(ANN/KOREA HERALD) – K-pop sensation Jennie, from the global girl group Blackpink, is set to release her highly anticipated solo single, Mantra, on October 11. This marks her first release since You & Me, which came out a year ago. With several female K-pop soloists struggling to replicate their past chart-topping successes, many wonder if Jennie can defy the current trend.
Recent attempts by top soloists like Chungha, Somi, and Sunmi have seen lackluster chart performances. Chungha, famous for hits like Roller Coaster and Gotta Go, has not achieved the same success with her more recent tracks. Her March release, Eenie Meenie, peaked at No. 56 on the Gaon Digital Chart, while Algorithm, released in August, failed to make a significant global impact. Somi’s Fast Forward performed decently, reaching No. 10 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart in August 2023, but her later release Ice Cream struggled to live up to earlier successes.
Sunmi, another well-known K-pop soloist, also faced challenges as her latest single, Balloon in Love, failed to reach the heights of her previous hits like Gashina and Pporappippam.
However, industry experts believe Jennie may avoid the slump thanks to Blackpink’s unparalleled popularity and her recent collaboration with Columbia Records, the powerhouse label behind global icons like Beyoncé and Adele.
“Anything Blackpink touches seems to turn to gold now,” said a local entertainment official. “Their success is practically guaranteed because they’ve already proven their skills. Whenever they release new music, it’s bound to be a hit.”
Jennie’s success echoes that of her fellow Blackpink member, Lisa, whose single Rockstar debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and ranked No. 4 on the Billboard Global 200 in June. Jennie, as part of one of the world’s most successful K-pop groups, has already enjoyed major solo triumphs. Her debut solo single, Solo, topped domestic charts and secured international acclaim. Last year’s You & Me further expanded her global reach, breaking into the UK Official Singles Chart Top 40 and placing high on Billboard’s Global 200.
Music critic Lim Hee-yun explained that the recent struggles of female solo artists in K-pop tend to affect those who lack the backing of a highly popular group or whose heyday has passed.
“For solo artists not tied to major groups, it’s difficult to maintain momentum and compete with group-focused fan systems built by large agencies,” Lim said.
Jennie’s partnership with Columbia Records, along with her appearance in HBO’s The Idol, is also expected to boost her visibility, particularly in the US. Her collaborations with high-profile artists like The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, along with her Chanel ambassadorship, have already established her as a prominent figure in American pop culture.
Lim added, “Working with Columbia Records and promoting on mainstream American platforms could further secure Jennie’s place as a global solo star.”
Fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of Mantra, which may just become the hit that breaks the solo artist slump in the K-pop industry.
