On the 6th of December Rosé, member of BlackPink, released her first solo album!
Most people will know Rosé as a member of BlackPink and maybe you have heard her solowork. Maybe you know her a little bit better and know how hard she had worked behind the scenes on her solostages when touring as a member of BlackPink. But I am so glad that with this album Rosé gets to show her other side: rosie.
Rosé wrote in a letter in the album: “And last but not least, to my number ones. You were the people on my mind every single day of the past year as I walked in and out of the studio. I hope you take this album as my gift to you all as I let you in on my life as a girl living through her 20s. At the end of the day, I’ve named this album ‘rosie’, in hopes that anyone who listens to this album can feel that much closer to me”.
A hope that she definitely makes true with her incredibly well crafted storytelling skills. This is an album that’s filled with a big chapter out of her life. A chapter that also comes to a close.
number one girl
The album starts with the second single that was put out in promotion of the album, and it’s also one of my favourite songs on there. I love how Rosé took a risk putting this song out after the very catchy APT. Besides that, ballads are mostly put at the end of an album, but Rosé went for a different route and I couldn’t applaud her more for it. This song highlights a very deep painful emotion that probably a lot of us can resonate with. You want to be liked, loved and be someone’s number one. Rosé put those feelings beautifully in this song that sets the tone for the rest of the album.
The mv is stunning and so fitting next to the other mv’s made for this album, but at the same time (just like the other mv’s) has its own colour that fits best for the song. The production in itself and the angles used, give more power to the lyrics. Fun fact: the mv was also directed by Rosé herself!
3am
Another one of my favourite songs on the album and this one reminds me a bit of Taylor Swift. Which honestly makes me smile, cause we know that Rosé got advice from Taylor about this album but also the whole process behind it. Rosé is not just an artist, but she is also known for her being on to her business.
Back to the song. I love the switch up in the lyrics and how nicely it follows up the last song. In the first song she sings what she wants and in “3am” she mentions that she pretends she doesn’t see the red flags. These first two songs get you into the whole storytelling process of Rosé and the raw emotions she went through in a period of her life.
two years
The aftermath. After two years of breaking up, these are the results. The production on this one are amazing, the filter and then the moment of silence followed up by the lines:
“Even had a funeral for you in my head”. These lines speak to another level of talking about feelings. Incredibly raw and familiar for most people in whatever ending of a relationship you can possibly find yourself. For an artist like Rosé to be this vulnerable coming from a K-pop group is quite unusual, but I am glad that she opened up with this album and also makes the name she gave the album really personal. Rosie is Rosé, her name for her closest people such as family, best friends, close friends. People she can be herself not someone who has to appear as perfect as possible in front of the public. Because Rosie is the real version of her, not as an artist or celebrity.
toxic till the end
Now we go in depth about what happened. The mv in itself has amazing storytelling, just pay attention to the start of the script and you already notice how toxic it was from the beginning. A guy who deliberately broke his bike, because he was waiting for her, so he could get into her life and in the end they both broke everything. The production and directors cuts of the mv show the many ways of toxicity, and why it’s so easy to stay in a certain relationship even if it’s not healthy.
This song proves once again how good Rosé is as a songwriter and storyteller, since a lot of the lines from this song have been going viral. For good reason, there is no wall between her emotions and what gets represented. Both in the mv, the lyrics and putting this all together on an album that details different parts of her thought process.
Drinks or Coffee
Another favourite of mine! The instrumental sounds fresh and shows a different side of Rosé. A side with double meanings and hidden messages. I think this is the only song on the album that’s a bit more sneaky, but it works, because this is also a sight that comes up during many romantic relationships. But then again, even in the song she is straight up. This song acts as both prequel to the relationship as the next song on the album.
APT. (& Bruno Mars)
The first single that came out from this album and what a banger! For me this was a great start to kick off the new solo era of Rosé. Before she released anything I had hoped that she would go with a pop punk sound, since I think this style fits her voice really well, and she is definitely pulling it off with this song. I also kinda like the fact that she went for a little less serious song first with the most catchy chorus. However, I do have to say that the theme of the song, if you look closely into the lyrics, still fits with the overall album. Don’t let the music fool you or that the song is also based on a Korean drinking game, at the end of the day there is still a deeper meaning in this song.
Bringing Bruno Mars on vibes with the quirkiness, but at the same time their voices match really well. And when we look at the mv everything ties together on a very minimal set, that highlights a playful mood and their incredible voices.
gameboy
We’re going from talking about a drinking game to saying that this guy is a gameboy. A song written two years after the relationship ended, so it kinda feels like we are back at the storytelling of the beginning of this album. However this time around it discusses the stages of grief and a new realisation. She is slowly getting to acceptance.
The light and fun instrumental plays into the name of the song and the feeling she got being used as a console during the relationship.
stay a little longer
The metaphors immediately roll out this one filled with grief. The depth regarding both vocals and lyrics is insane. I have nothing more to say, this is just simply a song that represents another side of the grieving process that is filled with heartfelt emotions.
not the same
We are moving on towards acceptance. The song talks about topics that were discussed before, but now in a way that she made it to the other end. She got played twice, she realises that now. And she picked up even on all the small things that weren’t right in their relationship. She makes great use of her voice to point out certain parts in the lyrics.
call it the end
This song is without a doubt beautiful and there is still a build up when we look at the storytelling. She is officially done with him.
too bad for us
Fully accepted with metaphors used before in the album but now moving in a different direction. This song feels like a conversation with the one you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with. Unlike the last song, they now listen to each other and leave the other behind.
dance all night
Perfect song to finish the album with! It’s done, an album in which she was consumed by a relationship that took a toll on her and she almost let it ruin her life. She learned her lessons and she is going to move on. It feels like an end of a chapter of her life and a promise for the future.
Conclusion
This album is well curated with lyrical references to other songs narratives that weave throughout the project. The story signifies a big part of Rosé her twenties and it feels like she is singing her diary out loud with all the raw emotions still intact. She doesn’t hold back, but sings the words well chosen and vulnerable. You can tell she can’t move on until she fully processes her emotions.
The songs show how she is a versatile singer and an amazing storyteller who doesn’t shy away to put her thoughts into an album.
Love,
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