For many of her profession, Rosé has been a research in polish: one-fourth of BLACKPINK, a pop phenomenon outlined by its daring vitality, shiny visuals, and unapologetic confidence. However on ‘Rosie’, the singer’s debut full-length album, Rosé peels again the layers of Ok-pop sheen to disclose a quieter, extra susceptible model of herself.
The album marks a departure from the meticulously crafted world she’s inhabited for greater than a decade, providing a glimpse into her id — not as the worldwide famous person Rosé, however as Rosie, the lover of your metropolis, a twentysomething whose coronary heart will get damaged by boys too.
This transformation begins with the album’s opener, ‘Quantity One Woman’, a piano ballad born from sleepless nights spent doomscrolling by way of social media feedback. The tune captures her insecurities in vivid element: the longing to really feel particular, the strain to fulfill fan expectations, and the ache of questioning if she ever actually measures up. It’s a putting introduction to an album that largely trades Ok-pop’s grandeur for intimate songwriting and emotional candour.
At its core, ‘Rosie’ is a breakup album. Heartache, loss, anger, and need simmer in its 12 tracks, capturing the messy, emotional spectrum of affection in your twenties. Whereas these themes are well-trodden floor for diaristic pop artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Gracie Abrams – ladies who flip their pens inward – for Rosé, this stage of vulnerability seems like new terrain.
As a member of BLACKPINK, Rosé has lengthy embodied a picture of unshakeable energy, a fastidiously curated persona that left little room for fragility. However on ‘Rosie’, she sheds that armour, exposing her flaws with disarming openness.
Take ‘Poisonous Until The Finish’, as an illustration: the pop monitor captures the turbulence of an on-again, off-again poisonous relationship impressed by her personal experiences. Right here, Rosé candidly positions herself not simply because the sufferer however as a prepared participant within the cycle of frustration. On the breezy ‘3am’, she playfully admits, “I simply noticed a crimson flag / Gonna fake I didn’t see that.” It’s in moments like these, the place self-awareness meets humour, that Rosé actually shines as a songwriter. She isn’t merely reflecting on her heartache; she’s confronting her function within the dysfunction.
Some of the notable points of ‘Rosie’ is the way in which Rosé wields her voice, dancing between contrasts. Her willowy tone, which has all the time anchored the various components of BLACKPINK, now uncovers new depths and flexibility. On ‘Drinks Or Espresso’, she adopts a flirtatious tone that feels as gentle because the Afrobeats-inspired rhythms that underlie the standout monitor. The punchy vitality of ‘APT.’, the album’s breakout hit that includes Bruno Mars, permits her voice to chop by way of with a playful, pop-punk angle. Then there’s ‘Gameboy’, drenched within the heat of early 2000s R&B, and the beautiful piano ballad ‘Keep A Little Longer’, the place her voice is at its most resonant, capturing each energy and an aching disappointment.
When you’re anticipating extra enjoyable romps like “APT.”, ‘Rosie’ isn’t that. As an alternative, it’s an album steeped in balladry and strummy, sad-girl pop, every monitor a smooth unraveling of her internal world. And but, coming from Rosé – an artist who has lengthy needed to hold her private life underneath wraps – this stripped-back method feels nothing wanting daring.
In truth, ‘Rosie’ opens with maybe essentially the most unguarded second of the whole album: “Inform me that I’m particular,” she sings within the first traces of ‘Quantity One Woman’. It’s a determined plea from one of many world’s greatest pop stars, and but, it’s such a human request. For an artist who has all the time been held at arm’s size by the general public, ‘Rosie’ affords a uncommon and intimate invitation to grasp Rosé as greater than only a star — to see Rosie, the lady, trying to find validation, love, and that means.
In doing so, Rosé’s debut turns into a quiet however highly effective declaration of self, marking the beginning of a brand new chapter that’s refreshingly trustworthy and authentically hers.
Particulars
- Launch date: December 6, 2024
- Report label: Atlantic