JENNIE’s long-awaited debut studio album, Ruby, marks a bold new chapter in her already illustrious career. Released on March 7, 2025, via ODDATELIER and Columbia Records, Ruby is a fifteen-track sonic journey that showcases JENNIE’s evolution as an artist beyond her BLACKPINK roots. With a blend of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic influences, the album is a testament to her artistic versatility, cementing her as a global force in the music industry.
The debut album, inspired by Shakespeare’s As You Like It, presents itself as a musical theater piece, unfolding in acts that explore themes of love, self-discovery, and resilience. The opening track, “Intro: Jane,” featuring the multi-instrumentalist FKJ, sets the stage with dreamy instrumentals and an ethereal vocal delivery, drawing listeners into JENNIE’s world.
JENNIE wastes no time in asserting her dominance with “like JENNIE,” a track that radiates confidence and unapologetic self-expression. She follows this with “start a war,” an emotionally charged anthem about fighting for a loved one.
One of the album’s standout collaborations is “Handlebars,” featuring Dua Lipa, a sultry yet powerful track that blends seductive melodies with razor-sharp lyrics. Another highlight on the album is the track “ExtraL,” featuring Grammy-award winning rapper Doechii, which turns up the heat with a fierce rap exchange that showcases both artists’ undeniable chemistry.
While JENNIE embraces her bold and sassy persona, while conveying important messages of inpowerment in tracks like “Mantra” and “Damn Right,” featuring artists Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis, she also delves into more deeply personal themes. “Love Hangover,” featuring Dominic Fike, is a raw and emotionally intense exploration of a toxic yet addictive relationship. Fike’s melancholic delivery complements JENNIE’s hauntingly vulnerable vocals, making it one of the most poignant moments on the whole album.
JENNIE takes a playful approach with the track “with the IE (way up),” which cleverly samples Jennifer Lopez’s 2002 hit song "Jenny From The Block." It's when she transitions to the hypnotic track “ZEN,” a song that blends minimalist production with meditative lyricism, that she embodies the album’s overarching themes of self-reflection and personal rebirth together.
Tracks like “F.T.S.” and “Filter” see JENNIE experimenting with even more different sounds, seamlessly fusing electronic beats with her signature vocal delivery. The album rounds out with “Seoul City," a track that acts as an ode to her hometown, and the shimmering and cinematic “Starlight,” which captures the essence of reaching for the stars while staying grounded. The album's closing track, "twin," which acts as the album's sole ballad, ends the album off with JENNIE expressing feelings of regret and nostalgia—a poignant end to Ruby.
Ruby is more than just an album—it’s a statement. JENNIE has proven that she is not just a performer but an artist with a clear vision and an unwavering sense of self. By blending theatrical storytelling with genre-spanning soundscapes, she creates an album that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. Whether she’s delivering powerhouse anthems or intimate ballads, JENNIE commands attention at every turn. With Ruby, she has not only stepped into her own but also set a new standard for what it means to be a global pop powerhouse.
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