BLACKPINK's Jennie who has made many achievements with her group, has again stolen the public's attention through her solo album titled ' Ruby .' The album, which was released in March 2025, received a special award from the famous American music media, Rolling Stone.
On June 5, 2025 local time, the media outlet officially released its list of The Best Albums of 2025 So Far, and 'Ruby' was the only album by a K-pop artist on the list. The album 'Ruby' is part of the four BLACKPINK members' solo projects that have been going on throughout this year.
In her review, music critic Maura Johnston highlighted the uniqueness of 'Ruby' which combines elements of 2000s and 2010s R&B pop music with a modern touch. According to Johnston, the album breathes fresh life into a genre that once dominated the world charts.
He also said that Jennie is able to show her vocal power and strong artistic presence in music that sounds sweet but emotional. Interestingly, Johnston specifically compared the musical feel of 'Ruby' to Rihanna's 2016 album 'Anti'.
" If there's one artist whose aura is felt on this album, it's Rihanna, " he wrote. He continued that some of the songs on 'Ruby' feel like second-generation descendants of the hazy introspection that Rihanna displays, showing a deep emotional side and rich sound production.
On social media, fans have been full of praise, calling the album one of the most authentic and touching works to come out of K-pop in recent years. One fan on platform X stated, “ Jennie deserves this.
‘Ruby’ is an album made with a lot of thought, hard work, and creativity. It’s been months, and I’m still enjoying it. ” Another user even called it a “Grammy-worthy album.”
In addition to media and fan recognition, according to Sportskeeda, the song 'ZEN' from the album 'Ruby' was also used as the official theme song for Summer Game Fest 2025, one of the world's largest game announcement events.
The trailer for the event was released on June 1, 2025 via the official YouTube channel @thegameawards and featured various new game titles such as Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Neverway.
The decision to choose Jennie's song as the background music in the main video shows how big an influence K-pop, especially Jennie, has in the global pop culture and interactive entertainment industry.
The album 'Ruby' itself consists of 15 songs with various genres, ranging from pop, R&B, hip-hop, to electronic. This project involves collaboration with a number of famous international musicians, such as FKJ, Dua Lipa, Doechii, Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, and Kali Uchis.
This cross-genre and cross-country collaboration enriches Jennie's musical character and opens up a wider audience. At the age of 29, Jennie has proven herself as a mature and visionary soloist.
'Ruby' is not just a solo debut, but a representation of artistic maturity and the courage to experiment. This success is certainly an important achievement for Jennie and also BLACKPINK, who have been known as one of the most influential K-pop groups in the world.
With the recognition from Rolling Stone, Jennie's position as a global icon in the music industry is increasingly unshakable. The combination of musical quality, visual appeal, and strong promotional strategy makes 'Ruby' a work worth remembering in the global music landscape this year.
If this trend continues, it’s possible that Jennie could become the first K-pop artist to earn a Grammy nomination with a solo effort. And for fans, “Ruby” is more than just an album—it’s proof that Jennie is a fully-fledged global star.
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