There have been a number of think pieces about how Billboard’s Hot 100 chart has become whiter, more male and more Christian this year. It’s a troubling development for anyone who fears baby steps toward theocracy as I do, and the chokehold Alex Warren’s Ordinary has had on the charts is one of this movement’s biggest vanguards. Like everything related to pop music, trends are cyclical and will eventually give way to something new, but I can’t say I was thrilled to see BLACKPINK’s Rosé making even the slightest move toward this woefully dull development.
On My Mind isn’t strictly K-pop, of course. I’m not even sure it’s K-pop adjacent. However, the fact that I’m writing about a song like this on the blog at all is kind of amazing. How did we get to this point?
The track itself is fine in a post-Lumineers, post-Mumford & Sons, post-Phillip Phillips world. It’s the kind of music designed for contestants to sing on American Idol or The Voice — vaguely anthemic but ultimately too rote to do much of anything. Rosé’s charm gets buried in this material. The quirky fun of APT. feels miles away as she emotes through On My Mind‘s dirge-like refrains. Alex Warren is… well… not the type of artist that would be anywhere near my playlist, so I guess it’s safe to say this song was never going to be for me. My unsolicited advice? Nix the constant collaborations and release some banging hits, starting with BLACKPINK’s upcoming single.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 7 |
| Bias | 6 |
| RATING | 6.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
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*yawn* I’m off to sleep and I literally woke up like 30 minutes ago
7 (7, 7, 7, 7) for me.
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Good lord I did not think I’d see Alex Warren on here. Out of every western trend (if we can call the conservative musical shift a trend) the K-pop industry largely avoids, I hope it’s this one.
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“Baby steps toward theocracy.” One small step for authoritarianism, one giant leap for armageddon.” I wonder what fresh horrors will greet me in the morning. I knew it would be this bad, but I hate being right.
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so u watched that todd in the shadows video abt alex warren too huh
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ik i watched it
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I watched it as well
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Maybe I’m biased because I’ve been enjoying the solo stuff more than anything the group have done in years but surely Alex Warren isn’t so bad the idea of an ot4 blackpink song is appetizing at this point
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Why is the thumbnail giving “the bride and the ugly ass groom” energy 😭
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So thanks to this review I did some research and I discovered the genres called contemporary worship music and contemporary Christian pop (I prefer my previous state of ignorance) and that he specifically is inspired by the former and it is probably why I found his voice and general allure creepy and off putting. No offense to any religion, and I understand that religion plays a big role in American culture, even pop culture, but I just don’t want my music to be associated with it in *any* way. Rosé is a pop star, she’s talented and hot and it’s sad that she feels she has to tone this down by associating herself with this dude just to appear serious enough for a Grammy.
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I live in the southern US, and yes it is a very real genre. Multiple radio stations for Christian rock. We also have our Jesus gas station. The sign outside quotes a rotating selection of bible verses.
The bearded white guy strumming the guitar is also typical, because the worship service usually has a small band led by a bearded white guy with guitar. The gig apparently pays decently.
Arguably, BTS x Coldplay “My Universe” is Christian rock adjacent. the chorus could easily be “Je sus Lord, my universe, and I would like to put you first”. Not the best grammar, 3rd person mixed in with 1st and 2nd person, but that is contemporary Christian music. Maybe because the Lord is omniscient so pronouns don’t matter, we are all one. (One would think, though reality here is a study in contrasts.)
“Jeeee sus, he’s like a tree, and he fills our needs” or something like that that feels both biblical like a Jesse Tree while touching our souls personally, and doesn’t quite rhyme, but its fine.
I was raised Catholic, so I can relate but only in part. The church songs I sung in choir adapt bible verses and don’t make shit up about Jesus.
(… you can’t unhear the alt lyrics now, can you?)
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Multiple radio stations for Christian rock? Jesus gas station? 😬😬 too frenchified to deal with this I’m afraid (not French, but I live in France where this is pretty much NOT a thing).
