BLACKPINK member and The Idol actress, JENNIE, is releasing her debut solo project Ruby on March 7 2025. So far, it exudes beautiful self-assurance, pop-star glamour, and a a feverish lineup of incredible artist features.
Joining a long line of East Asian superstars to go solo, JENNIE’s debut is looking to be one of the most promising yet. Here’s what we know and what we can expect.
The Album Rollout
On January 21, JENNIE teased her audience with a hard lauch announcement of Ruby dropping on March 7. Available to view on Spotify, Ruby is laced with features including Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, Doechii, and Kali Uchis. Packed with sensational vanguard artists, Ruby makes for a powerful debut album. Not only is Korea’s it-girl making strides in Western music media via her collaborations, but she’s making a name for herself. “Ruby” is derived from Jennie’s English name (Jennie Ruby Jane), that she offically secured in 2024. This unravels a dominant, and confident JENNIE, ready to release her solo musical manifesto. March 7 marks the day that JENNIE transforms from BLACKPINK to Ruby red.
Ruby‘s rollout fostered three singles to give her audience a taste of what to expect, all of them hitting millions of streams. “Mantra”, dropping all the way back in October 2024, is the ‘hot girl’ proclamation that charged up the album’s anticipated attention to feminine power. It’s a catchy pop/club track that feels like the perfect addition to a debut solo endevour. “Daytime baddie use her mind, quick switch of the fit for the night” stands a proud verse as JENNIE flaunts a triefcta of glamourous ensembles in the “Mantra” official video.
Jennie x Dominic Fike
“Love Hangover” made it’s Instagram debut on January 27, announcing JENNIE’s collab with Dominic Fike, and unexpected yet devilish sonic duo. The paired music video for “Love Hangover” stars JENNIE, and model/actor Charles Melton (the eyecandy match made in heaven).
It’s a fun take on a toxic relationship that uses silly yet charming cinematics to bring the track to life. If there’s one thing you can expect from JENNIE’s work, it’s visuals. “Love Hangover” gained major traction with nearly 55 million streams on Spotify and 32 million views on YouTube.
JENNIE x Swamp
JENNIE continued to divvy out her share of Ruby to keep her insatiable audience at bay with “ExtraL”. Best Rap Album Grammy winner, Doechii, made her appearence on the track, continuing on her female rap trail-blazing endeavour. Doechii shares her talented pen on track “ExtraL”, as the two divas seem to create a tribute to “Run The World (Girls)” by Queen Bey. JENNIE and Doechii are clearly ‘lappin’ the men’ with “ExtraL”.
Clad in sexy business casual, JENNIE and Doechii epitomize seductive female dominance. After JENNIE’s intro, listeners can hear a distant ‘WAIT…WAIT…’ in a voice that bleeds Alligator Bites Never Heal. Out from behind a purple curtain pops Doechii with her signature adlibs as she spits her first verse. Everything here is angtsy and girly as Doechii raps ‘Gimme chi, gimme purr, gimme meow, gimme her.’ It’s a collaboration you wouldn’t dream of, yet it placed Ruby in a position of authority and wonderment.
With JENNIE’s “XL” tooth grill and Doechii’s office kitten blazer look, the two are truly unstoppable. It’s empowering, and promotes a femme-powered project for March 7. Doechii’s undeniable rap influence on the track is invigorating and leads JENNIE’s musical abilities into fresh territory as well. It’s refreshing to have a Hip-Hop track released alongside JENNIE’s apparent loyalty to pop.
Expectations for March 7
JENNIE’s rollout for Ruby has been bold, and glamorously artful, but what can we expect on the day of release? “Intro: JANE with FKJ” features the colorful and jazzy artist French Kiwi Juice, known best for his hit “Tadow”. Perhaps a groovy jazz-pop fusion instrumental could take place here. There is not a strict sonic path that Ruby has adopted in the rollout. As a result, this leaves vast creative space for the album to take shape. JENNIE may be known for pop, but with how eclectic the singles have turned out, there is no telling what genre-bending journey the singer will take us on with her debut album.
Dua Lipa is featured on the fourth song, “Handlebars”, where we can assume JENNIE and Dua will create a moment of cataclysmic pop synergy. Kali Uchis and Childish Gambino take track 10, “Damn Right”. With Kali’s devotion to the flowery divine feminine, and Gambino’s taste for bouncy and ecclectic Hip-Hop/R&B, there’s really no telling what movement this track will bring forth.
Ruby has proven to JENNIE fans thus far that we can expect a confident shift into JENNIE’s style as an individual artist. She’s shown us her allegiance to the femininity and power found in her singularity, both as a woman and an artist. It’s exciting to see her take flight on her solo trip, and her rollout has provided anticipation for a fruitful drop.
