Are BLACKPINK set to be the next global K-Pop breakout?
Will girl group BLACKPINK become the next K-Pop global breakthrough after BTS melted the internet?
The outfit – which includes an Australian singer – have already become the biggest charting female K-pop act in the US and the UK with their Square Up album and single ‘Ddu-Du Ddu-Du’.
Now Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa have been signed to a global deal with Universal Music Group for all territories outside Asia, reports Billboard. Their US label is Interscope.
The deal was struck with YG Entertainment, the Korean company which put the four together in June 2016 after a lengthy global search and auditions.
YG was set up in 1996 as a prefab hit factory by Yang Hyun Suk and quickly had success with Psy (who has since left), CL (who’s managed in the US by Scooter Braun), BIGBANG, 2NE1, Wheesung and 7.
“We will work closely with the biggest music company, Universal Music Group, globally for the successful global debut and promotion of BLACKPINK,” said Yang.
“In addition, we will do our best to help other YG artists to break through the North American and European territories as well.”
Only one BLACKPINK member, Jisoo (Ji Soo Kim), was raised in South Korea.
Rosé was born Roseanne Park in New Zealand and moved to Melbourne with the family when she was seven.
She was starting out as a singer at 16, where her father spotted an ad by YG and encouraged her to audition for the group.
Jennie (Kim) grew up in New Zealand and Lisa (Manoban) is from Thailand.
They were given a hectic regime of vocal and dance lessons, learning Korean and Japanese, and playing instruments.
They sparked off straight off, with debut single ‘Whistle’ streaking to #1 in South Korea.
Follow up ‘Boombayah’ also topped the Billboard World Digital Songs chart, the first of four tracks to do so.
They were hailed as the New Artist of the Year at the 31st Golden Disc Awards and the 26th Seoul Music Awards.
The current ‘Ddu-Du Ddu-Du’, which generated 12.4 million U.S. streams out-of-the-box, also set a record as the most-viewed Korean music video in 24 hours on YouTube.
They’re among the most streamed acts on China’s biggest music-streaming website QQ Music and 200,000 fans applied for tickets on their first tour of Japan.
Their mix of a colourful image, accessible songs and skilful use of social media and digital platforms could well prove to be irresistible to the west.
“BLACKPINK are global superstars in the making,” says John Janick, chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M.
“The music and visuals are so immediately striking and so different from anything else happening in pop music.
“We are beyond excited to partner with YG in pursuit of their vision for BLACKPINK world domination.”