Usher in fatherhood, new talent and a new tour
Before restarting his new tour, Usher spoke with USA TODAY in Atlanta about fatherhood, finding new talent and K-pop.
Blackpink, the pioneering K-pop group, is slowly breaking into segments.
Lisa is just the latest member to embark on a solo career. In an interview with Billboard Magazine published Thursday, the star reported feeling “scared and nervous” about breaking out on her own. But with the release of her recent single ‘Rockstar’, ahead of a full-length debut album, she is gaining more and more of a foothold.
“When (my singles) came out, the fan reaction healed me,” Lisa told the magazine, “it’s like, ‘Oh, my God. Yeah, I did a great job!'”
To achieve a solo release, Billboard reports that Lisa had to break away from the typical machinery of K-pop stardom in which companies traditionally handle much of the artist’s career. To do this she created her own management company and label: Lloud. “Call me boss, call me boss Lisa,” she joked to the outlet.
Blackpink is not just any girl group. With nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts since 2016 and a stubbornly loyal fan base, it’s a hit machine. Her popularity as a one-woman act has already proven itself.
In 2021, she released two singles “Lalisa” and “Money”, making her the first K-pop artist to enter the top 40 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Her success signals a larger trend in the music industry as K-pop proves its crossover power in the US market and beyond.
However, Lisa’s new album will not be limited to rap. “I think they’re going to be shocked at how capable I am of doing so many things,” she told Billboard.
Lisa talks about Jennie from Blackpink and Rosé releasing new music
However, her latest project doesn’t mean the end of Blackpink; the group has agreed to reunite in 2025, Lisa told Billboard.
Meanwhile, the other three members are also trying their hand at solo ventures. Both Jennie and Rosé release their own music. “They are like family,” Lisa told the magazine. “I’m so happy they’re releasing something. This is what we all wanted to do, so I just wanted to say that I really love their songs.”
The last piece of the puzzle, Jisoo, is into acting. She’s not alone. Lisa also used the break to spend time in her home country of Thailand filming the upcoming season of ‘The White Lotus’.