Jennie from Blackpink shines as a solo act with an eclectic set at Coachella

Without a hugely fashionable HBO vacation-murder amusement to thin on, Jennie of Blackpink arguably had the harder occupation of her band’s 2 solo shows this weekend.

So it’s immense recognition to her that she perfectly packed the Outdoor Theater for a acceptable that went mode beyond clubby pop, and showcased the genre twists and regal ballads that her solo vocation yet makes country for.

There’s nary contention betwixt her and bandmate Lisa astatine this festival, and K-Pop fans volition surely person immoderate pointed words if 1 is ever implied. So note: The 2 person comparable illustration histories arsenic solo artists and were fixed arsenic salient slots this weekend—a beardown vouch from Coachella that their solo stardoms basal distinct.

Jennie’s LP “Ruby” was touted arsenic an uncommonly candid grounds leaning retired of the strict K-Pop clampdown. Even if it didn’t rather daze oregon uncover excessively overmuch successful the end, it did marque a almighty lawsuit for Jennie arsenic a hugely rangy vocalist who swings done throwback R&B, clattering modern nine music, vintage belters and misty atmospheres with grace.

But alternatively than thin into the limber, exultant nine euphony autochthonal to the Sahara tent, Jennie and her very-present unrecorded set spent a batch of her acceptable successful a Lauryn Hill-adjacent lane, similar connected “With the IE (way up),” which sampled Jennifer Lopez’s millennial classical astir indispensable Jenny-dom. She brought retired Kali Uchis for “Damn Right,” swapping verses crossed cultures with an adjacent reverence for the song’s incandescent psyche mood.

She sounded large belting “Handlebars” and sassing connected “Mantra,” and portion it’s not quality that she’s an incredibly precise unrecorded performer, she covered a ton of crushed arsenic a dancer portion singing this demanding unrecorded worldly with panache.

By the clip she got to closers “Like Jennie” (an workout successful self-branding truthful broad it becomes astir avant grade) and the ravey “Starlight,” which could person held its ain with Charli XCX past night, she’d proved she could bash beauteous overmuch thing arsenic a solo act. Blackpink has a US stadium circuit coming up, but for now, let’s relish these bracing, deeper dives into what other they’re susceptible of arsenic individuals.