As for Coldplay, I admit I never cared much for them apart from 3-4 songs that I do love, I generally find them far too mellow and sanitized for my taste. Well maybe it’s because apparently they’re Christian rock adjacent as you say. However what puts me off specifically with this Alex Warren dude is not so much the lyrics (I don’t really pay attention because it’s not my first language) but mainly his voice color and general saccharine conservative macho vibe that I find creepy. What saves Coldplay for me I guess is that I love Chris Martin’s voice, I like his vibe and that he’s British lmao. As for My universe, I actually love the acoustic version of the song, it leaves more room for their vocals to shine and their voices blend beautifully. The OG version of the song is mid for me though, I never listen to it. And yeah the lyrics are whatever. I am more of a War of Hormone type of BTS fan.
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I live in deep blue northeast territory, and Christian radio stations are just as visible here. I’m on the coast, and often I hear boats blaring it, and when I’m playing tennis or pickleball, other players are often blaring it on their speakers. It’s hard to escape terrible music or country music in the US, as much as I try.
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Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) is having a moment in the US right now, because one of its biggest stars – you might recognize him as the only black man in a group of Christian “leaders” all with their hands on Trump in fervent prayer and tongues anointing the Antichrist (there are many such photos with many different “leaders”) – Michael Tait, singer/rapper of DC Talk and Newsboys – turns out to have been a pedophile and rapists all this time, grooming young boys and even other musicians. For decades it was one of the biggest secrets in the Gospel industry, as everyone snickered and looked the other way.
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Can you stop? This was done by her label cause Alex is their star right now and they are pushing him for Grammys, not Rosie. She is just the link to make him more known globally.
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contemporary Christian music has always been the one genre I hate
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Huh? Wait, what? I thought you guys loved progress. Aren’t we supposed to stop clinging to the past and embrace changing societal norms? As a progressive person myself, I’ve already read the Talmud this morning and am now working through the Bible. Mashallah, brothers, sisters, and everyone in between (and around).
I still need to work on my acceptance, of course, because I think this song is unholy — pardon me — shite.
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Your comment literally makes no sense.
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Who knows. Maybe it doesn’t make sense. Maybe I just like the bombastic word layering.
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He’s being sarcastic, haha;)
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Okay, work’s done, so if you really want a serious answer here it is. If you don’t just skip it.
I tend to treat everyone like we’re still on the old internet but it seems those times are gone. I ran my post and your response through chat gpt and gave it a proofread, it got things right.
This will of course be a long(er) read. It’s actually pretty sad that I need to explain myself. So, if you were asking sincerely and want to know what my nonsense means, here you go:
Can you explain this post? It reads like nonesense. The first part is a quote from a song review.
Huh? Wait, what? I thought you guys loved progress. Aren’t we supposed to stop clinging to the past and embrace changing societal norms? As a progressive person myself, I’ve already read the Talmud this morning and am now working through the Bible. Mashallah, brothers, sisters, and everyone in between (and around).
I still need to work on my acceptance, of course, because I think this song is unholy — pardon me — shite.
ChatGPT said:
This post reads like a mix of satire and sarcasm, and it’s intentionally disjointed or ironic in tone. Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on:
📰 The Quoted Song Review
“There have been a number of think pieces about how Billboard’s Hot 100 chart has become whiter, more male, and more Christian this year. It’s a troubling development for anyone who fears baby steps toward theocracy, as I do…”
This is a genuine cultural critique suggesting that the current pop music landscape is shifting toward more white, male, and Christian artists — and expressing concern that this may reflect or contribute to a larger conservative/religious societal trend (the “baby steps toward theocracy” part). It’s likely referring to songs like “Rich Men North of Richmond” or tracks from Christian country/pop crossover artists.
🤨 The Reaction
This part is a sarcastic response to that review. Let’s unpack it bit by bit:
This is a jab at perceived inconsistency in progressive discourse. It mocks the idea that celebrating societal change is only okay when that change aligns with certain political or cultural expectations.
The tone suggests: “You wanted change — well, this is change. Why are you upset now?”
This is over-the-top performative inclusivity, used here ironically. The speaker is piling on references to:
Jewish tradition (Talmud),
Christianity (Bible),
Islamic culture (“Mashallah”),
and extreme gender inclusivity (“everyone in between and around”).
It’s mocking a certain hyper-progressive identity that tries to include everything and everyone to the point of absurdity. The irony here is: “Look at how tolerant I am, see how many belief systems I’m name-dropping.”
