While BLACKPINK did not debut until the summer of 2016, Korean label YG Entertainment first introduced JENNIE to the world in early 2012 by releasing a photo of the then-16-year-old K-pop hopeful with the caption “Who’s That Girl?” on its company blog. The watchful online community of music fans instantly fell in love with her, thrusting the future star into public view years before she officially entered the industry with her girl group.
With a career now more than a decade in the making, JENNIE is making her boldest step yet into a spotlight all her own with her first studio album. Ruby is a musically diverse, creatively crafted narrative to interweave her meteoric rise to today’s status as a new-generation pop icon.
Inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It — known for its famous “All the world’s a stage” speech that undoubtedly connects to JENNIE’s experiences — the LP is theatrical and bombastic, but also intimate and personal, inviting international listeners to witness an artist who is refusing to be confined by any expectations of genre, language or manner. The 15-song journey, co-produced by JENNIE herself, dives into themes of love, rebirth and power, all with an ongoing journey toward self-realization in the background.
With collaborators spanning the likes of chart-toppers such as Dua Lipa, Childish Gambino, Kali Uchis and Doechii, plus credits from Mike Will Made-It, Diplo, Tayla Parx and Dem Jointz, Ruby is a meditation on today’s international pop conversation too, bringing a cross-genre dialogue to bridge cultures and sounds where everyone sounds equally excited to deliver their best work alongside JENNIE.
True to the stage theme, Ruby‘s release week will culminate with intimate theater performances across Los Angeles, New York and Seoul to bring the spectacle to life beyond its recorded format.
As JENNIE gets the final say to solidify her narrative as a global force with the 15 tracks on Ruby, here are Billboard‘s rankings of the songs.
One of the few people who make JENNIE starstruck, Rihanna’s influence is evident throughout Ruby, with the energy of Ri’s versatile bravado perhaps best heard on the LP’s third track, “start a war.” Centered around a slow, growling chorus, the song’s placement in the tracklist somewhat disrupts the exciting momentum kickstarted just a song before on “Like JENNIE,” but ultimately underscores the superstar’s willingness to experiment with darker, more aggressive sounds.
A muted soundscape opens the album with a nostalgic, music-box quality that may hint at JENNIE’s childhood dreams of being a ballet dancer. But soon enough, the intro gradually incorporates more intricate beats (perhaps indicative of her artistic change from ballet to K-pop), and FKJ‘s intricate instrumentation creates a bridge between innocence and bold (with the French multi-instrumentalist bringing his signature looping to JENNIE’s soft vocals), indicative of the musical expedition on its way.
Short and sweet, this introductory moment sets a contemplative but expectant mood to encapsulate the album’s overarching narrative.
This throwback track seemingly pays homage to ’00s R&B-pop anthems reminiscent of those by Ashanti, Eve or Jennifer Lopez (“Jenny From the Block?” No, this is “JENNIE From the ROK”) while sporting a contemporary twist.
Crafted by Dem Jointz, its groove is rich with retro synths and playful basslines that pair nicely with JENNIE’s defiant verses delivered with a tongue-in-cheek attitude to challenge industry norms and double standards: “Everybody’s cool, but when I do it, I’m the problem/ Gave you too much and it’s giving spoiled rotten/ Got me stressed out being the trending topic.”
The nostalgic yet modern production creates a compelling fusion that feels like a classic reborn for a new generation — with a fiery attitude to match.
A sonically experimental tribute to the South Korean city that shaped her identity, “Seoul City” blends JENNIE’s reflective, at times haunting vocals with Mike Will Made-It’s distinctive Atlanta vibe to soundtrack what sounds feel like lines from her diary for nostalgic, yet forward-thinking perspective in pop storytelling.
A playful collaboration that feels like it captures the real-life fun and friendship between two pop powerhouses, “Handlebars” is a major departure from the tropical-house party vibe of Dua’s 2018 BLACKPINK collaboration “Kiss and Make Up,” instead offering up something fresh for both singers’ discographies. The dizzy-in-love lyrics deliver vocal interplay between JENNIE and Dua Lipa, as well as a few moments of sweet harmonies between the two, leaving listeners craving more and hoping a third team-up won’t take another seven years.
Written like a candid diary entry set to one of Dem Jointz’s most exciting productions, “Filter” critiques modern superficiality and calls out those who mask their true selves.
The biting lyrics and personal tone are comforting in an age of Instagram-curated perfection when JENNIE (who, mind you, has more than 86 million Insta followers) spits, “I woke up like this, feeling like a weight just lifted/ I don’t know what it is, but I swear to God I love this s–t/ Look in the mirror, there ain’t nothing clearer/ So, take off your filter, b—h.” JENNIE’s officially put y’all on notice.
Bold and unapologetic, “F.T.S.” is a declaration of independence wrapped in an explosive production. Each line drips with attitude as JENNIE delivers a rallying cry to upend conventional industry expectations. Over an explicit chorus, she proclaims, “F–k that s–t, ah yeah/Flip the script, ah yeah.”
But she isn’t being explicit just for the sake of controversy — JENNIE has also gone through personal maturation, sharing that she has also flipped the script “inside of me” and is ready to embrace her individuality in one of the album’s most incendiary moments.
