Jennie Kim of Blackpink | Image: OA Entertainment via Instagram/@jennierubyjane
Jennie Kim, a member of the renowned K-pop girl group Blackpink who is also a successful solo artist, is making her highly anticipated return with a new single, “Mantra,” on Oct. 11.
This comeback comes for the first time in a year since her last solo digital single, “You & Me,” which was released in October 2023, according to her agency, OA Entertainment.
Jennie shared the news on Tuesday on her official website and provided links for fans to presave the upcoming track on major streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
A preview of “Mantra” was also released, featuring an ear-catching melody.
Jennie also released a collaboration with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, “One of the Girls,” which was an original soundtrack for HBO series “The Idol.”
“One of the Girls” surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify and made a significant impact on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for 20 consecutive weeks.
With this track, Jennie became the first Korean female solo artist to receive platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Platinum certification represents a minimum of 1 million units of sale.
In April, Jennie also reached a milestone when the music video for her solo debut track, “Solo,” surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube, making her the first K-pop female solo artist to achieve this feat.
To promote her projects overseas better, Jennie partnered in September with Columbia Records, a major US label under Sony Music Entertainment that represents global stars like Beyonce, Adele and Harry Styles.
Columbia Records has promised extensive support for Jennie’s solo endeavors.
As fans eagerly await “Mantra,” there is growing speculation about whether Jennie will secure her second entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist.
While she has previously entered the chart multiple times with Blackpink, her solo debut on the Billboard Hot 100 came with “One of the Girls.”
Her earlier single “You & Me” reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 but fell short of making it onto the main chart.