The start of 2025 has seen some big releases from K-pop all-stars, particularly the solo members of BLACKPINK.
LISA released “Alter Ego” in late February, and on March 7, JENNIE released “Ruby.” JENNIE’s debut album is an eclectic mix that hits hard but sometimes punches into the air.
“Ruby” is JENNIE’s first music drop after she launched a solo career independent of BLACKPINK’s production company, YG Entertainment. On her own label ODD ATELIER (OA), JENNIE is diving into herself on this record, and that’s not a bad thing.
It is made up of some new album cuts but isn’t as single-laden as LISA’s album. It includes singles from late 2024, and February’s “ExtraL (feat. Doechii).”
JENNIE takes a step back with the album opener and introduces “Ruby” with a meditative cut featuring French producer and multi-instrumentalist FKJ.
This little lo-fi number, “Intro: JANE with FKJ” is nothing short of a hymn to start the album. A lovingly lopsided baseline carries the head-bopping song through its YouTube-outro-esque structure.
But no, we’ve been led astray. The intro really kicks off with track two, “like JENNIE.” Singing her own name 50 times, this is a mad dash into who JENNIE is and you won’t be disappointed.
Before you assume it’s an artist being unrelatable, introspective and borderline egotistical, JENNIE singing about herself carries a lot of weight. According to Apple Music, the album’s title is a reference to JENNIE’s identity, which was created when she moved to New Zealand to learn English by herself. That’s a big undertaking, and it’s also unabashedly JENNIE.
Track three, “start a war,” is exceptional. An infectious verse breaks into a swell of vocal harmonies that cement JENNIE as a vocalist capable of keeping your ears locked in. Still, there’s some wobbliness in the production done by the team of Jonas Jeberg, Sam Homaee, Rasmus Søegren and Jelli Dorman.
“Handlebars (feat. Dua Lipa)” comes next and keeps everything chugging along. At 36 seconds in, a layered baseline flows into the mix, providing a melodic dissonance that pushes this grove forward. However, I find myself latching onto the backing more than the vocals here.
Maybe it’s the lyrics about the drunk-love trope, “I trip and fall in love / Just like a Tuesday drunk,” but this song is lacking the hook that other tracks have had so far.
Are we back in the flow by track five? Not quite.
“with the IE (way up)” has all the ingredients for a killer beat. The drum sample is crispy and instantly groovy, but the synths are repetitive and start to sound like the percussion found on the bridges of “Low Rider” by War.
What’s going on here? Producer Dem Jointz throws in some man yelling now and then into the mix. This has potential but is a skip in its current stage unless it’s background music.
After two iffy tracks, can “ExtraL (feat. Doechii)” bring us back from the brink? Well, kind of.
“Do my ladies run this” is a strong lyric and sample to propel the track, and fitting given that it’s currently International Women’s History Month.
As we fall off into the brink, “Mantra” pulls up by the bootstraps. This song is everything that JENNIE has to offer. It’s got a solid vocal performance, and a baseline that is almost reminiscent of Billie Eilish’s “bad guy.” The lyrics aren’t half bad either. JENNIE doesn’t hold back:
“This that pretty-girl mantra, this that flaunt ya / just touched down in L.A.”
By this point in the album, we are so back. Following the excellent single, “Love Hangover (feat. Dominic Fike)” that requires a full review in its own right, “ZEN” shows that the new album tracks do, in fact, bring something to the table.
“No, nobody gon’ touch my soul, gon’ / match my glow, like, I dare you (hey).”
These are more substantial lyrics than singing about a new car or shouting your name 50 times. This complexity suits JENNIE’s vocal performance and the production doesn’t hinder anything unlike earlier tracks, which is a step in the right direction.
If you’re looking for a single track to embody this album, “ZEN” is the one.
By this point, it’s banger after banger. “Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino & Kali Uchis)” is a true musical gem. Both features are staggering, and JENNIE pulls her weight, always popping in when the timing is right.
If you ever feel down and need someone to force-feed you compliments that actually get you feeling good, just listen to the repetitions of: “Damn, right, I did that (yeah, I did).”
If a song can fill you up with confidence, then damn right, it’s a good one. Give this a listen! It’s a hit for sure and shows just how polished JENNIE’s “Ruby” can be.
“F.T.S.” welcomes in a new style for JENNIE, incorporating a piano, choir-esque vocals and even synth strings. Meaning “Fuck That Shit” or “Flip the Script” depending on your outlook, JENNIE flows seamlessly here, though I’m not sure I like this production direction.
It almost feels like a whole different artist between the first few songs on “Ruby” and the final few tracks where we are now. Considering nearly every track has a different production team, that inconsistency adds up.
Nevertheless, JENNIE’s gemstone shines with “Filter.” She gives a dynamic vocal performance, and the unintrusive production helps give it center stage. Plus, the choruses introduce a wonderfully syncopated electronic beat.
On top of the mix, lyrics about discovering yourself, “I know I love me more / With no filter,” are strong.
And the good music keeps on coming. “Seoul City” depicts Seoul with ornate lyrics that almost crumble with the link to “Seoul” sounding similar to “Soul.” Thankfully, the vocal delivery keeps the pace up and moves us past that easy lyrical pull.
“Seoul City” is one of the less powerful album cuts, but brings a softer and more abstract tone to the album.
Noticeably absent from this album is Korean lyrics. JENNIE sings in English for every cut except the opening of the penultimate track, “Starlight.”
This song is good, but with a pretty dull chorus, this almost feels like the obligatory emotional track before the encore of the album. It does have some great sentimental lyrics: “I just wanna make my mama prouder.”
Finally, the album comes to a close with the acoustic guitar imbued “twin,” a track that would have been fine without “Starlight” leading the way.
“twin” is unique in that JENNIE is listed among the writing credits, but I can’t help but feel like a producer gave her a tip on how to write a song lyric, saying, “It’s just like writing a letter, JENNIE!” So, she took that cue and ran with it, singing on the choruses “It’s like I’m writing a letter, but I’m writing a song.”
It’s a great sentimental ending to an album that gets the ball rolling for JENNIE’s solo career. And I’m hopeful, as this song has several powerful twists and turns that indicate the potential future JENNIE could have as a solo artist and songwriter. I hope she continues to write.
And with that, the curtains close on “Ruby.” This album is a nice package, but its weak points are certainly noticeable. Still, it’s mostly due to the chaotic production. The true gem here is JENNIE herself. With some polish, her solo potential is undeniable.
Rating: 3.4/5