This wraps up with a sarcastic confession: “Even with all my supposed tolerance and open-mindedness, I still hate this song.”
The pun on “unholy” (in the context of a supposedly Christian cultural trend) makes the insult more pointed.
✅ What’s Really Going On
The writer is mocking progressive critics who lament the rise of Christian, white, male music as if it were a social crisis.
They use exaggerated progressive language and religious references to highlight the perceived absurdity of being offended by a cultural shift — especially one that, ironically, embraces religious or traditional themes.
There’s also an element of culture war fatigue — mocking how over-politicized something like pop music charts has become.
💬 TL;DR
This post is satirical. It’s pushing back against a cultural critic who’s worried about Christianity showing up in pop music, and it’s using irony, exaggerated “progressive-speak,” and sarcasm to say: “You claim to support change and tolerance, but you’re upset when culture doesn’t evolve the way you like — that’s not tolerance.”
It reads like nonsense at first because it intentionally blends mock sincerity with layered sarcasm.
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Oh but I understood very well what you said the first time, don’t worry. When I said “your comment makes no sense” that was a graceful way of saying that your comment is kind of deliberately obtuse, best case. Nobody actually wants “any” change in “any” direction, obviously. That’s actually not what “progress” is about. And no I neither want nor “tolerate” religious elements in my pop music. I don’t listen to pop music to feel closer to the lord. I’m an atheist. I hope this helped.
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I’m an atheist myself. I’m not even right-leaning, as some people might think. But double standards are still double standards. Personally, I don’t want any politics in my music, especially pop. There’s already too much of it.
That said, if this guy wants to sing about Christ or whatever, and if that’s what becomes popular, it has just as much right to exist as progressive or inclusive music and stuff. If that’s the song Rose wanted to make, that’s her choice.
It’s not bad because of the religious white dude, it’s bad because it’s bland top 40 slop.
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lmao I don’t think you’re being deliberately obtuse anymore. I think you’re just saying whatever. I don’t want my pop music to be associated with *any* religion. I am equally averse to *any* religious pop music, if that’s your issue. I’m not saying it doesn’t have a right to exist. I’m saying that I personally won’t listen to it because I think it sounds very, very, very bad, and I have the right to say so. I don’t have a *moral* issue with the religious white dude with the beard. My issue is that he is totally unsexy and his voice is grating to my ears. My issue is also you insinuating that Christian white males being in the spotlight in the music scene of a country that is still pretty much dominated by christian white males is in any way, shape or form “progress”.
Again, I hope this helped, but again I am not as self important as to assume that people would be willing to read chat gpt essays explaining my comments, so I sincerely hope you get the memo with this one.
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Fascinating. Even with a fucking wall of text I posted you still managed to completely miss the point. Really fascinating. But hey, at least I got the memo, eh.
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I didn’t miss the point. I understood your point and I am saying that your point is stupid. “If this guy wants to sing about Christ or whatever, and if that’s what becomes popular, it has just as much right to exist as progressive or inclusive music and stuff” is a ridiculous statement to make, because there is nothing “inclusive” in a Christian white male being popular in this particular country or in the West in general, because Christian white males are not excluded from visibility or political power to begin with. They are the dominant religion and the dominant gender.
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Oh great. My point is flying in circles around your head at this point.
First of all don’t put your words into my mouth. I never called white christian men inclusive. I made a jab at performative activism reversing the twitter speech tropes. Very toothless, btw, very light hearted.
Well guess fucking what – the most popular genre in the US is hip-hop. Clearly white christian male dominated. Aesop Rock sells millions of albums fore sure.
First you screeched about post making no sense – not only me understood it like you didn’t get it. Then, like a fucking moron, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and gave an explanation but it turns out to be that you got everything (which you didn’t ) and that I had to write everything by hand (for the same result).
First you don’t like christianity, then you’re actually fine with it but not really, then you don’t find the guy sexy and song interesting, then it’s about the white male patriarchy and dominance (in a k-pop song) – make up your mind what you’re offended by ffs.
We have an old joke about a priest on a nudist beach here in eastern europe – you either take off the cross, or put on the pants.
Inclusivity my ass.
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Too lazy to respond yourself, so you had to use ChatGPT.
I’m sorry, but I am anti-AI and do not support this, which is why I couldn’t enjoy the debut of naevis.
