BLACKPINK members have managed to sustain their global popularity despite a dearth of actual music. The long wait between releases adds mystique to their name, ensuring every group or solo track incredible chart success. In Lisa’s case, a song doesn’t even have to be an official single to smash. 2021’s Money trended for many months after its a-side companion LALISA made waves. New single Rockstar arrives after a lengthy solo hiatus as the first music from her self-established LLOUD management company.
Here’s where I preface my thoughts by saying I’m probably not Rockstar‘s target audience. I’m all for a good hype song, but these “look at me, I’m so cool” singles rarely do much for me. It’s an “if you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all” situation. Unless an artist does something super interesting within the music itself, even the cleverest of boasts feel like bluster.
Lisa segues effortlessly between rap and vocals on Rockstar, powered by a sharp, combative instrumental that melds aggressive percussion with frantic electronic blips that circle like synth mosquitoes. Occasionally, the production swerves into undulating interludes with a resonant texture reminiscent of church organ. I wish these segments were accompanied by an equally dramatic hook. There’s only so much you can wring from “Baby, I’m a rockstar” repeated over and over.
This brings me to my biggest issue with Rockstar. It’s fun hearing Lisa flow over the track, but the hooks are too flat and repetitive to match her charisma. Like so many songs of this era, Rockstar seems to exist mostly so fans can shout things like “ooh, she ate!” or “this went hard af” or “slaaaaayyy.” I can’t deny any of those reactions, but with so much music in the world (and so little of it coming from BLACKPINK), Rockstar needs to go beyond general badassery to offer something more enduring and distinctive. The song is fun, but doesn’t quite get there.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
You called me out when you said the song exists so fans can say “Ohh, she ate” 😭💀
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Haha! And you’re not wrong! I just think a song should be more than that.
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i rlly like the backing track so i dont rlly care about what she’s rapping on top lmao, it’s addictive i’ve had it on replay since it came out…….
she ate 💅 😉
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She ate😂😭💀
It’s giving charlie Xcx and I love it😍
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now that youve said it, i definitely hear it !!!
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noise music but for girls
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Do you mean that noise music that a female artist produced or the types of noise music that a woman would listen to. Cause then that’s wrong
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Oh you ate that up! 😘
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The instrumental production sounds like CL’s Spicy, and the lyrics…. meh.
6/10 for me.
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it’s funny bc I thought I would hate it but I actually love it. The video too. To be fair – I think the song is more of a teaser for later work and I think it functions pretty well for that. I already prefer to this out of all the BP solos. The production and chorus latches onto me in a way I didn’t expect – and I very much agree with your points about needing a stronger melody.
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yeah, in my own opinion, the song was again mediocre badassery.
We know that already from Lisa and Blackpink, and Lisa did it the first time with La lisa and Money, and Blackpink with most of their CB singles.
I don’t feel any growth.
Very talented woman, but mediocre song
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Yeah it’s not amazing but for me the instrumental is more interesting than any of bp solos so I think she did take a step-up in something. As a preview for how she continue as an artist it works and hope for her to expand herself as an artist in the future.
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hmmm i think we can agree on that.
and to be fair.. the MV and choreo were amazing!
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i enjoyed watching the mv and her performance (sans vocal, bcs… Yea.).
gorgeous mv….
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I just wish there was more creative lyricism to show how much of a ‘Rockstar’ she is! I don’t vibe with the irony of her teaching Japanese when she’s in Thailand in the MV. 🤔I would have preferred her teaching me Thai instead. This reminds me of M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls,” from the lyrics to the structure of the song. From the teasers, many thought it was going to be hyperpop like Charli XCX’s style, but I guess that was just a dream! What I would love to see though is some vulnerability, similar to how Charli did on brat. With this release, Lisa is still focused on cementing her already established ‘higher than life’ image. But as a fan, I would have loved to see more of her beyond that and relate to her on a deeper level.
