“Born Pink” spotlights the confident and feminine pop sound that put Blackpink on the map, making them  one of the most current well-known girl groups. 

The Korean pop group debuted under the music label YG Entertainment in 2016 with four members: vocalists Jisoo and Rosé and rappers Jennie and Lisa.

Blackpink became popular by expanding on the bubblegum pop that was common among female Korean pop groups at the time. The group created an emphasis a on  confident and assertive attitude. Unheard of in previous groups, there was a strong emphasis on rap,  pulling inspiration from American hip-hop. 

Blackpink became well known for songs such as “BOOMBAYAH,” “Kill This Love” and “DDU-DU-DDU-DU.” They received over 1 billion views on YouTube, making them the first Korean girl group to reach this achievement. 

In comparison to other Korean pop groups, Blackpink is one of the few to become popular in the U.S. music market. The group performed at Coachella in 2018 and have had nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

“Born Pink,” released on Sept. 16, marks Blackpink’s first album since “The Album,” in 2020.

The eight track album starts with the lead single “Pink Venom.”  The track is a boastful rap-dominated track that takes inspiration from ‘90s rap and early 2000s pop, paying homage to the Notorious B.I.G and Rihanna.

The hip hop themes are blended with traditional Korean instrumentation, such as the geomungo, a six string zither. I enjoy the blend between Korean and African American culture since Korean pop does take a lot of inspiration from hip-hop and R&B. 

“Shut Down” continues the same confident themes from “Pink Venom.” The track is backed by heavy bass and violin and is more minimalist in comparison to the previous track. 

  “Typa Girl” starts with a more delicate sound, but cuts to a zig-zagging kazoo-like sound. In comparison to the previous tracks, “Typa Girl” feels like a good blend of femininity and boastful confidence—Blackpink’s signature sound.

The song rejects typical femininity and female gender roles that men may desire. This idea is explicit in Jennie’s verse, “I bring money to the table, not your dinner.” 

“Yeah Yeah Yeah” is a dive into sweet 80s pop rock. This track feels like a standout compared to Blackpink’s typical sound. 

“Hard to Love” is Rosé’s solo, and it maintains the bright pop feel of “Yeah Yeah Yeah.” The premise of the song feels odd and a little self-deprecating, but the overall sound is smooth and jovial. 

Despite being titled “The Happiest Girl,” this ballad track does not feel as such. The track describes a failing relationship and the desire to salvage it. But, it is complicated. The relationship seems toxic, as if the woman is abasing her emotion to her partner. 

“Tally” is a guitar-driven track that rolls through with a smooth “bad girl” vibe and a lot of swearing, which I like because it’s seldom heard in commercial Korean pop. The lyrics focus on doing what you feel like whenever you feel like it. 

“Ready For Love” embraces the traditional pop sound of Blackpink. The track feels out of place, almost as if it came from a decade ago. The EDM dance chorus doesn’t fit the modernity of the rest of “Born Pink.” 

None of the songs on “Born Pink” are poorly composed, but none of them are home runs in terms of nuance or evolution in Blackpink’s sound. Content wise, no solid theme holds the songs together; there is no focus. 

It feels as though Blackpink is trying to recreate the success they had with their earlier hits. In their six-year career, it doesn’t feel as if they have had any sound progression or any major experimentation beyond their initial sound.

 “Born Pink” signifies a stagnation of ideas that led to recycling sounds and song structures. This doesn’t mean the songs are bad—they are all pretty solid—but it doesn’t mean the songs are exciting.

“Born Pink” has the harmony of a compilation album, but it’s not a compilation. I think a major element of the album’s sound is the producers, as a lot of the songs have the same producers. 

Another gripe I have with the songs is some overuse Blackpink’s catchphrase, “Blackpink in your area.” It’s meant to be a quick kind of stamp on each song, not worked into multiple verses. 

Despite the lack of album structure, “Born Pink” does have some stand out tracks such as “Typa Girl” and “Yeah Yeah Yeah.” 

With that being said, “Born Pink” deserves a six out of 10. In the future, I would like to see an album with a vision and more cohesiveness. 

I am not sure what we will see from Blackpink in the future because their contract with YG Entertainment ends in 2023. I would be surprised if they released more music within that window.

I would also be surprised to see Blackpink remain with YG Entertainment, but I hope the group is able to either continue as Blackpink and discontinue their contract or explore solo careers. Regardless, whatever path they take, I can bet they’ll find success.