In March, after considerable speculation and lots of anticipation, BLACKPINK star and Australian-native, Rosé, released her debut solo album. Naturally, K-Pop stans the world over where enthralled by the release. But as BLACKPINK's success as a group continues to grow every day, it begged the question; which member will follow in Rosé's footsteps next? Finally, it seems like we might have our answer, with Lisa from BLACKPINK confirming that her solo debut will be dropping on September 10.
We agree, this is pretty major information. Especially given how successful Lisa has been in her solo venture. But where did all the rumours begin and what do we know now? Fear not, we've put together a handy timeline for you to follow.
The news first broke back in April, courtesy of Harpers Bazaar Thailand, who shared a photo of the Thai-born megastar on their Instagram. The accompanying caption revealed the artist would reportedly be making her highly-anticipated solo debut in June this year. At the time, there had been no confirmation from her agency – YG Entertainment – on whether the rumours were true or any details on when we could expect a solo album.
They did however, release a cryptic statement to The Korea Herald sharing that; "Lisa is still working hard on the album"; which left many K-Pop and BLACKPINK fans feeling less than impressed.
When the speculated June release date came and went with no solo debut from Lisa in sight; fans were unsure of what to make of the radio silence. But in true Lisa and BLACKPINK fashion, a plan was already in place. Earlier this week, Lisa took to Instagram to share the highly-awaited teaser poster for her solo release, and boy, it looks like a history-making moment is inevitable. But at the time, left us with no release date or clues.
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Thankfully, a lot can change in the span of a week. Overnight, the K-Pop star took to social media again to reveal a brand new poster, which not only revealed that the album would be dropping on September 10, but also shared the title of her first single album: LALISA. The album has been named after the Thai rappers full first name, and fans will certainly not be disappointed.
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Now, just a few days out from the official drop, Lisa and her team have dropped the first official teasers for the upcoming album. Though they're definitely on the shorter side (we're always wanting more Lisa content), the three videos give us an insight of what's to come. Watch them all, below.
YG Entertainment have also released the full tracklist for the debut solo album, commenting that Lisa’s solo debut will be filled with “dynamic rhythm and melody, along with powerful rap verses." From what we can tell, there seems to be two tracks on the album; LALISA, written by TEDDY and Bekuh BOOM and the second number, MONEY.
When Lisa was recording the record she was adamant that it contained aspects of her Thai heritage. Think traditional Thai attire and dance choreography. She said, "I was talking to Teddy Park and wanted to put a Thai vibe in my song, and he came up with an arrangement that had the perfect Thai mood. I loved it”.
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Finally, the two new tracks have dropped – with the lead single LALISA debuting with an incredible music video fit for a K-Pop queen. Watch the full music video below and listen to the album on Spotify.
For those who want to show their full devotion, the record is now available for pre-order in CD, “KiT” and vinyl forms. If you happen to get your hands on a CD, you will also receive an 88-page photo book, Polaroids, postcards, double-sided posters and more. Which is definitely an incentive. You can find out more details about how to buy the album on the official website.
While it may still be quite some time before we'll be able to watch Lisa perform live, with international travel being off the cards and so on; you can gear yourself up for what a LALISA world tour could look like with her recent performance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. It's her first time she sung the title track from her eponymous album on live television and it's truly a delight to witness.
There's no question that Lisa has become a mainstay icon in the world of fashion, beauty and music. An ultimate muse for luxury fashion house, Celine, and a makeup and beauty maven in the eye of M.A.C Cosmetics, there's truly nothing she can't do. At the height of her career (thus far, of course), it seems like the perfect opportunity to cement herself as a solo artist. Complimenting, of course, her commitment to BLACKPINK.
Fellow BLACKPINK member Rosé had significant success with her solo debut, and the same is expected for Lisa. Rosé's music video for ‘On the Ground’ reached 41.6million views on YouTube within 24 hours. This achievement surpassed the eight-year record that was previously held by Korean musician, Psy.
With a lot to prove and even more to gain, we'll be waiting excitedly for any news on Lisa's solo debut. Stay tuned for more details on the impending announcement.
Image: Instagram
