TThe biggest girl group in the world is back with a venomous vengeance. BlackpinkThe K-pop quartet and 2019 TIME 100 Next honoreesare ready to release their second album, born pink, on Sept. 16 And their massive fanbase, dubbed BLINK, is ready—the album has reportedly racked up more than 1.5 million in advance sales, and will be followed by a headlining performance at the MTV VMAs later this month and an exhaustive world tour starting in October.
On August 19, the band will release the album’s first single, “Pink Venom,” into the wild. We don’t know much about it, but fans are definitely curious: the promotional video for the track has already amassed an impressive 20 million views. The group is also teasing an accompanying #PinkVenomChallenge that will almost certainly take TikTok by storm.
Before you sink your teeth into Pink Venom, here’s a rundown of what the pop superstars have been up to in 2020 and what to expect next.
Read more: The best K-pop songs and albums of 2022 so far
Who are Blackpink?
Blackpink is a four-member girl group under YG Entertainment, a leading Korean entertainment agency behind iconic acts such as 2NE1 and Big Bang. The quartet – Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie and Rosé – debuted in 2016 with the alluring ‘Whistle’ and the bombastic ‘Boombayah’. Their effortless girl style and cool confidence charmed the global fan base that would become known as the Blinks – and shot them to the top of the music charts around the world.
The name Blackpink represents the two sides of the band: the darker, mature ‘black’ and the sweet, girly ‘pink’. Their music reflects this duality, jumping thematically and sonically between heart-pounding pop laments and chewy babushkas to cavalier nonchalance and tongue-in-cheek ferocity.
The last time we heard from the band was in 2020, when they released their first full-length album, aptly titled The album. It features cameos from Cardi B and Selena Gomez and shot to no. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 1.2 million copies, a first for any K-pop girl group. singles”How do you like that”, “Ice Cream” (featuring Gomez) and “Lovesick Girls” were global hits, cementing Blackpink’s status as pop royalty.
Read more: Blackpink’s 4 Biggest Takeaways The album
Why are Blackpink the biggest girl group in the world?
The quartet are world-renowned record-breakers, style icons and girl-power advocates, in addition to musicians. They rose to stardom on the world stage by combining their musical prowess with Instagram-ready style and ambitious poise. Blackpink don’t just sing your favorite songs, they would be cool big sisters or best friends. They’ve graced runways, stages and social media feeds, and their reach extends beyond music: the girls were official advocates for the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Seoul and have served as models and global ambassadors for dozens of brands. from sportswear mainstay Adidas to e-gaming giant PUBG.
Their music has been consistently praiseworthy since their debut, thanks to constant guidance from producer Teddy Park and the YG team. Jennie and Lisa’s raps, always packed with exciting bite, contrast with Jisoo’s silky sweetness and Rosé’s vocals. Together they make music that reflects the contrasting colors of their name.
Blackpink are the highest-charting Korean female artist on the Billboard Hot 100 and were the first girl group to top Billboard’s Artist 100. In 2020, their single “How You Like That” tied with The Pussycat Dolls and The Chicks for the highest-charting single by an all-female group on the Billboard Digital Songs chart.
On YouTube, Blackpink are almost untouchable as the most subscribed music group on the platform and the first music group to have five music videos amassing more than one billion views each. Their music video premieres regularly set records for the most views on YouTube within the first 24 hours of their release.
Blackpink also led the group as the first Korean girl group to play Coachella. They have collaborated extensively with other top musicians, including appearances on Lady Gaga’s “Sour Candy” and Dua Lipa’s “Kiss and Make Up,” in addition to their work with Cardi B and Selena Gomez.
What do we know about Born pink?
Honestly, not much. In true Blackpink style, the group has released very little information aside from a handful of cryptic teasers for “Pink Venom,” which show the members standing between two large sets of black, glowing teeth. They’re decked out in black and pink, with their signature nail art catching the light. Listen closely and you’ll hear the girls singing “Blackpink” in a jarring schoolyard din.
Earlier this week, we got a very promising peek at the album’s production. In an interview, OneRepublic hitmaker and frontman Ryan Tedder, who also worked on their Cardi B collaboration “Bet U Wanna,” revealed that he worked with the members to co-write a song and noted that he wrote several other songs for the album. In an interview with Good morning America last month he said: “From what they’ve told me and the things I’ve done with them, I can just tell they’re very true to their sound.”
What is Blackpink doing after the release The album in 2020?
Independent projects
Each member has a thriving solo career in addition to their work as a group. On Instagram, they boast more than 60 million followers each, making them some of the most followed people on the platform.
Following the massive success of Jennie’s 2018 solo single ‘Solo’, Rosé has released her debut solo single album R in 2021. It sold more than 440,000 copies in its first week, the highest ever for a Korean female artist. Lisa’s next solo debut in 2021. Lalisa, sold over 736,000 copies in its week of release, proving that Blackpink’s only competition is each other.
While Rose and Lisa focus on music, Jisoo and Jenny invest time in acting, with Jisoo appearing in controversial drama Snowflake and Jenny planned to make their HBO series debut in 2022 The idolby the creator of Euphoria.
Fashion
Blackpink’s public image is closely related to fashion, and the members’ taste and style have a seismic impact on social media, sending waves through the fashion industry and often causing items to sell out. The band is so commercially attractive that in addition to its fans, Vogue said, “No one loved Blackpink more in 2021 than the fashion industry.”
Members sit front rows at fashion weeks around the world and often collaborate, model and muse for haute couture houses. Lisa is an ambassador for Celine, Bulgari and MAC Cosmetics, Jisoo for Cartier and Dior, Jennie for Calvin Klein and Chanel, and Rosé for Tiffany & Co and Saint Laurent. In September 2021, Rose was the first K-pop idol to attend the Vogue Met Gala.
Promotional images and videos for “Pink Venom” show the quartet smoldering in baby pink Mugler cut-out ensembles. Casual women’s clothing, who says the group uses fashion “better than any girl group before it,” reports that this is the first time a brand has had all four members at once. “[I’ve] I’ve never known a group of people so powerful,” said Mugler Creative Director Casey Cadwallader WWD. “Their fans are so loyal and energetic, I’ve never experienced anything like it – I might feel like they’re more famous than Michael Jackson.”
More must-see stories from TIME