Jennie's Surprise Duet With The Weeknd Draws Cheers and Vocal Criticism

BLACKPINK's Jennie delivered one of the biggest surprises of The Weeknd's Seoul concerts, joining the Canadian singer onstage for their first live performance together of "One of the Girls." However, what was supposed to be a memorable reunion has also sparked criticism online, with some questioning her vocal stability during the performance.

On October 8, Jennie appeared as a special guest during the second and final night of The Weeknd's "After Hours Til Dawn" tour stop at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province. The two performed their 2023 collaboration "One of the Girls," originally released as part of the soundtrack for HBO's "The Idol," which also featured actress and singer Lily-Rose Depp.

The concerts, held on October 7 and 8 as part of Hyundai Card's Super Concert series, marked The Weeknd's return to South Korea after eight years. Both performances sold out, drawing approximately 108,000 attendees across the two nights.

Jennie's appearance had already generated anticipation after footage of her rehearsing and participating in a soundcheck circulated earlier that day. When she eventually joined The Weeknd onstage, the crowd responded with loud cheers as the two performed their collaboration together for the first time in front of an audience.

Dressed in a purple bodysuit with straight bangs, Jennie exchanged verses with The Weeknd before the pair shared an embrace at the end of the performance. She also thanked him for inviting her, referring to the singer by his real name, Abel.

However, as videos from the performance began circulating online, attention shifted toward Jennie's vocals.

Several viewers pointed to moments when her voice appeared unsteady, with some suggesting that she struggled to maintain her pitch and breath control despite performing without demanding choreography. Others questioned the use of backing vocals and whether parts of the performance were supported by a prerecorded track.

The criticism was particularly noticeable in discussions comparing her delivery with The Weeknd's, whose vocal control remained a central part of the concert, having sung almost non-stop for an hour at that rate. Some viewers argued that the contrast made Jennie's less stable moments more apparent.

In online discussions, one commenter described her as struggling vocally alongside The Weeknd, while another suggested that performing next to a singer known for his vocal control would inevitably make differences in technique more noticeable.

However, the reaction was not entirely negative. Other fans defended Jennie, arguing that the performance should be appreciated as a special collaboration rather than judged solely on technical precision. Some also welcomed the opportunity to hear her live vocals, even if the delivery was not flawless.

The distinction is worth considering as concert audio often combines live microphones, backing tracks and effects, making it difficult to determine precisely what audiences are hearing from short clips.

It is also unclear how much preparation time Jennie had for the appearance. While she was seen rehearsing earlier that day, there has been no confirmation of when the collaboration was arranged or how extensively the two artists practiced together.

Nerves, preparation and the demands of performing in front of tens of thousands of people could all be factors in a live performance, although none has been established as the reason for Jennie's vocal difficulties.

Beyond the discussion surrounding her vocals, the performance carried particular significance for Jennie herself.

In 2018, she attended The Weeknd's first concert in South Korea at Gocheok Sky Dome as a member of the audience. His music had also been part of her journey as a trainee, making her appearance alongside him eight years later a full-circle moment.

Their professional relationship developed further through "The Idol" in 2023, which marked Jennie's acting debut and introduced their collaboration with Lily-Rose Depp. Furthermore, for fans who had waited years to see Jennie and The Weeknd perform the song together, the Seoul appearance offered something that had previously just been an idea.

The criticism surrounding her vocals remains part of the conversation, and live singing is a reasonable aspect of any performance to evaluate. However, it is also possible to acknowledge that Jennie had moments of vocal instability without dismissing the significance of her appearance altogether.

Ultimately, the performance may not have been Jennie's strongest, but it still brought two longtime collaborators together onstage for the first time, creating a memorable moment for the thousands of fans who witnessed it.