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Jisoo‘s ME has topped this week’s new music poll.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (March 31) on Billboard, choosing the BLACKPINK member’s two-song solo project as their favorite new music release of the past week.
ME brought in more than 66% of the vote, beating out new music releases from Taylor Swift, Melanie Martinez, Boygenius and more.
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Jisoo is the final member of the the K-pop girl group to go solo with ME, with two songs: “Flower” and “All Eyes on Me.” Accompanying ME‘s release at midnight on March 31 was the official video for Jisoo’s “Flower,” which debuted on BLACKPINK’s YouTube channel.
Trailing behind ME on the fan-voted poll is Swift’s dreamy new “Lavender Haze (Acoustic Version),” with 15% of the vote.
See the final results of this week’s poll below.
It may be the last day of March, but we’re going out with a bang when it comes to new music thanks to releases by Jisoo, Boygenius, Chlöe and more.
The BLACKPINK singer became the final member of the the girl group to go solo with her single album ME, featuring songs “Flower” and “All Eyes on Me,” while Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers reunited for their full-length album The Record a full half-decade after forming their alt-rock supergroup for their self-titled 2018 EP.
Chlöe Bailey also unveiled her debut solo album, In Pieces, on the heels of previously released singles “Pray It Away,” Chris Brown collab “How Does It Feel” and the piano-driven title track. Plus, Tyler, the Creator re-upped on his 2021 opus Call Me If You Get Lost by dropping Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale — a deluxe edition with eight new tracks not on the original album, including single “Dogwood” and collaborations with Vince Staples (“Stuntman”), A$AP Rocky (“Wharf Talk”) and YG (the 2020 demo version of “Boyfriend, Girlfriend”).
Meanwhile, on the new song front, Taylor Swift stripped down her bombastic Midnights opener “Lavender Haze” for a ghostly acoustic version that could sound easily at home on her 2020 album Evermore.
Becky G and Peso Pluma delivered a horn-blasted Spanish-language duet with “Chanel,” and Charlie Puth teamed up with Dan + Shay for their boundary-setting ballad “That’s Not How This Works.” (A promised remix with Sabrina Carpenter is still a couple of weeks away.) Plus, rising U.K. pop star Maisie Peters offered yet another irresistible sneak peek of her upcoming sophomore album The Good Witch with the triumphant “Lost the Breakup.”
Vote for your favorite release in Billboard‘s latest new music Friday poll below.
BTS‘ Suga hits the road in the 30-second teaser for an upcoming solo documentary slated to air on Disney+ and Weverse. The K-pop superstar is front and center in the clip for SUGA: Road to D-Day, which opens with a quick-cut montage of snapshots of cities around the globe (Seoul, Tokyo, Pyeongchang, Chuncheon, Las Vegas, Malibu and San Francisco) before cutting to footage of Suga on a plane and traveling the world.
“This is my first time walking down this road. I’m really excited right now,” he says while taking a late-night walk while wearing a face mask in the video in which he jets around the globe on his own — including taking a sunset drive through the desert — as he embarks on a one-man adventure in the midst of the boy band’s pause to focus on solo projects.
“Whenever a concert ends and I go in [and say] ‘Ah, I’m tired.’ No like, it’s my first time doing this in my life! Even in Korea I’ve never done this before,” he says in the translation of his inner monologue in the video preview.
At press time no air date has been announced for the special.
Suga’s bandmate, J-Hope, released his solo documentary, j-hope IN THE BOX, on Disney+ earlier this year. Last month, Suga announced the dates for his first-ever solo world tour, which is slated to kick off on April 26 at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. The rapper/dancer will play a series of multi-night gigs in Rosemont, IL, Los Angeles and Oakland in early and mid May before jumping to Jakarta on May 26, then Japan in early June, followed by Bangkok, Singapore and two hometown shows in Seoul, South Korea on June 24-25.
Check out the teaser for SUGA: Road to D-Day below.
Nearly seven years since BLACKPINK officially entered in our area, Jisoo is finally making her solo debut with the two-song project ME.
