FIRST READ · MON 7 AM ETTHE WEEKEND LEXICON · SAT 9 AM ETJennie
- Stage name
- Jennie
- Birth name
- Jennie Ruby Jane Kim
- Born
- Jan. 16, 1996
- Position
- Main rapper of BLACKPINK
- Agency
- YG Entertainment
- Fandom
- BLINK
- Debut
- 2016
- Generation
- 3rd gen
Jennie is the main rapper of BLACKPINK and one of the biggest solo stars in K-pop. She became the group's first soloist in 2018 with "Solo," then built a full solo identity with the 2025 album "Ruby" and the 2026 EP "Fallen Angel." Between group stadium tours, she keeps stretching her sound, from bragging rap to soft alternative pop and a Tame Impala remix.
Where they grew up
Jennie was born in South Korea and spent her childhood split between Seoul and Auckland, New Zealand, where she lived for about five years. She says that time abroad made her a free-spirited kid and taught her to read people in a deeper way. She joined YG Entertainment as a trainee in 2010, the first future BLACKPINK member to do so, and debuted with the group in 2016.
Birth details: rollingstone.com
In their own words
“Rihanna will always be my biggest dream in terms of how much influence she has over pop culture and also music culture and art itself”
“I used to feel like I always had to keep going”
“I was able to grow as a person so much because of what I learned in New Zealand.”
- Rihanna Her stated biggest dream in terms of cultural influence and star power. billboard.com
- Doechii She calls Doechii a walking inspiration and sought her out for the collaboration "ExtraL." billboard.com
- Gracie Abrams Fellow Chanel ambassador whose music Jennie says she is a big fan of; Abrams wrote a TIME100 tribute to her. billboard.com
Timeline
- 2010Joined YG Entertainment as a trainee
The first member of BLACKPINK to sign on with the label.
- 2016BLACKPINK debut with "Whistle"
She calls "Whistle" the song that means the most to her, since it showed the core identity of the group.
- 2018Solo debut with "Solo"
The first BLACKPINK member to release a solo single; it topped Billboard's World Digital Songs chart.
- 2025Debut studio album "Ruby"
A bold, cinematic solo album that she later turned into a festival headlining run.
- 2026BLACKPINK 10th anniversary
The group marked ten years since debut on August 8.
- 2026Fallen Angel EP
A softer, more personal solo chapter following Ruby.
Latest
- Fallen Angel physical release
The EP gets an expanded physical edition adding the CD-only tracks "sweettooth," "lockitdown" and a previously unheard "Face," for six songs total.
hashtaglegend.com - Interview magazine cover conversation
Back in Seoul after a long stretch on the road with the DEADLINE tour and solo festival dates, she talked about resting, her Ruby-era festival stage design, and the Tame Impala collaboration.
interviewmagazine.com - Fallen Angel EP releasedkoreaherald.com
- Cosmopolitan cover story
Six-version cover story in which she named Rihanna, Doechii and Gracie Abrams as inspirations and said she picked up Spanish.
billboard.com - "Less Than a Lover" single
Alternative pop single she helped write and compose, with a self-directed video; it topped iTunes song charts in 27 regions.
koreaherald.com - Tame Impala "Dracula" remix
Added her vocals to Kevin Parker's hit, which sparked a TikTok trend.
hashtaglegend.com
Our coverage
YG's Operating Profit Falls 56.8% as Tour Costs Meet Last Year's High Bar
BIGBANG's tour costs and a high base from last year's touring hit the margin, while YG grew 22.7% from the prior quarter on concert and merch revenue.
BTS' 'Swim' Cracks Apple Music's 100-Song Best of 2026 as the Only K-Pop Entry
BigHit Music confirms the "Arirang" lead track made the platform's 100-song year-end list, a first for a Korean group.
Jennie's 'Dracula' Took a Record 58 Weeks to Reach the Hot 100 Top Three
The Tame Impala remix hits a new peak at No. 3 on the chart dated Nov. 14, matching Rosé's 'APT.' for the best Hot 100 rank by a female K-pop soloist.
Lisa Lands Second Solo Top 40 Album as 'PRESS PLAY' Opens at No. 35
The EP lands at No. 6 on Top Album Sales in the same week Jennie's Tame Impala collaboration returns to No. 5 on the Hot 100.
A2O LITE's 'NEON' Completes Inkigayo Triple Crown With 11th Music Show Win
The debut single took first place with 6,037 points on the November 8 episode, beating IVE and ILLIT, on a bill that also included BLACKPINK's Jisoo.
A2O LITE's 'NEON' Claims 10th Music Show Win as IVE and ILLIT Give Chase
A2O LITE beat IVE and ILLIT for the trophy with 6,593 points, while RESCENE held No. 1 in November's girl group brand reputation rankings.
Jennie and Tame Impala's 'Dracula' Ties Hot 100 Peak at No. 5
Lisa's Press Play opens at No. 35 on the Billboard 200, while Katseye, BTS, Cortis and Stray Kids also hold places on the albums chart.
Why Every K-pop Group Gives Its Fans a Name, From ARMY to FOHA
Our Lexicon entry on the fandom name: what it means, who picks it, and the wordplay behind CARAT, MOA, ONCE and hundreds more.
Why K-Pop Calls Every New Release a 'Comeback,' Even Three Months Later
Our Lexicon entry on the word that runs the K-pop calendar: what it means, why no hiatus is required, and how BTS's March return fit both definitions.
What a K-pop Music Show Win Really Means, and How the Trophy Is Scored
From 82MAJOR's first trophy to Show Champion's published formula, here's what the weekly Korean TV prize measures and what it doesn't.
BLACKPINK's Jisoo Goes Darker With 'Addicted,' Second Preview of Her First Full Album
The follow-up to September's 'Click' drops Friday, Oct. 30, after a weekend of teasers, and Jisoo plans to perform it on Korean TV music shows.
BLACKPINK's Lisa Faces 'Nicole Kidman' Comparisons Over New Single 'Tarantino'
The Quentin Tarantino-inspired track arrived October 23 with her EP Press Play, and critics on X are questioning both its sound and its ambitions.
- rollingstone.com: Blackpink's Jennie on 'Solo,' Hip-Hop, and ... - Rolling Stone
- interviewmagazine.com: Blackpink's Jennie Is Ready to Surprise You
- billboard.com: BLACKPINK's LISA & JISOO Solo Projects Announced
- tonedeaf.thebrag.com: BLACKPINK star Jennie on how New Zealand made her ...
- billboard.com: BLACKPINK's JENNIE Hopes to Have Rihanna's ' ...
- koreaherald.com: Blackpink shifts back to solo mode as Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa ...
- hashtaglegend.com: A guide to every Blackpink member's solo projects in 2026 ...
Last researched Nov. 4, 2026