By: Hafiz Jasri
debuted on the K-pop scene in 2016 with a subtle but clear declaration. "BLACKPINK in your area" was coolly slurred by member Jennie over zippy synthesizers at the top of their debut "Boombayah" video. The double-single release of "Boombayah" and the smooth pop cut "Whistle" solidified the long-awaited girl group as an instant success in their home country -- with the latter track hitting No. 1 on the Korean charts -- as well as pulling off an unprecedented feat in America: The quartet was the first K-pop act to send their debut single to No. 1 on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart. With just six singles and one EP to their name, BLACKPINK are breaking major ground for K-pop girl groups -- and girl groups at large -- with a certified hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a top 40 album on the Billboard 200 and the most-viewed Korean video in its first 24 hours on YouTube. And the key may be chalked up to their loud-and-proud embracing of their identity as a girl group.
From the get-go, BLACKPINK branded themselves with catchy self-shout-outs. There's Jisoo's "Black to the Pink" hook on "Boombayah," Lisa's "A little bit of Black with a little bit of Pink" line on their "So Hot" remix and multiple shouts of their name on "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" and throughout their just-released Square Up EP. The group itself was designed to showcase the duality between the group's dark and fierce side (the black) along with their light and lovable side (pink), felt in their extremely accessible hip-hop/dance-pop sound. The ladies themselves fit the image with rappers Jennie and Lisa blending nicely with vocalists Rosé and Jisoo. Furthermore, BLACKPINK embrace the fact that they are an all-female act with lines like "We the only gang to run the game in high-heels" on "So Hot."
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