ROSÉ Built an "APT." on Billboard—Who's Next?

The members of BLACKPINK are showing no signs of slowing down as solo artists. One week after JENNIE released new music, JISOO and LISA released new songs just hours apart. Their overlapping releases highlight each member's distinct musical identity while drawing fresh attention to BLACKPINK as a whole.

LISA released her new single "SaWaDiKa" through global streaming platforms at 9 a.m. KST on Sept. 4. The song is a pre-release track from her upcoming EP "PRESS PLAY," due Oct. 23.

The title comes from the Thai greeting for "hello." LISA brings her Thai identity into the track through her signature rap and hip-hop sound. Directed by Bang Jae-yeob, the music video was filmed in her hometown of Bangkok. Locations across the city provide the backdrop as LISA puts her rap and dance skills front and center.

JISOO followed at 1 p.m. KST with "CLICK," the first pre-release single from her debut full-length album. The song pairs restrained synths and a springy bassline with a dance-pop groove. The word "click" captures the relationship between two people who know they should not fall for each other but continue to gravitate toward each other.

JISOO uses falsetto throughout the track, bringing out the softer qualities of her voice. A group song requires four members to share the vocal space, but a solo track allows her to shape the entire song around her own voice. As a result, her strengths as a vocalist come through more clearly.

The release overlap works in the group's favor. Two members putting out songs on the same day naturally invites comparisons of the music, videos and chart results. JENNIE's release a week earlier also means the solo projects are not being consumed in isolation. Instead, each release redirects attention to BLACKPINK.

JENNIE released her digital EP "Fallen Angel" on Aug. 28. The three-track set includes the title track of the same name, along with "Heaven" and "Less Than a Lover." With JISOO and LISA following close behind, BLACKPINK's solo activity has taken on the momentum of a relay.

The contrast among the tracks is part of the appeal. JISOO chose dance-pop to showcase her falsetto and delicate vocal work, while LISA leaned into hard-hitting hip-hop production and performance. Their solo releases give each member room to explore tastes and skills that do not always fit within a BLACKPINK song, broadening the group's musical range in the process.

ROSÉ's global hit "APT." with Bruno Mars has also raised expectations for what the other members can achieve on their own. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and spent 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. Its success demonstrated how far a BLACKPINK solo release can travel, and attention is now turning to the results JENNIE, JISOO and LISA can deliver.

The steady stream of solo releases also fills the gaps between group activities. Even without a full-group release, new songs, videos and performances keep BLACKPINK in the public eye. In the group's 10th anniversary year, the four members are preserving their identity as a team while continuing to develop distinct sounds of their own.