LALISA by BLACKPINK Lisa
After weeks of anticipation, BLACKPINK fans – also known as blinks – saw another solo production from the group. Lisa, the group’s rapper dropped her first single, LALISA, on 10th September 2021.
Hailed as a “Dancing Queen” by the group’s massive fandom and as a national treasure by Thais, I felt I’d be doing my fellow countrymen a disservice by not checking Lisa’s new MV. I was right.
Seeing someone from our small nation that’s known more for beaches, elephants, and might I even say, red light districts, it was truly refreshing to see someone of Lisa’s calibre representing our country.
More on BLACKPINK:
LALISA by BLACKPINK’s Lisa MV review
The music video for LALISA was a tour de force of all of Lisa’s strengths. Her ability to make any outfit worthy of Paris Fashion Week, her unparalleled dancing skills, and her expressive delivery of each verse truly captivated our attention throughout the entire 3:26-long video.
This means a lot coming from a millennial who has an attention span just a little longer than a goldfish’s.
Let’s start with her moves. Whether she was dancing in a warehouse, or a desert, Lisa showed that there is absolutely no stopping her from defending her title as “Dancing Queen.” Before watching it, though, I knew to expect nothing less.
GIF: YouTube
What I could not have predicted, though, was that Lisa would be dancing her way straight into my little aerialist-heart with her pole-dancing performance.
Though typically associated with strip clubs, pole-dancing is an artform and a sport that – like yours truly – avoid. I can’t even imagine executing those tricks with such grace while also singing and/or rapping. *faints at the thought*
GIF: YouTube
Not going to lie, though, I was so captivated by her presence that I didn’t really pay attention to the lyrics until the second watch. Looking back, it was a good decision. While Lisa can make anything sound convincing and profound, it’s definitely a feat to sell lines like:
Yes, lift up my body higher
Want you to ring the alarm
Tell it to the world, kiss my name
Or even this one.
Put that shit on stereo, everyone else on very low
Protect it like a barrier, promise there’s nothing scarier
Than me if anybody coming gunnin’ for my man
Maybe something was lost in translation, but the lack of relatability between each line made it hard for me to resonate with what’s meant to be a self-empowerment anthem.
Although, what the song lacks in lyricism, it makes up in production value.
GIF: YouTube
Take the multiple settings, for example. The fact that you never knew where Lisa would appear next – would it be a desert? Driving down an empty tunnel on a motorcycle? Or swinging through her best life? – truly brought more excitement to the video. But, not in a “Oh okay, they’re changing green screens now” kind of way.
Plus, Lisa’s presence definitely almost made me forget about the lyrics. While this isn’t news, it’s worth mentioning that she rocked every single one of her outfits.
GIF: YouTube
I mean, who else can make a lounge ‘fit look so glam? Although, there is one costume in particular that stood out to me more than the others.
Lisa repped a Thai designer in LALISA
Image credit: @asavagroup
Now, I am not exaggerating when I say that my jaw dropped when Lisa came out in her traditional Thai outfit – complete with the chada headdress.
Image credit: @asavagroup
Lisa’s dress was a custom-piece by Thai fashion powerhouse, Asava. The designers made it a point to use hand-woven silk from Thailand as well as the include key elements, such as the sarong – zin – in their creation.
GIF: YouTube
To see an artist correctly represent our culture on a global scale was truly so comforting, as most representation in pop-culture up to now looked more like this:
GIF: YouTube
When it gets dark, Lisa’s light shines pink
Considering how hard she’s worked – training for five years before her debut and learning a whole new language – LALISA seems to be Lisa’s celebration of her achievements.
Although, LALISA appears to be not only Lisa’s love letter to herself and her fans but also to her culture. We’re excited to see Lisa continue to rep our small nation, as well as for further world domination. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be in our area soon.
Cover images adapted from (Clockwise from Left): @asavagroup, @jennielisapic, @jennielisapic
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