JENNIE’S ‘RUBY’ IS A FAST-MOVING GOOD TIME
By MAURA JOHNSTON
We review the best portable speakers under $200, from Marshall to Bose, that wirelessly pair with Bluetooth to stream music and more.
The first solo full-length from Blackpink‘s Jennie floats in on a cloud. “Jane,” the pillowy opener, begins with the singer cooing over a tinkly music-box accompaniment; guided by Jennie’s looped voice and the French producer FKJ, it slowly gains its sea legs, with a click-clacking beat rising and synths coming into sharper focus. But before the listener can get too comfortable, the sonic bed is flipped over by a mischievous giggle and the declaration “Come on, it’s gon’ be fuckin’ hard.”
We want to hear it. Send us a tip using our anonymous form.
Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.
RS Recommends: The Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $200
MOST POPULAR
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Jennie’s ‘Ruby’ Is a Fast-Moving Good Time
MORE NEWS
Sia and David Guetta Team Up for Anthemic Single ‘Beautiful People’
J-Hope Wants to Share His Love on Miguel-Assisted ‘Sweet Dreams’
Gelo’s New GloRilla-Assisted Single ‘Can You Please’ Is Here
Jason Isbell’s Song ‘True Believer’ Sure Sounds Like It’s About His Divorce
Lady Gaga’s Seventh Album ‘Mayhem’ Is Here
Jennifer Coolidge Has ‘Really Missed’ Herself on ‘The White Lotus’
‘Severance’ Episode 8: Look Homeward, Cobel
Sia and David Guetta Team Up for Anthemic Single ‘Beautiful People’
J-Hope Wants to Share His Love on Miguel-Assisted ‘Sweet Dreams’
TOP STORIES NEWSLETTER
Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa’s Bodies Test Negative for Carbon Monoxide; Hackman’s Pacemaker Stopped on Feb. 17
Sphere Revenue Falls, MSG Networks Bankruptcy on Table
Gene Hackman’s Paintings, Canceled Exhibition in DC, and More: Morning Links for February 28, 2025
All About Cynthia Erivo & Lena Waithe’s Relationship, Cheating Rumors & More
Nani’s ‘The Paradise’ Unveils Plot Details: ‘This Is India’s “Mad Max”’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Forever 21 U.S. Operator Readies Bankruptcy Filing, Preps New Operating Strategy
The Best Yoga Mats for Any Practice, According to Instructors
Hulu’s Binge-Worthy ‘Deli Boys’ Is a Chaotic Crime Caper: Review
FOLLOW US
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
GOT A HOT NEWS TIP?
IN THIS ARTICLE:
ROLLING STONE
LEGAL
OUR SITES
JENNIE of BLACKPINK Sparkles on Debut Solo Album ‘Ruby’: Stream It Now
The star is the final of the band’s members to release a solo set amid their hiatus.
By Hannah Dailey
The BLACKPINK solo set quadfecta is now complete, with JENNIE releasing her debut one-woman album, Ruby, Friday (March 7).
The 15-track LP makes JENNIE the final member of her girl group to drop a solo project amid BLACKPINK’s ongoing break, following ROSÉ’s Rosie, JISOO’s AMORTAGE and LISA’s Alter Ego. In addition to previously released singles “Mantra,” “Love Hangover” featuring Dominic Fike and “ExtraL” with Doechii, the album also contains the tracks “Like JENNIE,” “Start a War,” “With the IE (Way Up),” “ZEN,” “F.T.S.,” “Filter,” “Seoul City,” “Starlight” and “Twin.”
Plus, Ruby includes a number of star-studded collaborations, from the FKJ-assisted “Intro” to “Handlebars” featuring Dua Lipa and “Damn Right” with Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis.
The release of Ruby comes about seven years after JENNIE first made her solo debut in 2018 with the aptly titled single “SOLO.” The South Korean star didn’t follow the track up until 2023 with her version of “One of the Girls” from The Weeknd’s HBO show, The Idol, in which she also starred.
JENNIE has long been working toward a solo album, with the performer opening up about how she “struggled a lot in the beginning” of the creative process in her January Billboard cover story. “A few months, I would say, was just me throwing myself out there, walking into rooms filled with new people,” she continued. “I just had to keep knocking on the door, like, ‘Is this it?’ ‘Is this it?’ and then eventually, we got to a point where I found a good group of people that I linked with, sonically and as friends.”
Now that all four of the BLACKPINK ladies have released their solo projects, the next step is for the band to reunite for a global tour kicking off in July. Dates for the trek were announced in February; around the same time, ROSÉ confirmed that the foursome also has new music in the works.
Of their upcoming reunion, JENNIE told Billboard in her cover interview, “I’ve missed the girls. I’ve missed doing tours with them. I miss our silly moments.”
