By Justin Kemp
In a world where your identity is defined by group unity, going solo is daunting. On “Ruby,” BLACKPINK’s JENNIE takes the challenge in stride, combining the confidence and vulnerability of her bandmates’ solo debuts with a surprisingly mature sound. Despite experimenting with pop, K-pop, hip-hop and R&B sounds, the 15-track album carves a cohesive identity for itself. JENNIE’s credits as a producer and primary writer on 11 tracks speak to a creative vision beyond many of her K-pop peers. At times, lyrical quality suffers from this choice, but “Ruby” hits more often than it misses.
Album Overview
“Ruby’s” best tracks lean into poppy production and strong beats. “like JENNIE,” following in the tradition of self-referential hip-hop, introduces the titular singer with a bang. “Mantra” and “ExtraL” celebrate girl power. In the latter, JENNIE duets with upcoming rap star Doechii, bragging about the two singers’ wealth and independence. Concepts that could be pretentious to the point of boring—i.e., LISA’s “Alter Ego”—become clever and infectiously catchy in JENNIE’s hands.
The mid-tempo tracks, several of which are unfortunately clustered in the album’s second half, are patchier in quality. The Dua Lipa-penned “Handlebars” might be the album’s strongest earworm. Both singers breeze through a literal fall over the handlebars into love. “ZEN” soars (literally—an owl hoots throughout the track) with production that creates a mysterious, night-coded atmosphere for its abstract lyrics about overcoming darkness. Similarly, “Damn Right” sounds amazing… until you reach Childish Gambino’s awkward attempt at a rap verse. Dominic Fike on “Love Hangover” isn’t much better. Despite the star power JENNIE attracted for this record, she largely overshadows her collaborators with her confidence and vocal delivery.
Unfortunately, soft tracks are not “Ruby’s” strength. “twin” reflects on a faded childhood friendship so awkwardly that the sadness of the memory becomes cringy. “Starlight” is a more effective exploration of a lover’s perspective, though it sounds a bit watered-down in comparison to the album’s bolder tracks. “Seoul City,” while quite straightforward in its description of JENNIE’s feelings for a lover, uses dreamy production to draw the listener in. The album’s producers are its real stars, elevating forgettable tracks and making the best ones shine. Of course, JENNIE’s performance gave them a lot to work with.
Throughout the album, JENNIE holds to her K-pop roots while embracing Western influences. Notably, only two tracks incorporate the Korean language. I can’t help feeling that some of “Ruby’s” awkward lyricism could have been corrected if JENNIE used her native language more. Instead of trying to emulate American rappers with weaker delivery and writing, why not experiment with the Korean-English codeswitching that makes K-pop so interesting? “Ruby’s” sense of identity is somewhat undermined by how hard it tries to be American—a reflection, perhaps, on broader Korean culture.
Track Ranking
Despite subpar writing on some tracks, I have found myself listening to “Ruby” on repeat because of the production quality and JENNIE’s skill as a vocalist and rapper.
14. twin
13. Love Hangover
12. Damn Right
11. start a war
10. Filter
9. Starlight
8. Seoul City
7. Handlebars
6. like JENNIE
5. F.T.S.
4 — “with the IE (way up)”
Singing and rapping over an old-school hip-hop beat, JENNIE samples “Jenny on the Block” for a slick takedown of her critics on her “way up” to success. She criticizes the stereotypes pushed on women in the K-pop industry (hot, cold, devil, angel), confidently brushing them off.
3 — “Mantra”
I hated “Mantra” on my first listen. And my second, third, fourth and suddenly I’d listened to it so many times I had to admit it’s fantastic. The tempo switches regularly, allowing JENNIE to speak-sing, rap, belt and whisper empowering lyrics. Its Latin influence calls back to album recording sessions in LA, yet the track’s delivery confidently claims its spot in the K-pop sphere.
2 — “ZEN”
With a sound darker and more epic than most of the album, “ZEN” adds a fierce voice criticizing controlling fans and keyboard critics. JENNIE dares them to “move my soul… move my aura, my matter.” The lyrics are disjointed at first glance, but their abstractness has a poetic quality that points to JENNIE’s desire for authenticity, something rarely found in South Korea’s highly manufactured music industry.
1 — “ExtraL”
Doechii is the best part of everything she touches; however, JENNIE matches her energy on this empowering anthem, rapping with impressive flow in her non-native language. This track has one major problem—it’s not long enough. Well, it is long enough, but I want more, which is why I’ve been playing it on repeat for the past month.
Conclusion
On “Ruby,” JENNIE throws off the shackles of a hyper-scrutinized K-pop star. What is left underneath that veneer? Her wrestle with identity resolves in the album’s second half with a series of vulnerable tracks. However, “Ruby’s” best moments and boldest statements embrace the singer’s confidence as a dynamic performer. The production allows her to shine, especially on the hip-hop-influenced tracks. JENNIE’s creativity in writing and producing shows through “Ruby’s” strong sense of self and empowering messages. Is it the best album ever? No, but it’s fun and authentic, which, sometimes, is more important.
I give “Ruby” a 7.9/10.
“Ruby” 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 allkpop, Spotify and YouTube.
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