Rosé’s Restrained Peek Behind the Curtain

Rosé is no stranger to the world of music, especially after the success of “Apt.,” her smash hit lead single featuring Bruno Mars. With well over 600 million streams on YouTube, the reach of “Apt.” is undeniable. Soon after, Rosé released the single “Number One Girl,” a down-to-earth, melancholic song that wildly contrasted the loud, upbeat nature of her previous single. These two songs served to build anticipation for her second solo album, Rosie, which marked her debut in the Western pop scene.

Blackpink, though still a cultural monolith, was inescapable during their run in the late 2010s. Rosé debuted as part of this sensational K-pop girl group, though, as is the fate of most pop ensembles, she has decided to pursue a solo career. R (2021), the title of Rosé’s two debut singles, was her first venture as a soloist. Though it was sung entirely in English, R’s success was limited to the K-pop sphere. In Life In Looks with Vogue, Rosé revealed that the dark creative concept she initially received from YG Entertainment for the album didn’t resonate with her, as she wanted to create something more personal. For her debut album, Rosie (2024), she departed from YG Entertainment to work with Atlantic Records, which has signed major artists like Bruno Mars. After a series of singles, Rosé’s debut album, her (self-proclaimed) most intimate and personal set of tracks, has finally arrived.

In an interview with Apple Music, Rosé revealed that, coming out of a year-long world tour and eight years of group activities, the members of Blackpink promised themselves a year to work on solo projects and find individual inspiration. She admitted to initially feeling anxiety over creating a solo album, but she eventually gained confidence in creating a work true to herself. Even the name of the album, Rosie, establishes a personal connection, stemming from the nickname given to Rosé by friends and family. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Rosé declared that fans who know 80 percent of the album’s lyrics can also call her “Rosie.” Perhaps the album’s title is an invitation for listeners to get to know a more vulnerable side of the idol, just as her loved ones do.

Blackpink fans, or Blinks, can expect something new from Rosie: a self-written breakup album about her toxic ex. Rosé broke through within the K-pop industry, one that is notoriously restrictive and forces idols into lives of secrecy and overwhelming privacy; for Rosé, writing about romance is a breath of fresh air and a leap into knowing her true self. She invites the listener to hear about her once-secret dating life and the feelings she has kept buried for years. 

Rosie starts strong with its opening track, “Number One Girl,” which introduces Rosé’s insecurities and her relationship with her ex. She immediately displays her vulnerability as she asks for validation: “Tell me I’m that new thing / Tell me that I’m relevant.” The album continues with catchy tracks. “Two Years” has a Swiftian quality to it, with its persistent synth bass reminiscent of those from 1989 (2014). Once again, Rosé embraces her vulnerability with the lyrics, “It’s been two years and you’re still not gone / It doesn’t make sense that I can’t move on.” The combination of her sweet vocals, impressive range, emotional lyrics, and synthesizers gives the song an intensely nostalgic effect, fitting for the song's theme of being unable to let go of the past. 

However, even the album’s brief 36-minute runtime may have been too long. Many of the songs repeat the same story, detailing Rosé’s love-hate relationship with her ex. Take the lyrics of “Not the Same”: “Yeah we had good days and light on our side / But you [EXPLETIVE] up and you know that I’m right.” Rosé’s nondescript lyrics feel more tedious against the song’s slow melody. Rather than telling a story, she repeats the same sentiments of her ex disappointing her. In the next track, “Call It the End,” Rosé questions the future of her relationship with her ex and asks if she should “call it the end.” Her powerful voice reflects her pain and confusion, but her lyrics once again feel restrained. Because almost every song revolves around her heartbreak, these slower songs become forgettable. 

Still, the album ends strong. “Call It the End” is one of Rosie’s strongest songs, both sonically and lyrically. Rosé’s voice echoes against acoustic guitar and piano as she begins to accept the end of her relationship. She poetically references herself and her dying love: “In the desert of us / All our tears turned to dust / Now the roses don’t grow here.” The last track, “Dance All Night,” is the perfect ending to Rosie, offering a subdued yet optimistic feeling of closure to her relationship. The song is laid back but not melancholic; catchy but not repetitive. It blends the strongest qualities of the album, ranging from “Number One Girl” to the catchy, upbeat “Apt.,” to create a seamless unity that ties up the album. The lyrics, in contrast to the rest of the album, are short and sweet, reflecting how Rosé is at peace with her emotions: “I would dance all night / Not care about the heartache in my life.”

Ultimately, Rosie leaves plenty of room for growth as Rosé’s first solo album. The album is a stark contrast to her work in Blackpink, as she experiments with different sounds and styles; it feels as though Rosé is still searching for her own identity in an industry saturated with breakup ballads. As a whole, Rosie’s cliché concept and weak lyricism fail to stand out in the Western pop scene. The question of “who Rosie truly is” is still unanswered, waiting to be explored in future projects.