BLACKPINK’s Jennie Opens Up About Her Struggles While Recording Her Debut Album in Los Angeles

Jennie’s Solo Album Experience

BLACKPINK singer Jennie opened up about her experience working on her upcoming debut solo album in Los Angeles.

• READ MORE: Jennie’s new single “Mantra” is a satisfying continuation of the BLACKPINK project.

Recording Insights in Los Angeles

In an interview with Billboard, BLACKPINK’s Jennie spoke about her upcoming solo endeavors and the process of working on music under her own label, Odd Atelier. The singer mentioned that she “intentionally” recorded most of her upcoming album in Los Angeles rather than in her native Seoul.

“I learn a lot from people (in Los Angeles). It’s a great environment, especially for people involved in music, where you can meet people who can inspire you (…) I just really wanted to rush out there to experience it,” said the K-pop star.

Personal Growth and Challenges

Jennie also noted that she doesn’t like the comfort of the “easy environment” she has created in Seoul over the years. “I said, ‘No, if this is your career and if this is your life, explore and learn.’ I kept telling myself that,” Jennie shared.

However, the singer revealed that she was “struggling a lot” in the beginning while recording music and finding new collaborators in Los Angeles, describing it as a “tough” experience. “I would say for months I was just throwing myself into it, going into rooms full of new people,” she reflected.

Elsewhere in the interview, Jennie also shared that the upcoming album has helped her contemplate her sense of self and her tastes. “It’s a struggle between me, me and me – I’m not easy to convince.”

“The more I get to know myself, the more I try to love myself. There was a time in my life when I didn’t do that—I had no idea how to do it,” she mentioned. “A time when I felt ignorant. I’m very proud of the fact that I came out of that phase and am so committed to myself.”

In December, Jennie released a special holiday greetings video in which she discussed her upcoming solo album, sharing that its next single will sound “very different” from its lead single, “Mantra,” which was released last October.