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How dare you, this is not how we do things in Kwangya!
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Again, I apologize. I’m trying not to cause any problems this year.
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4 apologies are not enough! I don’t even see an apology letter written and signed by every finger of your hand! MY FAVE would have never!
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You are incredibly annoying. And I know I’ve told you this before. Yes, we get it, you have edgy opinions. You are a racist. I wish I could read the comments on this blog and simply have them be about kpop. I pray on the lord Jesus Christ for an intervention. I double triple dog dare you to not be annoying as fuck the next time you type a comment. Just say how you feel about the song and hit send. My challenge to you.
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And the little jab about “extreme gender inclusivity” is not lost on me, as I am a trans person, by the way.
Nick, can you just ban this guy? I know it’s my second time asking but it’s pride month, so please take me up on it. I’ll PayPal you $10.
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Matcha, I am absolutely not racist. I do believe that class → race but that’s it.
> I am a trans person, by the way.
No issues here. But the jab WAS lost as I was not ridiculing the acceptance itself but the performative activism and the lengths some people go with it.
And ironically I agree with you 100% about the k-pop part. From that KioF thread to here. That it should be about the music not personal political stances. This was exactly the point of my joke. That the point Nick makes is kinda a stretch and selective. But the sarcasm was misunderstood it seems.
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I see you don’t dispute the assertion that you are annoying.
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No issues here.
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In any case; just understand that the people who are constantly the butt end of jokes like yours will likely not find them funny. And I have no reason to believe that you are laughing with me and not at me.
In comedy we often say “punch up, not down.” Have you heard of it?
Because we live in a time when, in fact, there is very little “performative activism” happening at all. All of the corporations that used to pay lip service to LGBT people are no longer doing it, because we’ve become taboo again.
So you’re not making any sort of clever commentary. In fact, if you really think people are going above and beyond to be inclusive of people like me, then you’re hopelessly out of touch.
You can tell me all you want that you are being “ironic.” I really don’t care.
I am a member of the group you are talking about, telling you that I am not here for you to make a punchline out of me.
Thanks.
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I hear what you’re saying, the west is divided if not broken. But this is also why you need to talk and not shut each other, not get into echo chambers.
I feel you with your struggles but we’ve already talked about it before I think — life is hard for everyone, for you and I. It’s not a competition. You said it yourself — lip service, do you really want people to pretend with fake care or talk real like we are doing now. No matter what people say they think about themselves first.
About punching you want like it, i don’t punch down, i punch everywhere. I may make you a “punchline” like you said but I also expect it for myself. I’m totally fine with it. I believe in freedom of speech and being insufferable. You disagree with what I’m saying but if you go back to our very first thread I’m very consistent in my views. If you look at this itt thread here i don’t just shitpost in bad faith, I go to fucking LENGTHS to explain myself. but I also won’t police myself and owe anyone anything for the things neither my ancestors nor I have anything to do with. This is just how, we may say, GOD created me, eh.
So it’s up to you if you want to talk to me or not and it’s up to Nick if he wants to ban me or not. After all, I DO comment on k-pop.
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please don’t waste your time with this guy….
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she could be working with icons like olivia rodrigo or sabrina carpenter, but she chooses this white guy… my sis needs to get it together
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I second this comment
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This was pushed by her label, they both are label mates and he is their star rn. Rosé has been very vocal about wanting to collab with SZA, but sadly, she is a newbie in the US and has to do what her label asks her to do. Let’s give her time.
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fr
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I would argue that at least 3/4 BP members are collaborating with any and all Western artists they possibly can to extend their Western reach in any pockets possible. You could also argue Rose’ may have a soft spot for this kind of sound given her solo career.
All in all, the track is pretty decent if you are looking for this kind of song, and I can see it appealing to a large amount of people in the States. I think even though there is a decline in more traditional religion, the pockets of Christianity that are exploding, at least in the States, are the mega churches. If you’ve ever been to a mega church, this is the sound of the music for the most part. People grow to like it even if they wouldn’t initially because they equate it with an act of worship. So the fact that this sound is trending on the Billboard 100 is in no way surprising.
Along with most on this blog, I am disappointed if more popular music continues to trend this way, however.