“I’m excited to see what everyone brings,” she added at the time. “You know, everyone took their own journey [during] this time, and I’m excited to share that with the girls. I want to say it’s going to be the most powerful [versions] of ourselves that anyone has seen.”
Listen to Ruby below.
Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox
A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry
A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry
Send us a tip using our anonymous form.
Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2025 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Most Popular
You May Also Like
optional screen reader
RELATED
A Complete List of BLACKPINK’s Solo Projects (So Far)
Trending on Billboard
WANT TO KNOW WHAT EVERYONE IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS TALKING ABOUT?
Get in the know on
Trending
Police Officer Who Arrested Justin Timberlake for DWI Named Sag Harbor Officer of the Year
Lady Gaga Brings Anarchy to Pop Music With Chaotic New Album ‘Mayhem’: Stream It Now
Xzibit on Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Pedophile’ Lyric About Drake: ‘This Is Not a Testimony or a Deposition’
Millie Bobby Brown Defends Taylor Swift’s Album-Making Skills to Chris Pratt: ‘You Don’t Understand’
Cam’ron Expresses Regret for Not Working With Eminem & Nas: ‘That Would Have Been a Sensational Record’
THE DAILY
Sphere Revenue Falls, MSG Networks Bankruptcy on Table
Gene Hackman’s Paintings, Canceled Exhibition in DC, and More: Morning Links for February 28, 2025
All About Cynthia Erivo & Lena Waithe’s Relationship, Cheating Rumors & More
Angie Stone, Legendary Soul Singer, Dead At 63
Takashi Murakami Puts Cheerful Cherry Blossoms on LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs Merch for 2025 Tokyo Series Collection
Joseline Hernandez Shows Off Glow Up At NYC Single Release Party: “Shout Out To My Haters”
Forever 21 U.S. Operator Readies Bankruptcy Filing, Preps New Operating Strategy
UFL Champion Stallions Still Chasing Financial Wins
Follow Us
The Daily
Have a Tip?
READ MORE ABOUT
Billboard
Legal
Sitemap
Subscriptions
OUR SITES
Music Review: Blackpink’s Jennie steps out on her own with debut solo album, ‘Ruby’
Seven years ago, global pop phenomenon Jennie became the first member of the K-pop group Blackpink to release solo music
National headlines from ABC News
NEW YORK — She was the first to go “SOLO.”
Seven years ago, global pop phenomenon Jennie became the first member of the K-pop group Blackpink to release solo music. On Friday, she becomes the latest to drop a debut solo studio album, the English-language “Ruby.” It’s a kaleidoscope of different sounds for Jennie, full of incongruous, polished pleasures.
“SOLO,” her debut single, was a product of its time – nostalgic EDM-pop with pitched up whistle effects and simple, declarative lyrics. “I’m goin’ solo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo,” she repeated on the chorus. You had to believe her: She wasn’t leaving her band, but a lackluster relationship, an ex so innocuous they’re barely a player in the song. “This time I’m only lookin’ at me, myself and I,” she sang, “I’ma do it on my own now.” A lot has changed in the time since, but the core of her and her band’s sonic messaging — self-empowerment above all else — hasn’t wavered.
On “Ruby,” it’s strongest on the singles “Mantra,” where Jennie cheerleads in a chant-along chorus: “Pretty girls don’t do drama ’less we wanna / it’ll be depending on the day” atop brassy production perfect for primetime commercial placement. Or “ExtraL” with the innovative Doechii, whose acicular raps give additional weight to “Yeah, we lappin’ the men,” a line delivered with laughter.
But it isn’t all assertions of autonomy. On the languid “Love Hangover” with Dominic Fike, she’s falling into destructive patterns with an undeserving partner; in a falsetto, her chameleonic vocal performance is so convincing, the recording almost doesn’t even sound like Jennie. Or maybe it just doesn’t sound like the Jennie fans have grown to known?
Across “Ruby,” don’t expect cuts that would make a Blackpink record. Prior to “Ruby,” Jennie had only worked with one producer — Teddy Park, a man synonymous with her girl group hits. This time around, she worked with an eclectic team ranging from Diplo to El Guincho — new voices to explore different facets of her personality. It’s ambitious and glossy, moving from an acoustic ballad here (“Twin”), virtuosic rapping there (“Zen”), to familiar beats on (“With the IE (Way Up)” and “Start A War”). And it pays off.
Jennie tries her best Rihanna phrasing on the SZA-channeling “Start A War,” and maybe spends too much time with robust collaborations — Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis on the nostalgic R&B of “Damn Right,” Dua Lipa on “Handlebars” that launches straight into the chorus — perfect for TikTok.
In whole, Jennie’s “Ruby” is a solid re-introduction to the Blackpink superstar. The songs are strong and diverse and nostalgic — but maybe not wholly distinctive. It is still a reason to be excited for her future solo work.
24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events
