Cho Gi-Seok
Blackpink superstar Jennie has finally released her debut solo album, “Ruby,” on March 7th, 2025. Inspired by Shakespeare’s concept of the seven stages of life, this album allows her to voice her personal life, emotions, and experiences through her own musical vision. Jennie has described the album as a perfect way to reintroduce herself as an artist and showcase who she really is. Jennie displays her versatility and wide range of performance abilities by exploring a wide range of genres such as pop, R&B, and hip-hop.
TRACKLIST
Intro : Jane with FKJ
like JENNIE
start a war
Handlebars with Dua Lipa
with the IE (way up)
ExtraL with Doechii
Mantra
Love Hangover with Dominic Fike
ZEN
Damn Right with Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis
F.T.S
Filter
Seoul City
Starlight
twin
Jennie was born in Seongnam-si, South Korea, before moving to New Zealand at nine years old. In 2010, she auditioned for YG Entertainment after finding interest in the label. She soon became a trainee in the company, and after six years, she was announced as the first member of the soon-to-be popular Korean girl group Blackpink on June 1st, 2016. Jennie was known for her strong rapping ability, stage presence, and charisma on and off stage. In mid-October 2018, she made her solo debut with the single “Solo," a hip-hop, pop-based track. She was also the first member to have their solo debut under YG Entertainment. In December 2023, Blackpink announced they would go on a hiatus to focus on their solo endeavors. Shortly afterward, Jennie revealed her own record label/management called Odd Atelier to promote her solo work. She then signed a partnership deal with Columbia Records. She was signed as a solo artist under the label, soon releasing her lead single “Mantra” and announcing her debut album “Ruby” in January 2025.
Intro : Jane with FKJ
The album opens with a beautiful, twinkling intro that opens up Jennie’s story as if it were an actual play. Produced by FKJ, a well-known French multi-instrumentalist, this intro is a great starting place for where this album will take us and the journey of Jennie herself. It’s stripped back, mostly just her vocals and laughter throughout the track. The song feels like this is just the beginning of Jennie and the world she will open us to. It’s refreshing and shows a side to Jennie that we might not be used to. What I also love about the intro is how it ties in with the ending track “twin” and can act like a whole cycle once repeated.
like JENNIE
The second track and the fourth lead single from the album “Ruby” is “like Jennie”. This hard-hitting, hip-hop track has a metallic beat that perfectly encapsulates Jennie, showcasing her rap skills and unique, fresh style. The song lyrically describes how Jennie is one-of-a-kind and that no one can replace her, let alone be her. Lyrics such as “Who wanna rock with Jennie? Keep your hair done, nails done like Jennie, who else got 'em obsessed like Jennie?” specifically highlight her cultural impact within the fashion industry and how people are inspired by her style. She also sings, “I think I really like, haters, they don’t really like, ‘cause they can never be, JENNIE, JENNIE, JEN-“ which ultimately claps back at her haters, saying the only reason they hate her is because they are jealous of her. Jennie has also said in an interview. However, in an interview with Variety, Jennie talked about the lyrics in “like JENNIE," saying, “I don’t think I’m necessarily saying, like, be like me, or you wanna be me… I want this to be a confidence boost for people and to just have fun, really.” She wants this song to be everyone’s anthem and to replace their name with “Jennie” and be confident in themselves as well.
start a war
“start a war” is the third track of Jennie’s “Ruby” and is one of her most authentic songs from the album. The song is a powerful, chilling drum-led ballad where Jennie discusses how powerful her love for someone can be, to the point she would go to war for them. The chorus says, “Ever since the day we locked in, I was gonna be down bitch, If I need to start a war, I’m gon’ try for you, I’ll fight for ya, go off for you, I’ll start a war,” we can see how much Jennie cares for this person and that she would do anything to protect them. In an Apple Music exclusive “Ruby” self-talk, Jennie says “start a war” is “…all about loyalty… I was thinking about how far you’d go for someone even when things aren’t perfect…”
Handlebars with Dua Lipa
“Handlebars” is the fourth track of “Ruby” and was the fifth lead single for the album. The song is a mid-tempo, R&B-inspired track, and the title uses the analogy of love to crashing a bike. Jennie and Dua describe how hard-hitting love can be sometimes and that it can consume your whole life, even if you have been hurt before. With the lyrics “Over the handlebars, hitting the ground so hard, If I’m alone fallin’, fallin’, fallin’, we ain’t gotta talk about it,” we can see that the two are so infatuated with this said person, to the point that even if it is one-sided, they are just going to ignore it. In her self-talk with Apple Music, Jennie explains, “…even when you’ve been hurt, and you’re scared of rejection, you’re still somehow fearless and still going for it. I think it’s that feeling of being invincible because you’re so full of love, and no matter what happens, you can always get back up again.” Dua and Jennie’s voices melt on this track together and with Dua’s discography and similar love songs such as “Handlebars," it makes perfect sense why Jennie asked her to collaborate.
