The K-pop group discuss their rise to fame, world domination, and working with Lady Gaga. Carly Hacon catches up with the all-girl South Korean supergroup.
If you haven’t heard of the fantastic and fashionable K-pop girl band, Blackpink, then you’ve either been living under a rock or have never logged into Tik Tok.
Their meteoric rise to fame is astonishing, and in just four years of being together, they’ve managed to surpass pop royalty such as Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift on YouTube, becoming the most subscribed female artist with over 50 million followers.
Since debuting in Seoul, South Korea in 2016, they’ve also amassed billions of streams on Spotify, despite having only put out 15 tracks.
Blackpink’s global domination has often been compared to that of the Spice Girls. When asked about their supergroup status, Rosé, said: “Being compared to a group whose contribution to pop culture and music was so intense and a massive honour. But it was never like, ‘Let’s become this or them.”
Ever thankful for their success, Lisa, added: “We’re so grateful. With the development of so many different media platforms, music has become much more accessible. This is how K-pop has reached so many people.
“With good music, language barriers and cultural differences are not a problem. That’s why we feel that music truly is universal.”
Rosé is also quick to celebrate the group’s global diversity. “Music doesn’t always originate from the UK or the States. It’s global, it’s Asia, it’s the most random place you can imagine. I’m very proud that we all originated from different parts of the world.”
In 2019, Blackpink’s ‘In Your Area Tour’ became the most successful concert tour by a Korean female group in history. In addition to selling out arenas, the band has also collaborated with global superstars such as Lady Gaga, DuaLipa, and Selena Gomez.
Fangirling over Gaga, Jisoo said: “We spoke with Lady Gaga, and she said she liked our unique characteristics. We love her, so it was a huge honour for us to be able to work with her.”
‘Blackpink in your area!’ is the group’s now-iconic battle cry. Elaborating on the message behind it, Jennie said: “When we say ‘Blackpink in your area, we’re literally saying we’re in your area with good music, with good energy—we’re here for you.”
“We wish to give a hopeful and positive message through our music. We want our fans to have strength and confidence instead of giving up in dark times.”
FOR regular updates on Blackpink stay tuned to WhatsOn guide.