After two weeks of teases leading up to that included two different visual films released on March 15 and March 21, a poster with ME‘s tracklist and song credits on March 27, and the high-fashion music video teaser for lead single “Flower” on March 28, the full project has finally arrived for pop fans around the world.
The first ME song, “Flower,” is a subtle-yet-powerful sonic rollercoaster. It opens with a delicate blend of violin plucks and snappy, trappy production that spotlights Jisoo’s voice.
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Like some of her best vocal moments on BLACKPINK records, “Flower” sees Jisoo letting loose with emotional warbles and passionate runs before the track shifts gear with a pitched-up vocal sequence that will likely become one of 2023’s most notable earworms. The second track, “All Eyes on Me,” points to Jisoo’s love of robust dance-pop records, which fans saw firsthand via her cover of Zedd and Foxes’ “Clarity” during their In Your Area world tour. Jisoo commands listeners to “Make me feel alive” before demanding “All eyes on me” amid a stomping synth-pop dance breakdown.
Along with ME‘s release at midnight on March 31, the official video for Jisoo’s “Flower” premiered on BLACKPINK’s YouTube channel.
With the release of Jisoo’s solo record, all four BLACKPINK members have now put out chart-topping solo music. The girl group’s solos kicked off in 2018 with Jennie‘s “Solo” single (which hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart) before both Rosé and Lisa dropped two-song projects in 2021 (Rosé’s “On the Ground” hit No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S; Lisa’s “Lalisa” peaked at No. 1 on the World Digital Song Sales chart while “Money” topped Rap Digital Song Sales). It won’t be long to see how Jisoo ranks alongside her beloved members.
Watch the “Flower” music video and listen to ME in full below:
New music from SEVENTEEN is on its way! The boy band announced its forthcoming mini-album, FML, on Thursday (March 30).
The project is slated to be released April 24 via PLEDIS Entertainment, and will arrive just nine months after SECTOR 17, the repackaging of the K-pop idols’ fourth full-length Face the Sun. That deluxe album, featuring previously released singles “Hot” and the English-language “Darl+ing” as well as new cuts such as “_World,” “Circles” and “Cheers,” earned the 13-piece act a career high on the Billboard 200 by peaking at No. 4. (The original version had previously landed at No. 7 earlier in 2022.)
To herald the announcement, SEVENTEEN unveiled the first teaser poster for FML on its social media accounts. According to a release, the image “interweaves still photos of a bed on a puddle of water, a reading lamp and a boxing ring, all tinted in muted shades of blue.” Hours ahead of the reveal, the group also posted a mysterious teaser reading “Welcome to SEVENTEEN STREET…COMING SOON” along with a diverse array of emojis including a calendar page, a cat and a frog, twinkling stars and a desert island.
CARAT will be able to begin pre-saving the mini-album on Friday (March 31), with more information about the process expected to drop on Weverse.
Seventeen previously teased the existence of FML at its Carat Land show earlier this month, with S.Coups telling the crowd in Seoul, “Some day in April, we will be back with a great album. We will be back to make your April great.”
Check out SEVENTEEN’s teasers for FML below.
Welcome to 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 💎📅 : 🐱/🐸 ~📍 : 🍡✨🏝𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍— 세븐틴(SEVENTEEN) (@pledis_17) March 30, 2023
MAMAMOO introduced their first official sub-unit, MAMAMOO+, consisting of members Solar and Moonbyul, last August with a bouncy, modern R&B track “With You.” Seven months later, the duo unleashed their first EP with the release of Act 1, Scene 1 featuring exciting twists on what we typically expect from the popular K-pop girl group.
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With a name seemingly drawing inspiration from OTT streaming services like Disney+, Discovery+, and Paramount+, MAMAMOO+ tap into genres their mother group has worked with but brings exciting, experimental updates. New single “GGBB” (standing for “Good Girl Bad Boy”) showcases the doo-wop and pop inspirations that the group initially embraced at the start of their career via 2014 singles like “Piano Man” and “Mr. Ambiguous” but switches up production in the bridge for a glitchy, fierce and rhythmic breakdown section. Released last week ahead of the full EP, “Chico Malo” mixes traditional Korean instruments like the gayageum and daegeum with trap beats for an anthem displaying the confidence that has become a hallmark of MAMAMOO’s latest releases.
