BLACKPINK is back in full force in 2025, and LISA joins the flurry of solo releases from the members with her first full-length album Alter Ego. The fifteen track album includes previous single releases “Rockstar,” “New Woman (feat. ROSALÍA) and “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me),” all of which have amassed a huge amount of streams on Spotify alone, each in the hundreds of millions. 

It’s pretty safe to say that all of the members of BLACKPINK have broken from the “K-Pop idol” label, and LISA’s full album is a true testament to that fact. The album has a number of big name features of western artists such as Tyla, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion. The concept of “Alter Ego” was explored with the introduction of a number of alter egos for LISA, including Vixi, who is showcased in the title track “FXCK UP THE WORLD.” There were mixed reactions on social media at the introduction of Vixi’s character, with some commenting it gave her the appearance of an edgy preteen. The actual video appearance of Vixi seems to have garnered a better reaction than the character introduction so far, though.

The Pre-Release: “Born Again (feat. Doja Cat & RAYE)

Upon first listen, this track is really giving Bruno Mars. The R&B and soul influences in the melody are prominent, which is quite different for LISA’s music. The three women all have vocal and rap features and come together beautifully, with each having their own verse to shine before coming together. I personally really love this genre, it’s very quintessentially American, but I did never expect LISA to take it on when her usual releases are heavier rap or more pop-influenced songs like “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me).” With Doja Cat and RAYE on this track, there’s no doubt LISA has broken into the worldwide pop scene rather than the K-Pop label, as there isn’t really a drop of K-Pop influence in this track. It’s an interesting shift to witness after being present for BLACKPINK’s debut, but it’s certainly not an easy feat to make it this big. While I do tend to like LISA’s harder hitting music, this track is catchy and powerful, and I love seeing her tackle new genres. 

The Title: “FXCK UP THE WORLD”

“FXCK UP THE WORLD” has two versions, the music video showcasing the solo version but the album containing a feature from rapper Future. With this track we’re back to the hard-hitting rap genre. The ferocity of this track is palpable, with a lot of people noting her particular rap line “if you want the old Lisa then listen to my old sh*t” as a pretty powerful and clear message of shirking her previous musical identity. This is also a track where she only raps through the song with no vocal lines.

The music video has an almost comedic tone to it, with a touch of Marvel-esque imagery used to showcase the unhinged nature of Vixi. The first verse features animation of all of LISA’s alter egos among a fairly uncomfortable scene of her messing with her doctor at the jail, at least based on context clues. Every shot is over-the-top with the intensity of the character in an almost Gotham-like city going around and wreaking havoc. The video is drastically different from previous music video releases, and the style is super cool, but personally not a big fan of the sort of weird light gore in the beginning. 

LISA has a lot of sides to show in this album release, and her ability to oscillate between very different musical genres is a testament to her talent. LISA for sure has come a very long way from her start and will continue to thrive in her music career.