with the IE (way up)
“with the IE (way up)” is the fifth track of “Ruby," sampling Jennifer Lopez’s notable “Jenny from the Block.” Jennie was inspired by JLO and many popular classic songs from that era, so she wanted to make something similar. The early 2000s-inspired hip-hop track is feisty and shows off more of Jennie’s rapping skills; it also displays who she is as an artist and the meaning of her name, Jennie. In her self-talk, she says, “We were talking about the name Jennie and who I wanted to be in music, and I think it came very natural for me to think of wanting to make a new version of the song.”
ExtraL with Doechii
The sixth track of “Ruby” is “ExtraL” with Doechii and is the third lead single for the album. This song highlights Jennie’s pop style of music while incorporating Doechii’s signature sleek hip-hop style. The beat is hip-hop-infused with a pop chorus, which suits both artists well. The song is about Jennie and Doechii flaunting their wealth and celebrating their success as women. Jennie specifically says in a lyric, “You sit too far down on 'em charts to even ask me who’s in charge,” which references her own record-breaking chart history with Blackpink and as a soloist. Doechii, in her rap, discusses how she doesn’t make her decisions based on male opinions, saying, “I'm not here for pleasin' the men, not here to reason with them.” With Doechii’s rising success, especially after her Grammy win, and Jennie being her own boss, it makes so much sense why these two are on this track together, and they do nothing but devour.
Mantra
The seventh track of “Ruby” and the first lead single is “Mantra,” a dance-pop track with some R&B elements and a Miami bass beat. This song is a female empowerment anthem and is supposed to be fun, carefree, and a love letter to one’s self. In an interview with Vogue, Jennie describes the song as a “fun, upbeat anthem that celebrates girl power and inspires every woman to shine in her own way with confidence." Jennie claims this song was the perfect one to open up her new era, and I definitely agree. It was a great way to showcase how this new era of herself. which was all about self-discovery and self-love. I feel like a song like “Mantra” was needed to showcase that openness of self-love, specifically a woman’s love for herself.
Love Hangover with Dominic Fike
“Love Hangover” is the eighth track of “Ruby” and is the second lead single. The song is a mid-tempo, pop song inspired by Diana Ross’ 1976 song of the same name. It also has some elements of retro soul added to it as well. The song describes a toxic relationship, where Jennie sings about constantly going back to her lover and cannot resist them. The lyrics, “We say it’s over, but I keep fucking with you, and every time I do, I wake up with this love hangover,” claiming that she is struggling to fight her attraction. Dominic Fike seems to act like the toxic lover in the situation, saying, “One minute, we’re growing apart, and next I’m in her apartment, just watching her get naked and not thinking with my heart.” This indicates that the partner in this relationship could not reciprocate the same feelings and could view their relationship as more surface-level. I like Jennie’s and Dominic’s chemistry in this song, and I like how they showcase two sides of the relationship. I also enjoy how this song continues “Handlebars” and that concept of one-sided love.
ZEN
“ZEN” is the ninth track of “Ruby” and is an introspective track about Jennie and her road to enlightenment. Here is where we get to see Jennie feel her truest form, and with the over-the-top, intense production, you can feel that this song is building up to something. She starts with a point of reflection and acceptance and then becomes truly zen. She is content with who she is and knows who she is as a person at heart. Jennie has also stated that this song was the foundation for the album and this realization of self. In her self-talk, Jennie says, "Once I finished the song (ZEN), it really helped me pull together the rest of the album. This song is a reminder to embrace your individuality and own your shine.” This song, to me, is absolutely breathtaking, and the whole aura of the track is something you never really hear in today’s music, so that uniqueness really stands out. It’s intense, it’s in your face, but it’s elegant.
