Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, BLACKPINK are razor-sharp on their comeback single.
Ready or not, BLACKPINK are back.
“PINK VENOM” arrived with a bang — the music video has already broken several records, most notably for the most-viewed K-pop music video in 2022 so far — and it’s proof of the power of BLACKPINK that the song is generating such a response. It’s been quite a while since BLINKs have been able to enjoy new music from the quartet as a complete unit. With “PINK VENOM,” BLACKPINK remain in a familiar sonic lane: the song is big, the lyrics braggadocious, and the choreography as enchanting as ever.
The concept of “PINK VEMON” is centered on paradox. The phrase conjures the image of something deceptively pretty, as beautiful as it is dangerous, which is exactly the energy the members are working to channel here. They cherry-pick from pop culture hallmarks along the way; “Look what you made us do,” ROSÉ says, channeling another pop star who gravitates towards snake imagery. “One by one and two by two,” says LISA, recalling Rihanna’s classic “Pon de Replay.”
The idea behind “PINK VENOM,” which was helmed by longtime BLACKPINK producer TEDDY, is a succinct summary of the group’s power to this day. Even after a long wait for new music, during which the members executed various incredibly successful campaigns with global fashion houses, they haven’t lost their edge. While the song might not be for everyone — JENNIE slays the anti-drop chorus all the same, and JISOO delivers on vocals and visuals alike — “PINK VEMON” is an indicator that these four are ready for their next era, as is their enormous legion of dedicated fans.
— Mary Siroky
Contributing Editor