate brand names did not help.
Jennie, for example, mentions “Coco” – a homage to Coco Chanel – the founder of her representative brand Chanel. Meanwhile, Lisa added “Celine” into her rap part, which made the lyrics cool but not meaningful.
“Pink Venom” comprises various moments that were planned to go viral, and so far, they are indeed attracting a lot of attention. However, these elements have largely overshadowed the music itself, leading to the single not being as explosive as its predecessors.
BlackPink still shines thanks to their strong presence and charm
However, “Pink Venom” can still be said to be another song that highlights BlackPink members’ charm well. In a hip-hop track like this, the group’s rappers, Lisa and Jennie, both stood out with their verses.
The dramatic transition in the middle of “Pink Venom” to the old school hip-hop vibes could have not worked, but the overflowing charm of Jennie and Lisa has made it one of the killing parts. Both Jennie and Lisa slayed the rap verses with their good flow, diction, and pronunciation. The rap lyrics are entirely in English, but neither of them sound awkward.
Unlike the chorus where they sound similar, Jennie and Lisa delivered their parts back to back but did not overlap in voice colors and vibes, proving their distinct charm.
Jisoo and Rosé also left a good impression on listeners with their vocal parts. Their unmistakable voice colors are what make them stand out. In particular, the song’s bridge when Jisoo and Rosé took turns singing so that their opposing vocal colors supported and complemented each other, did a good job in pushing the atmosphere to prepare for the outro.
Rosé sometimes draws mixed reactions for her unique voice color, but in “Pink Venom”, she pulled off her part perfectly and drew much praise. Similarly, Jisoo was not given any lines that exceed her vocal range. Everything fits.
“Pink Venom” is not an unpredictable release. It’s the sound that most listeners expected from BlackPink. However, after a 2-year hiatus, many were looking forward to something new and different from the girls. Despite the divided opinions on “Pink Venom”, it is undeniable that the charm of BlackPink members themselves is what makes the song more enjoyable and satisfying enough for the fans.