Damn Right with Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis
“Damn Right” is the tenth track of “Ruby” and is a smooth R&B track with a compelling baseline. It reminds me of a Chloe and Halle track, but it fits with Jennie incredibly well. Her soft and delicate voice matches Kali Uchis’ whisper-like vocals. Jennie once again speaks on her confidence and how she is proud of who she is in a more sexy manner. Jennie explains in her self-talk that “Damn Right” is about “…also standing your ground and knowing your worth… I was in a place where I just wanted to remind myself and everyone else not to settle for anything less than what they deserve.” Childish Gambino, similar to Dominic Fike, seems to give another perspective on viewing Jennie and how he is enamored by who she is as a woman. His vocals are full of soul and blend together with Uchis’ and Jennie’s pretty easily.
F.T.S
The eleventh track of “Ruby” is “F.T.S,” a soulful ballad with a chant-like chorus throughout. This song is about letting everything go and finally cutting off the toxins in your life, specifically people. With lyrics such as “Whatever happened to freedom and honestly? What matters to you, you, you, it’s not that deep to me, fuck that shit,” seems to be where Jennie is realizing that her values and other people’s values aren’t aligned. Instead, their values are the ones bringing her down. In her self-talk, she says, “I was really feeling a need to cut ties with things that were holding me back, and it’s a total anthem for freedom for me. I think it’s also about moving forward without looking back, and I just really wanted to release all the negativity and focus on what’s next.”
Filter
The twelfth track of “Ruby” is “Filter,” a trap, R&B track, and is about being real and having no filter with yourself. Jennie highlights that there will always be this standard of perfectionism within the music industry, but it is always better to be authentic. Specifically, in her self-talk, she says, “I wanted to remind people that it’s okay not to be perfect…and I love the drop that we have in the hook of the song. It just makes me feel free, and I think it goes perfectly with the words when I’m saying ‘No Filter.’”
Seoul City
“Seoul City” is the thirteenth song of “Ruby” and is a soulful-midtempo R&B track that is sexy and alluring. On the one hand, this song describes the more physical aspect of love and wanting to be so close to a person, to the point where you can feel their soul. It also describes the city of Seoul, how alive it can feel, and how culturally impactful it is. When you hear “Seoul City," you can picture the nightlife of Seoul and be with your lover within its streets, being close to one another and falling in such a deep trance with each other, but also with the city itself.
Starlight
“Starlight” is the fourteenth song of “Ruby” and is an alternative pop track, and it seems to be an homage to Jennie’s fans. The song explains how, throughout her whole career, the ups and the downs, her fans have always seen the starlight within her and have always stuck by her. The song is sweet and sincere; you can see how much she cares for her fans. Jennie also describes the song as sharing a different version of herself with her listeners in a new light without all the glitz and glamour.
twin
“twin” is the fifteenth and final song of “Ruby," an acoustic pop-ballad. Like the intro, it's stripped-back, with only Jennie’s vocals, a guitar, and a piano. In the song, Jennie describes how she is drifting apart from someone she loves and talks about their strong bond. The track is bittersweet, and you can tell Jennie feels her emotions throughout the song. In her self-talk, Jennie herself describes “twin” as a song about “…a deep, unbreakable bond with someone who just gets you, you know? And with that kind of connection where nothing can pull you apart, no matter how far away you are… I was actually thinking about a friend in my life who I felt that with, and I kind of wanted to capture that feeling of soul, deep connection…” The song is heartfelt and bittersweet, and it’s a perfect way to close out the album as the guitar and piano fade away, only leaving Jennie’s raw vocals, which connect back to the intro of the album.
“Ruby” by Jennie is such a well-crafted and well-rounded album. The amount of layers and depth within each song is so well done, and the production of the whole album flows beautifully. You can clearly tell how much this album means to her and how each song has its own special meaning to Jennie. I love how she wanted to completely strip herself away from the Jennie we think we know and showcase this whole new side to her. It’s been great seeing all the members go independently and create their own solo works, each having a distinct sound and overall identity. Of the four, I would say Jennie’s album is my favorite because it all comes together effortlessly. My favorite songs currently are “like JENNIE”, “ZEN”, and “Damn Right”. I am so proud of Jennie for having the courage to make the album she wanted to make and not let anyone stop her from doing so.
Written By Laylah Little
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