Famous BLACKPINK singer Roseanne Park, commonly known by her stage name Rosé, made her solo debut on March 12. Since the release of BLACKPINK member Jennie’s hit single “SOLO” in 2018, fans, known as Blinks, have been looking forward to seeing Rosé in the spotlight.
These fans showed their support by shattering records. The lead single, “On the Ground,” received 41.6 million views and 4 million likes in 24 hours. Like many others, we anxiously awaited the premiere of “On the Ground,” and we practically screamed when the first note rang in our ears.
Despite Rosé’s groundbreaking popularity, “On the Ground” reveals her humility and a few of her core values. As the name suggests, everything she needs is “on the ground.”
“It’s just a song that says everything we need is already within us. There’s no need to go out and look for it,” Rosé said in her premiere countdown interview with RELEASED.
Sporting dirty white tennis shoes from her trainee days in the music video, Rosé reflects on her pre-debut days and compares them to the lessons she has learned as a successful girl group member.
In the first verse, she sings about the popular perception of her glorious celebrity life and her world before fame.
“My life’s been magic, seems fantastic / I used to have a hole in the wall with a mattress / Funny when you want it, suddenly you have it / You find out that your gold’s just plastic,” Rosé sings.
The line “you find out that your gold’s just plastic” especially resonated with us. This could refer to the golden pedestal that we place celebrities on. However, these stars are just like us, and due to their fans’ pressure, they feel the need to lead a perfect life. In reality, this exalted life is fake and “plastic.”
Accompanied by a subtle musical buildup, Rosé has an epiphany in the chorus when she realizes that she’s been working for something that she could find within herself.
“I worked my whole life / Just to get right, just to be like / ‘Look at me, I’m never comin’ down,’” Rosé sings.
Following this, she sings that she worked so hard “just to realize” that everything she needs is on the ground. Although she is “never coming down,” she is aware that she doesn’t need the glory that fame brings. Instead, her community and the lessons she learned as a trainee are the most important things. Later in the chorus, the repetition of “everything I need is on the ground” illustrates how enlightening this realization was to her.
The energetic chorus and electric accompaniment are broken by the calm bridge, where she further conveys society’s perception of her.
“I’m way up in the clouds / And they say I’ve made it now / But I figured it out / Everything I need is on the ground,” Rosé sings.
As a highly successful K-pop star, Rosé is often in the public eye, and her life has been praised by others, with many congratulating her for her achievements. However, her status has given her a new perspective on life; Rosé may be accomplished, but she has now discovered the true meaning of family.
While we loved the symbolism and emotion throughout the song, it’s unfortunately under three minutes long. Luckily, Rosé’s B-side track “Gone” is slightly longer.
Accompanied by acoustic guitar and singing her signature high notes, Rosé pours her heart out in this indie-rock ballad. The song, full of melancholy lyrics, is about Rosé mourning the end of a relationship.
At the beginning of the song, Rosé expresses her disappointment and disbelief at this outcome, asking questions like “Tell me why’d you have to hit and run me?” and later, “How am I supposed to live without you? I refuse, yeah.”
However, over the course of the song, she depicts how she has begun to let go.
“All my love is gone, now you’re dead and gone,” she sings in the chorus.
Still, it’s a gradual, long, and arduous journey. Part of her resents the outcome of her relationship and the disappointment she feels.
“All my love is gone and the hate has grown / Standing all alone and I’m searching for something / But I can’t feel nothing,” Rosé sings.
Although she started to accept her breakup, she still feels numb from the pain of a broken heart. She blames the ex-lover mentioned in the song for the turmoil she faces.
Despite the deep underlying meanings behind these songs, they can fit any occasion.
“I want people to listen to ‘On The Ground’ when they have a lot of problems in their lives or when they are going through a hard time. You can listen to it when you’re emotional. You can enjoy listening to it at any moment and any place,” Rosé said in a V Live livestream.
As a New Zealand native, Rosé pays homage to her origins by writing both songs in English. We were pleasantly surprised when we discovered that we understood all of the lyrics of K-pop star Rosé’s solo debut, and it made the experience all the more magical. The heartfelt lyrics, catchy rhythms, and unforgettable notes of “On The Ground” and “Gone” struck us with wonder, and we’re sure it will do the same for you.
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