Ruby

jennie’s ruby was hands down the solo album i was most excited for. from the second the pre-releases dropped, it was obvious that she had a clear vision for this project. even though mantra still had that very yg-esque sound, the other songs felt so undeniably her that it made me even more excited. this wasn’t just another idol solo, where it feels like the label is steering the ship—this was jennie taking full creative control, making music that actually represents her, and i was 100% here for it.

the song that got me the most hyped? extral with doechii. what a song. the energy, the attitude, the way their styles just blend so effortlessly—it’s everything i could have wanted and more. the moment i heard it, i knew it was gonna be the song for me. it’s one of those tracks that feels like a defining moment, not just for the album but for jennie as an artist. it’s bold, it’s confident, it’s addictive.

and honestly, that’s the best thing about ruby. it’s one of the only blackpink solo albums (along with rosé’s) where it genuinely feels like the artist has a plan. jennie isn’t just trying a bunch of different things to see what sticks—she knows the direction she wants to go, and she executes it flawlessly. the album is super cohesive, with each track fitting into this cool, sultry, self-assured vibe she’s created. the transitions from slower, sexier songs to more confident, high-energy ones feel natural, never messy or overwhelming. she found the balance just right, giving us variety without sacrificing the album’s identity.

the features? for the most part, perfectly chosen. they bring a fresh element to the songs without overpowering jennie, which is exactly how a good feature should work. but. i have to say, love hangover would have been so much better without that man. like, the song itself had potential, but his presence just completely threw me off. sometimes a feature elevates a track, and sometimes you just sit there wishing for a solo version—this was definitely the latter.

even though i think this is thematically and artistically the best blackpink solo album, i’ll admit that not every song was for me. but that’s okay! not clicking with a song because it’s not my style is totally different from not clicking with it because it’s just bad (which, let’s be real, is what happened when i reviewed lisa’s alter ego). in ruby’s case, even the songs that weren’t my favorite still made sense within the album and within jennie’s artistic direction, which is what really matters.

at the end of the day, jennie is that girl. she has the vision, the presence, the effortless cool factor that makes anything she touches feel iconic. ruby is just another step in what i fully believe is going to be an even bigger, even brighter career for her. deserved!

average rating: 65 🟡

track rating:

like jennie — 90 ♡
start a war — 60
handlebars — 70 ♡
with the ie (way up) — 65 ♡
extral — 100 ♡
mantra — 75 ♡
love hangover — 70 ♡ (would've been higher if it wasn't for dominic fike)
zen — 90 ♡
damn right — 60
f.t.s. — 60
filter — 65 ♡
seoul city — 60
starlight — 60
twin — 50

♡ :: made it to the playlist