7,8,7,7 = 7.25
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People are surprised that Rosé, a Christian, made a song with another Christian? And a few Christian artists bring on the charts is a bad thing according to this author? Funny considering a large portion of idols are Christians. I’m not a fan of the song but no reason to act as if being a Christian artist is a bad thing.
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Nobody’s saying that, but within the context of a political environment and supreme court that is veering closer and closer to extreme white Christian nationalism, forgive me for being concerned that one particular religion is infiltrating every bit of pop culture as well. It’s concerning for anyone who doesn’t fall within that narrow construct.
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I get your point, but this is not rosie’s fault. She is just doing what her label is making her to do. Alex is their top new artist. This is just marketing.
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Yeah, but the song’s still bad so that’s why it received a negative review.
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She was the only good thing about that song tbh
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I completely understand and respect your opinion, but I would be cautious to subtly imply that all Christians are associated with white nationalism. As a Korean catholic who came to the US for college, I can assure you that the majority of Christians in America and around the world are not aligned with the white nationalism version of Christianity that has been pushed by the American right. The current American right is using Christianity as more of a fear tactic than anything, and as a Christian this is sad to see, but it is even more sad to see that people are viewing all Christians as hate filled instead of what Christianity truly stands for.
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I certainly don’t view all Christians that way and don’t begrudge anyone their right to practice whatever faith they want, though I do wish that some prominent folks within the religion would come out to defend the perversion of their faith and fight back for their ideals. I can only imagine the frustration of being a true follower of any religion and seeing it twisted into hate and fear (as religion so often is). And, I believe that the platitudinal, overly white music within this space has a part to play in the “branding” of Christianity within the larger cultural framework. To me, its current presentation does not feel inviting, nuanced or empathetic, despite these being major tenants of most faiths (or so I assume… I’m not religious myself).
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The funny thing is Alex is not christian lol. But anyway, no rocket science here, Alex is from Atlantic, they are pushing him to be their top new artist, for Grammys, so of course they made Rosé to collab with him, they know that thanks to her he can reach a more global audience. This was recorded around the same time APT was. I don’t know why people are being so mean to her and doubting her, when this is just a strategy from Atlantic to push him. I don’t wanna say she is being used, but yeah, this was pushed by the label.
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I see that everyone is following the pack.
Someone has an opinion and all of a sudden it is fact.
Rosé is absolutely unique in the industry, her chemistry is beautiful, her vocals are distinctive and so well arranged!
I was more impressed that Rosé started this beautiful arrangement off and the progression through Rosé, Rosé and Rosé with that rich tone of Rosé was beautifully orchestrated into the chorus into a beautiful blend of vocals with Rosé breaking through her beautiful range! We have Rosé singing through at key moments! Then comes the sweet and beautiful voices of Rosé and Rosé.
The song is a very delicious recipe of vocals that draws you in and highlights the individuality of each member!
Rosé always is uniquely talented and outstanding.
Listen to it with more knowledge and pay attention to the tones and blends of some of the most beautiful vocals in the industry. She is an amazing artist and this was a song highlighting her uniqueness.
Just because someone wrote this review doesn’t make it true. It is an opinion and an opinion that lacks knowledge of these artists and music!
Rosé will always stand out. Wait and see what’s coming next!
Beautiful work Rosé. Congratulations!
(Before you reply, this comment is a joke and not meant to be taken seriously. My serious thoughts about this song are that it’s boring and I probably won’t remember it in a month.)
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At least have the dignity of writing your own “joke” rather than going through chatgpt
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First of all, I already said that I was anti-AI in a reply to ISTAYNOIDED’s comment under this review.
Second of all, I said ChatGPT was stupid in the “Mantra” review.
Third of all, I used the Kpopalypse fan comment generator. Here’s the link:
https://gradha.gitlab.io/kpopalypse_crazycommentgenerator/
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Sorry, I wanted to delete my comment as I felt it was too mean but we can’t do that with this technology lol
I knew it looked familiar. I guess to me, there’s not much difference between using ChatGPT and using a template? It produces much the same result. I guess I’m tired of the same old joke, but I’ll allow you to live.
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Yeah absolutely not. Alex Warren stay away from Rosé and pride month❤️
0/10
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Mormon music is not the type of music I would imagine Rose doing but oh well
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