At this point, she was close to being a solo artist in Korea. It was a 90-minute performance focused on performance rather than words.
On the 15th, a concert was held at Inspire Arena in Unseo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, to celebrate the release of Jennie's first solo album 'Ruby'.
The performance started about 10 minutes late. Notably, many other celebrities were spotted entering with security, drawing the audience's attention. They cautiously entered among the fans wearing hats or sunglasses.
That day, Jennie opened with the intro track of her solo album, 'Jane with FKJ', greeting her fans for the first time. She then raised the atmosphere with 'Star a War', hinting at a powerful performance.
Jennie continued to sing 'Handlebar', 'Mantra', 'Love Hangover', 'Zen', and 'Damn Right' in succession. After the performance began, she did not take a moment to speak, continuously delivering powerful performances.
In the middle of the concert, the music video for the album track 'Seoul City' was premiered for the first time. The stage for 'Seoul City' was also included, conveying a clear understanding and completeness of the song.
The highlight of the concert was undoubtedly the stage for the title track of this album, 'Like Jennie'. This stage was a perfect performance that evoked the image of Jennie as a solo artist rather than as a member of BLACKPINK.
Jennie immediately showcased 'With the IY' and 'Extrael', demonstrating her prowess as a performer.
Finally, Jennie opened her mouth. Taking a breath, she said, "It feels like a dream, and I find it hard to accept reality. Seeing you all here and greeting you feels heartfelt."
She continued, "I wanted to say so much. Preparing for this album concert has taught me a lot. It's not just about being glamorous and doing everything perfectly; it's about showing my honest self, even when I stumble, so it feels like a new process for me."
The fans cheered for Jennie, and seeing her with teary eyes made them cheer even louder. Jennie expressed her overwhelming emotions, saying, "I promised not to cry, but it was hard to accept the immense love I received after releasing the album. Seeing it with my own eyes makes me feel grateful and happy."
Her tears did not last long. Returning to her performer role, Jennie immediately sang 'F.T.S' without any further comments. It was a non-dance stage where her vocal abilities could be felt.
Previously, Jennie held a show tour 'The Ruby Experience' at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on the 6th and 7th. During that performance, Jennie wore a white bodysuit with a somewhat revealing design. Particularly, there were moments during her intense performance where her body almost got exposed, which became a hot topic. After the performance, fans both domestically and internationally reacted with mixed feelings, some saying it was excessive while others praised it as Jennie's unique performance. On this day, during the 'Filter' stage, she wore an outfit and performed in a way that seemed to consider the level of exposure, leading to a moderate cheer from the audience.
After completing the 'Filter' stage, Jennie exited the stage, seemingly waving goodbye to the camera that reflected her.
It was just before the encore song. Having performed only 13 songs as a solo artist, only about 1 hour and 10 minutes had passed. Therefore, fans chanted Jennie's name, wanting her to return to the stage. At this point, fellow celebrities who had come to watch the performance left the venue with security.
Returning to the stage, Jennie concluded the concert with the encore songs 'Starlight' and 'Twin', wrapping up a performance lasting about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Jennie said, "Thank you so much for coming to my first solo concert. Let's see each other often in the future," leaving a simple farewell to her fans.
'Ruby' is an album that showcases Jennie's various talents and charms musically. Through songs and concepts of various genres, it demonstrates Jennie's musical potential as a solo artist.
The concept of the album began with the line from Shakespeare's comedy 'As You Like It', which reflects Jennie's diversity in portraying musical characters suitable for various fields and genres: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
This album 'Ruby' consists of a total of 15 tracks and features collaborations with global artists such as British pop star Dua Lipa, Donald Glover's musical alter ego Childish Gambino, rapper Doechii, Dominic Fike, French musician FKJ, and singer-songwriter Kali Uchis.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
