The Rise of Individual Stardom
Since their explosive debut in 2016, BLACKPINK has reestablished K-pop in a global context. However, in addition to their popularity as a group, the members, ROSÉ, JENNIE, JISOO, and LISA, have individually established admirable solo identities. And prior to the formation itself of BLACKPINK, their solo adventures into personal artistry started with collaborations and features, already displaying their distinct personalities. They have released top-charting singles, eps, and collaborations with international artists over the years, proving themselves not only strong as a group but also as a unit of separate artists who can act independently and still capture the world.
Early Collaborations and First Solos
At the same time, before the group debuted, members were already making their way into the limelight. In 2012, ROSÉ participated in G-Dragon’s song Without You, and in 2013, JENNIE performed on a song with Lee Hi, Seungri, and G-Dragon. These early features foreshadowed the individual stardom to come.
In 2018, JENNIE was the first to officially start a solo career with her single entitled “Solo”, which marked her wild charisma. The three-year break was followed by the release of ROSÉ’s two-track EP R (2021), topped with the record-breaking single “On the Ground”, placing ROSA on the Billboard Hot 100. The same year, LISA released her incendiary singles “Lalisa” and “Money,” which swept the entire world. In 2023, she took the final step as a circle was closed when JISOO released her debut EP ME with the song “Flower” serving as a smashing hit.
Global Collaborations and Solo Albums
The members were built after their first individual solo debuts were achieved with international collaborations and full albums. In 2021, LISA collaborated with DJ Snake, Ozuna, and Megan Thee Stallion on the track, “SG”, and subsequently with Rosalia and Doja Cat. Her long-awaited solo debut album, Alter Ego (2025), was a demonstration of her multi-facetedness and superiority in the international performance level.
JENNIE experimented further with different sounds, dropping the single “You & Me” in 2023 and being featured in the HBO series The Idol soundtrack and releasing collaborations involving Matt Champion, Zico, Dominic Fike, and Doechii. Her latest songs, such as “Mantra” (2024) and “Love Hangover” (2025), made her an even more multifaceted pop Star.
ROSÉ, in the meantime, released her first full-length album, rosie (2024), where she collaborates with Bruno Mars and peaked with such hits as “APT” and “Number One Girl”. In 2025, she continued her performance with a soundtrack single, “Messy”, for the F1 film.
The solo career of JISOO was boosted by her 2025 EP AMORTAGE, featuring highly emotional songs such as “Earthquake” and “TEARS”. She evolved to becoming an idol to a solo artist as she is now able to show that she is not just a visual of BLACKPINK, she is also a singer with vocal talents and arts.
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The Legacy of BLACKPINK’s Solo Work
The solo efforts of ROS, JENNIE, JISOO, and LISA embody the respective strengths and artistic ideas of the individual members and extend the international supremacy of the BLACKPINK group. These projects diversify pop, R&B, hip-hop, and EDM, which guarantees an appearance of every member of the group on the global music scene on a different level.
Since their start as trainees in the YG company to be present in every household under different sections of the money box, the four women have had all the evidence demonstrating that they could sparkle and shine either separately or together. And as BLACKPINK keeps breaking records, their pursuits form new dimensions to their history to the point where they have become powerhouse icons of K-pop, not only with a wide toolbox of talents but pop composers of the future of music around the world.
