Blackpink is again within the space.
The Ok-pop lady group, made up of Rosé, Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo, triumphantly kicked off the North American leg of the Deadline world tour Saturday evening at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. After taking a two-year break to give attention to solo tasks, the group reunited for its first U.S. live performance for the reason that Born Pink tour concluded in 2023.
Regardless of dropping just one group quantity since then — hardstyle, Diplo-produced “Jump,” launched Friday — Blackpink offered out two nights at one of many Los Angeles space’s largest venues.
“This is incredible. It is such an honor to perform at the SoFi Stadium for you guys,” Rosé mentioned. “We are really really excited to be here.”
Sarah Hoang has been a Blackpink fan since 2019, following their Coachella debut that very same 12 months. To have a good time her first time seeing the lady group, the San Diego resident handed out commemorative tickets to different followers.
“I’ve been waiting for them for a long time,” Hoang mentioned. “I was really excited to be finally seeing them in L.A., especially at the first tour of the U.S. leg.”
The stadium was awash in pink as followers went all-out for his or her idols. Whereas many dressed in line with the band’s namesake, others took inspiration from the ladies’ solo tasks. Concertgoer Evelyn Rios, who lives in Los Angeles, nailed Jennie’s look from the “Ruby” album cowl in her all-black outfit and cherry-red wig. A fan since 2020, she attended the 2023 present at Dodger Stadium and famous she was most excited to listen to “like Jennie.”
The present consisted of 5 acts and an encore, alternating between group and solo sections. Blackpink began off sturdy, firing by way of “Kill This Love,” “Pink Venom” and “How You Like That.”
The Saturday evening set listing was an identical to the one in Goyang, South Korea, final weekend, save for Lisa’s solo part. Whereas the maknae — or youngest member of the group — carried out “New Woman” and “Rockstar” for the tour’s opening dates, she opted for the edgier “Thunder” and “Fxck Up the World” Saturday evening.
Lisa’s two-piece Louis Vuitton set evoked Marvel Lady as she conquered the stage, lightning crackling behind her. Channeling the identical spellbinding vitality from her Coachella set earlier this 12 months, the place she additionally carried out tracks from “Alter Ego,” Lisa proved why she’s amongst Ok-pop’s most magnetic performers.
All 4 solo tasks are sonically distinct, and seeing them back-to-back highlighted simply how artistically numerous the Blackpink members are. Jennie, who additionally carried out solo at Coachella this 12 months, leaned into her hip-hop influences as she delivered a mashup of “Mantra,” “with the IE (way up)” and “like Jennie.” In the meantime, Jisoo happy with the bubbling, digital pop of “earthquake” and “Your Love.”
Rosé prompted laughs from the viewers as footage of her filming a TikTok and consuming French fries backstage performed main as much as her solo part. When she lastly appeared in entrance of the viewers, she took a extra intimate method, sitting on the fringe of the stage with guitarist Johnny “Natural” Najera.
Beginning with heartbreak anthems “3am” and “toxic till the end,” Rosé concluded with the upbeat, international chart-topping single “Apt.,” throughout which she introduced a fan on stage. Launched with Bruno Mars in October, the music nonetheless sits comfortably on the Billboard Sizzling 100.
Blackpink debuted “Jump” earlier than its official launch final weekend in South Korea, so Los Angeles followers have been ready for the long-awaited comeback single. They jumped and danced throughout the addictive observe when Blackpink carried out it not as soon as, however twice.
“I must say the song is really addictive the more and more I hear it,” Rosé mentioned after the primary run. “I personally think it’s the most exciting one to perform during our set.
With a mix of old and new hits, Saturday night brought together both longtime fans and K-pop newcomers.
Sydney Grube and Thet Aung drove up together from San Diego just for the concert. While Aung has been a fan since the group began, Grube started listening after seeing Lisa in HBO’s “White Lotus” in February.
“I started listening to all the solo acts, and then started listening actually to the Blackpink music,” Grube mentioned, including that she was most excited to see the person sections.
The live performance additionally united followers of all ages, with loads of households arriving in coordinating outfits. At one level, Blackpink even shouted out all of the “baby blinks” within the viewers — a lot of whom weren’t even born when the group debuted in 2016.
“I did want them to dance more, but they did really good,” mentioned 9-year-old Tara Castro, who was carrying a Blackpink hat and glasses. “They’re my favorite K-pop.”
With tour dates charted by way of January, followers expect new music — maybe even a full album — someday quickly. Hopefully this isn’t the final we see of Blackpink in our space.