Both of MAMAMOO+’s music videos are fresh visual treats as well. For “GGBB,” Solar and Moonbyul lead a troupe of dancers through different scenes, costumes, and scenarios in a Broadway-like performance. The video ends with the cast taking a bow and the curtain closing, leaving viewers wanting more before the two pop back to wave and say bye to viewers. Meanwhile, in “Chico Malo,” Solar and Moonbyul are seen alongside singer Kim Junsu, a singer famous for Korea’s musical storytelling style of pansori, for an “Aniri” version of their video to spotlight the form of Korean traditional singing. The visual features intricate fan choreography, gayageum and daegeum instrumentalists, plus modernized versions of classic Korean outfits. As made clear from the videos, not only is MAMAMOO+ experimenting and expanding with their music but with their visual storytelling too.
Act 1, Scene 1 is the latest release from the MAMAMOO members ahead of their MY CON U.S. Tour. The group recently unveiled the massive arena venues for the nine dates through May and June.
Jisoo of BLACKPINK unveiled a new look at the upcoming music video for her debut solo single “Flowers” on Tuesday (March 28).
The snippet finds the BLACKPINK member donning a stunning array of colorful, floral-inspired looks that fit perfectly in line with the title of the song, which is due out March 31 via YG Entertainment as part of her debut solo release ME.
After gazing in a bathroom mirror in a casual pink top, the screen cuts to the Seoul native alternately strutting through a ballroom in a brocade gown embroidered with pink flowers and wearing a lacy black top with a matching rosette around her neck. Other high-fashion moments in the clip include Jisoo in a midnight blue crop top of velvet and sequins (with another matching rosette in hand!), a strappy cerulean dress made of small, sculptural flowers and a monochromatic purple look with ribbons wrapped around her arms.
Despite the runway’s worth of eye-popping ensembles, the teaser only gives BLINKs a few seconds of the actual song to devour, with Jisoo uttering a single line in her native Korean before the track abruptly cuts off to reveal her name and the song title against a black screen.
With the eagerly anticipated release, Jisoo will become the fourth and final member of BLACKPINK to debut solo music following Jennie’s 2018 track “SOLO” and Rosé’s record-breaking solo single album R and Lisa’s LALISA in 2021. Meanwhile, the girl group is just weeks away from headlining Coachella 2023 along with Bad Bunny and Frank Ocean.
Watch the teaser for Jisoo’s “Flowers” above.
South Korean girl group FIFTY FIFTY is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting act, as the quartet achieves its first entry on the latest list (dated April 1) with “Cupid.”
The song, released Feb. 24 via Interpark Corporation, debuts at No. 100 with 5.7 million official U.S. streams (up 23%) in the March 17-23 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The track is also a hit around the world, as it jumps 106-65 on the Billboard Global 200 (22.9 million streams, up 39%, worldwide) and 119-69 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S.
Contributing to the song’s streaming surge are three versions: its original recording, a “Twin” mix and an instrumental version. (All versions of “Cupid” roll up into one listing on Billboard’s charts.)
TikTok has been a key factor in the single’s growing profile, as portions of the track have been used in more than 400,000 clips on the platform to-date. The song’s #CupidChallenge hashtag has also been added to more than 65 million videos. (TikTok does not contribute directly to Billboard’s charts.)
FIFTY FIFTY, which also rises 20-19 on the Emerging Artists chart, was formed by South Korean entertainment agency ATTRAKT last year. The group debuted its first single, “Higher,” on its introductory four-track EP, The Fifty, released Nov. 18.
The four-piece comprises Aran, Keena, Saena and Sio.
Billboard’s Hot 100 First-Timers column highlights artists who achieve their first career entries on the Hot 100.