Showcasing JENNIE at what might be her most vulnerable, the bittersweet “Starlight” sees a superstar eager to share her whole self and not just the way the world sees her shine: “You said you see the starlight in me/ What about the black mystery?/ What about the moments you don’t see?/ It’s way deeper than what you think.” Just like the JENNIE’s own dichotomy, the track opens with a delicate, pop production before moving into a racing, breakbeat production at the first chorus that carries the song home.
The cut also opens and closes with evocative spoken-word interlude from Korean actor Yeo Jin Goo to give it an additional cinematic sheen that plays well with the track’s larger storytelling theme.
Noted by JENNIE as the most personal track on the album, “twin” closes Ruby on a note of melancholic introspection. Framed as a tender letter-like farewell to a past relationship, the track is rich with nostalgic references and intimate confessions that will leave listeners dying to know who she listened to Ashanti on the beach with. But JENNIE’s gentle vocal delivery over the stripped-back production creates an atmosphere of peaceful solitude as she finds closure while hinting at an enduring connection — both with the past lover and, perhaps more importantly, with herself.
Positioned toward the album’s more reflective end, “ZEN” initially seems like it would fit better at the top of the set alongside confident bangers such as “Mantra” and like JENNIE.” But over the grinding production, JENNIE details a journey toward enlightenment with a chant-like delivery to share her personal development to finding inner strength.
The 10th track on Ruby, “ZEN” marks two-thirds of the way through and is a signpost of reflection, acceptance and affirming the moment of true zenith in JENNIE’s story. She sings, “In the dark, I grew” on the second, closing the track with the line “Can’t be two of one.” JENNIE accepts herself as she is and isn’t looking to copy — or be copied by — anyone else.
This track is a smooth, traditional R&B offering that lets JENNIE explore a softer, more romantic side. The warm, mellow groove and Fike’s multifaceted rap complement her gentle coos. At the same time, the humorous video reveals a playful, unexpected facet of her artistry and has us hoping we one day see her take on a fully fleshed-out, dark-comedy role.
Even as one of the slower jams on the LP, “Love Hangover” doesn’t feel like it delays the fun, but instead is a refreshing interlude packed with heartfelt vulnerability. The percussive-forward outro also keeps the energy high as we get ready to move into the more reflective sections of the album.
When “Damn Right” comes in two-thirds of the way through the album as the LP’s final collaboration, it becomes clear JENNIE hasn’t just picked features for the best chance at a chart hit, but artists who can match her versatility. Over the pounding, sultry Mike Will Made-It beat, Kali Uchis showcases her range with come-hither coos and fluttery harmonies as Childish Gambino does his best OutKast impression, singing and rapping throughout his section, all acting as the perfect foils to JENNIE’s multifarious vocal deliveries.
The lead single that marked JENNIE’s debut on the Billboard Hot 100 fully on her own, “Mantra” wasn’t crafted as a cookie-cutter chart hit, but is instead refreshingly unconventional.
The song’s experimental arrangement challenges traditional pop formats, transitioning smoothly between matter-of-fact verses, hushed whispers and assertive rap flows. The ever-evolving, hypnotic “pretty girl mantra” refrain narrates JENNIE’s transformative journey from a mysterious K-pop newcomer to the confident maven she is today.
Despite its multifaceted production and bold sonic shifts, “Mantra” still spent 10 weeks on the Pop Airplay chart. That’s what you call an impactful first single.
A dynamic collaboration showcasing two of pop’s most exciting artists in a peak of creative synergy, “ExtraL” sees JENNIE and Doechii taking listeners on a rollercoaster ride of rapid shifts between rapping, belting, chanting and empowering battle cries with artists sounding equally excited to be on record together and delivering their best.
A female empowerment anthem that doesn’t fall into any cliche territory — JENNIE speaks “for my girls with no sponsor, they got they own fundin’” as Doechii comments on how they’re “in the boardroom looking bored ’cause I’m not here for pleasin’ the men.” Embracing and honoring the parts of their identities that make them different and atypical in positions of power, the brilliant verses move quickly and require additional listening to catch all the clever and important declarations.
After already bowing at No. 75 on the Hot 100 for Ruby’s highest charting cut so far, “ExtraL” is a track that deserves a push for its masterful musical showcase and for themes that are needed in society today — perhaps more than ever.
Self-referential and fiercely confident, this track serves as a vibrant manifesto of JENNIE’s identity and cements her it girl status. She spits, “Who wanna rock with JENNIE?/ Keep your hair done, nails done like JENNIE/ Who else got ’em obsessed like JENNIE?/ Have you ever met JENNIE?” demonstrating that despite the hate or jealousy she might feel, she’s remains the one they want to be like.
Writing contributions from Tayla Parx and ZICO as well as Diplo production, all inject extra, irresistible punches to amplify some of the best rapping of JENNIE’s career in the track’s mere two-minute runtime. Making the most of her time, however brief, to make the greatest impact possible sounds like a mantra for JENNIE’s career so far. Now, “like JENNIE” is the ultimate anthem to honor her legacy and get the last word as she flips the scripts and regains control of negative narratives.
As she raps in the second verse, “It’s a sin to be so good?/ Then, yes, I’m guilty,” confirming that she’s moving forward fearlessly unbothered with Ruby representing her newfound personal and professional philosophy.
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