“rosie” is sweet but bland

By Justin Kemp

Introduction

What do you picture when you imagine a K-pop singer? Maybe high-energy performances with crazy choreography and colorful music videos that overwhelm the viewer. Or you might think about the obsessive fan culture in South Korea and how tightly controlled K-pop idols’ lives are. But relatability? Vulnerability? That’s what BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ wanted to share through her debut solo album, “rosie.”

The 12-track record, written almost entirely in English, portrays the superstar performer and vocalist as an ordinary girl navigating life and love in her twenties. Despite a 36-minute runtime, ROSÉ samples various influences, from early career Taylor Swift-style songwriting in “two years” to a Bruno Mars-assisted pop-punk party in “APT.” While several tracks could’ve used more time in the studio, “rosie” is bite-sized enough to enjoy the highlights without getting lost in inexperienced songwriting.

Track by Track

1 — “number one girl”

Opening your debut album with a ballad is bold, but not when your voice is as emotive as ROSÉ’s. She sings each chorus with increasing desperation, acknowledging the pain she’s putting herself through and yet unable to stop the desire. It’s gross and gut-wrenchingly relatable. 10/10

2 — “3am”

While a catchy and relatable chorus saves this track from being unlistenable, ROSÉ’s verses here are weak, distracting from the message with awkward storytelling and clunky rhymes. Let’s just say I’m not putting “I just saw a red flag / Gonna pretend I didn’t see that” on my top ten couplets of 2025. 6/10

3 — “two years”

Two years later, ROSÉ’s heartbreak is too subdued to pack a punch. Though pleasant enough, the track fails to build momentum by the second chorus and becomes unfortunately dull by the third. A Swiftian bridge would have elevated it immensely. 6/10

4 — “toxic till the end”

ROSÉ gets her voice back with a pop-rock vengeance, berating “the ex” while admitting that she got sucked into the toxicity too. With an intoxicatingly fun chorus hook and a bridge worthy of belting in your car, this is “rosie” at its best. 7/10

5 — “drinks or coffee”

A fun pop R&B shot of caffeine to the heart, it’s unclear whether ROSÉ has moved on from “the ex” or whether she’s remembering the meet-cute that started it all. She tries to stop the rush from carrying her away, but ultimately can’t resist hoping her muse will “call me.” 7/10

6 — “APT.”

Irritating and irresistible—is this what being in love feels like? With lyricism much closer to K-pop than anything else on “rosie,” ROSÉ and Bruno Mars take turns rocking out to their apartment party bop. The song builds with each infectious chorus, coming to a crescendo begging for an obnoxious amount of replays. 9/10

7 — “gameboy”

She “don’t wanna play, boy,” but she is breaking her losing streak of boring verses. ROSÉ calls out her ex, a “gameboy” (i.e., player), delivering clever wordplay over a smooth pop-R&B beat. One of my favorite tracks on the album. 8/10

8 — “stay a little longer”

ROSÉ sounds so good dressed in heartbreak. While very similar tonally to “number one girl,” its track placement allows the album to slow down and breathe for a moment. The electric guitars are a nice touch—they add a dynamism not present in the other ballads and tie it nicely back to the pop-rock tracks. 8/10

9 — “not the same”

Reversing her usual pattern, ROSÉ delivers a slow, clunky chorus with relatively zingy verses. Unfortunately, sincere songwriting can’t save this track from mediocrity. 4/10

10 — “call it the end”

That awkward moment when the song with “end” is not, in fact, the end. Though sung with painful recollection, the lyricism is hit or miss, diminishing the track’s impact until those searing notes in the outro. 6/10

11 — “too bad for us”

I love the chorus on this one. The melody has the melancholy of “number one girl” with a wistful attitudeof reflection, and it features some of “rosie’s” cleverest songwriting. It’s simple enough for an indie-pop hook yet leaves the listener pondering the extended metaphor. Should have been the final track. 8/10

12 — “dance all night”

A sleepy conclusion to an album that began so promisingly. The song drags, with shallow lyricism—do we need to repeat “dance all night” 15 times?—and a far-too-slow beat lulling the listener into boredom. 3/10

Conclusion

At its best, “rosie” uses fun beats and confessional songwriting to craft a girl-next-door portrait for its superstar singer. ROSÉ doesn’t shy away from the unglamorous side of growing up, singing honestly about infatuation, desperation, and the rush of not knowing what’s next. Vague, cliched writing and lackluster production hamper the record from reaching its potential, but standout tracks like “APT.,” “gameboy,” “number one girl,” and “toxic till the end” keep the experience enjoyable enough for repeat listens.

I give “rosie” 7.0/10.

“rosie” is available on all music streaming platforms.

Justin Kemp is a senior Linguistics student interested in library science. When not lost in the Centennial Library’s depths stressing about his capstone, you can find him reading, listening to pop music, and writing poetry.

Images courtesy of Billboard and Spotify.