Jung Kook is the latest K-pop star to team up with Calvin Klein, and the superstar dropped jaws with his steamy first campaign as global brand ambassador, which dropped in full on Tuesday (March 28).
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In the clip, shot by photographer Park Jong Ha, Jung Kook rocks Calvin Klein jeans as he lounges around on a leather couch and flirts with the camera. Zayde Wølf’s “King” soundtracks the 30-second spot, as the BTS star smiles at the camera to the tune of the fitting lyrics, “It’s good to be king.”
It’s been an exciting year for Jung Kook, particularly in music, with a string of solo sings. Days after the release of BTS’ anthology album Proof in June 2022, Jung Kook took to the group’s SoundCloud account to share another meaningful song for fans. “My You” is filled with touching messages to the ARMY, made evident through moving lyrics that reference the group’s unofficial color: “Shining purple light/ Thankful to be by your side now.”
Jung Kook also teamed up with Charlie Puth for the catchy “Left and Right,” before making his biggest global move as a soloist when he performed the song “Dreamers” at the 2022 World Cup opening ceremony as part of its official soundtrack. The RedOne-produced dance track and saw Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi join him on stage for the performance.
Watch Jung Kook star in Calvin Klein’s Spring 2023 campaign below.
After IVE established itself as a leading girl group in the next generation of K-pop acts with three hit singles, the sextet begins the next, most international step in their career yet with the release of their next single under a brand-new label deal.
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The opening lyrics to IVE’s latest track, “Kitsch,” seems prophetic as member Wonyoung opens by singing, “It’s our time.” While the new song has all the markings of a quintessential global-pop hit to stand alongside past IVE singles “Eleven,” “Love Dive” and “After Like,” “Kitsch” crucially includes the girls’ now-signature themes and lyrics of oozing confidence and self-love.
“Even our OOTD is just so like us/ When it comes to my favorite things/ Don’t judge them,” leader Yujin sings before youngest member Leeseo ends the verse with, “I live the way I want, what more do you want/ That’s my style.”
The accompanying music video plays off the similar YOLO themes of following one’s unique path as Wonyoung sings in front of a mural of herself, and the girls ferociously and playfully dance together in front of a neon sign with the phrase: “You’re So Weird, Don’t Change.” There’s even a bit of social commentary when the camera pans to a design on one of the members’ jacket back, with details boasting the phrase “Books, not guns. Culture, not violence.”
“Kitsch” is the pre-release buzz single for the group’s forthcoming full-length album I’ve IVE dropping next month. The track comes as the first step after IVE signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records in the States. Columbia will team with IVE’s Korean label Starship Entertainment (home to Monsta X, WJSN, CRAVITY, Jeong Sewoon, and other K-pop artists) and Kakao Entertainment America (the new, U.S.-based branch of Kakao Entertainment (the media and music-distribution subsidiary under South Korean technology company Kakao).
“We’re thrilled to be embarking on IVE’s global journey with Columbia Records, a company with a rich history in pop music,” said Joseph Chang, head of Kakao Entertainment America, in a press release. “This partnership holds significant meaning for us. By strengthening the production and distribution capabilities of our music and artists in North America, we look forward to increasing the global competitiveness of Kakao Entertainment’s music business.”
After what Kakao Entertainment describes as “IVE’s North America debut,” the company pledged overseas support for its artists careers and expanding its music business globally.
Beyond Starship, Kakao Entertainment owns and distributes music multiple K-pop labels including IST Entertainment (home to popular groups like Apink, Victon, The Boyz and Weeekly), EDAM (an agency created for solo superstar IU that recently expanded by signing WOODZ), and Antenna (the label founded by musician and TV host You Hee-yeol boasting rock bands, ballad singers, entertainment hosts and more).
For international distribution outside the U.S., IVE has signed with Sony Music’s subsidiary distributor The Orchard.
IVE’s full-length album I’ve IVE (which stands for “I Have IVE,” per press release) drops on April 10 with new songs alongside “Kitsch” as well as a new single.
Check out the video for “Kitsch” below.