6.5/10 🖤
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omg Nymphia on your profile?? The taste hahaha. And I’m pretty sure Lisa asked Ryan Tedder she wanted a song like Bad girls by M.I.A he posted the song on his stories and Blackpink performed that song a lot when they were trainees. Wished we got a Brat style song which I think fits very well with Lisa’s quirky personality
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Do I think that the song is good? No. But I do consider this a step-up from her previous solo work, and tbh a great deal of Blackpink’s discography. I was surprisingly let down the most by the rap bits, I found those pretty underwhelming. Overall, while I definitely don’t think that this song itself is good, I still think that it’s nice to see her work on a song separated from YG. Hopefully some of that music is actually good in the future.
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This was definitely something expected from Lisa, I think her songs will mostly stand up higher with her performance. Although it lacks hooks, I think it’s effective enough. To me it is also reminiscent of Rihanna in her Talk That Talk and Unapologetic era, with that pop meets r&b meets urban type of vibe.
It will grow on me but it’s a 7 out of 10 for now!
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i found it decent actually
8/10 for me
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I owe Teddy an apology, it’s not you.
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Horrible stuff just like her previous ´music´.
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I really love lisa. MONEY still is my favourite (2024 attendance). Rock star had sooo much to prove for the benchmark she had already set. I totally agree she slayyyyy when it comes to dance. But vocals have hell lot of filter that which is audible in this MV too. like this article say i here only baby iam rockstar over and over again. Lyrics wise totally disappointed, need more creativity or maybe atleast more words simple lines rather repeating same 4 words in the whole MV. FOR ME ITS 6/10 overall.
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“Ima rockstar” whilst singing a song so far way from the genre that Nostradamus could see it from his kitchen window. A sentiment as shallow as a red ribbon on a turd boring boring boring Kpop stars with nothing new to offer. Big letdown.boooo!
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Lol, I want to like your comment but for some reason I can’t, So let me just leave a comment here:)
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I don’t think its that bad. She is slowly pulling out of the kpop mold and closer to international. First evidence; the thumbnail. No one in kpop is that tan except for Jessie. It is refreshing to see. The budget and styling are great. The swagger ok enough. Someone in streaming world will dig it.
Should she have leaned more into a better song. Added a signature dance break to be tik toked everywhere. Probably. But this one will do, for now.
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I agree. I think she is going to pursue music from Thailand at least for now with songs in English. Even her actions in the past was totally an attempt to get out of the K-pop mold. And I find absolute logic in that, why limit yourself when you have all that fame as capital.
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This whole shtick has gotten very old and Lisa is better than this(?) I’ll always like the BLACKPINK women and be interested in what they do, especially as solo artists, but their MUSIC was good to great from 2016 to 2020 and nothing much since then. 😞
6.5/10
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I was pleasantly surprised as I liked it at first and thought “Oh maybe I’ll listen to it again” and then was disappointed that it was really repetitive… it felt like I already listened to it again. I have no idea if the song will grown on me or if I will get tired of it.
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I’m by no means a Lisa fan (because of her being problematic in the past) but I do enjoy this track. Yes it is a boastful message but it feels less serious. ” Lisa can you teach me Japanese I said hai hai” is a lot of fun. And the instrumental is engaging all the way through, an 8 for me
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I think that line would have killed if it had been used one time, but as the basis for a chorus it grows old and gimmicky way too fast imo.
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this woman disappeared from the music-making part of her career for so long… to return with a 2:14 minute long track that is not even that memorable? and there is even an extended version that ALSO fails to reach the 3 minute mark. Kinda feels like she’s trolling her fans.
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1 minute of Lisa in shoong has more lyrics, depth, dance than this.
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Exactly the same as what I would expect from a Lisa solo. I wonder how long she can survive with that “I’m badass” music.
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bro she is the best .cannot understand why do you all hate it .its the best song I ever heard. 10|10 for me.well done .
the QUEEN is back
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