Jennie’s Debut Album “Ruby”: a Masterpiece
Opinion Piece
By Matthew Landsman
March 13, 2025
Courtesy of Jamie McCarthy / Staff
“Ruby” by Jennie is in a world of its own. The way Jennie seamlessly blends genres of rap, R&B, pop and hip-hop without making the album overwhelming is one-of-a-kind. From start to finish, the listener is taken on a journey of multiple storylines.
Each track discusses themes of self-love, falling in love, heartbreak and putting down the haters. The features of this project are insanely impressive, and there wasn’t one song that didn’t sound incredible. Jennie collaborated with big names in the music industry including “Dem Jointz” (made the hit “Supernova” by aespa), Mike Will Made It (“23” by Miley Cyrus), Amy Allen (wrote for Sabrina Carpenter), Diplo (Where Are Ü Now by Justin Bieber), and more. Recorded in the United States, Jennie is going for a Western sound and successfully achieved it.
Jennie is a true creative, making 15 diverse tracks that reflect her ability to not conform to one kind of sound. The album's first half is more upbeat with songs like “like JENNIE” where she is spitting bars, and goes into more pop-forward up to her ninth track. Track 10 and on is a completely different switch of vibe with soulful R&B and ballad songs showcasing her wide vocal range.
When she was in BLACKPINK, she was strictly doing hip-hop songs that follow the YG Entertainment pattern: strong verses, a hard-hitting chorus, a soulful bridge by the vocalists and a beat switch as the climax. Here, in “Ruby,” she can do what she wants as she is in charge of her solo career for the first time. It’s a vulnerable and candid record, talking about issues that the public wouldn’t see if she didn’t create Odd Atelier, her self-made label.
The best songs on this album are: “like JENNIE,” “Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis),” and “Filter.”
“like JENNIE” is a short track but consists of her best rap to date with a unique beat. Being a part of a girl group in a man’s world is hard and comes with a lot of competition. She is putting the competition to rest in this song, saying that she is one of a kind and cannot be replicated. The song is a confidence booster and sometimes talking against people is superficial, but she has been receiving hate since her debut in BLACKPINK for simply being successful.
“Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis)” is a soulful R&B track that is very addictive. The beat is slower and we get to hear all three of these collaborators’ beautiful voices together, taking turns on the verses. Uchis and Gambino were the perfect pick as a feature, matching Jennie’s soprano vocals perfectly.
Thirdly, “Filter” was a favorite because of its important message. She doesn’t want to change how she looks or conform to the norms society wants to push on her. Without any filter, Jennie loves herself the best. I found multiple interpretations of this. First, that she doesn’t want to look fake online and embrace her inner beauty. It also means she doesn’t want to filter her personality or act the way people want her to, she is her own person making her own decisions in life.
Overall, I think “Ruby” is a 10/10. To be able to balance hard-hitting songs or pop songs alongside these slower and sometimes sadder tracks effortlessly is a feat that Jennie accomplished.
She wanted everyone in the world to know she could be a star on her own, and being in control of her music, she sounded better than ever. Having the name of the album be her middle name signifies the identity she puts on this project as it details various lesser-known aspects of herself. You can hear how much time she spent on this project based on the quality, along with her ability to switch between vocals and rapping abilities without sounding off. I appreciate an artist who immerses themselves in the music and creates an individual path in the industry. This album surpasses any expectations I had.
Each track discusses themes of self-love, falling in love, heartbreak and putting down the haters. The features of this project are insanely impressive, and there wasn’t one song that didn’t sound incredible. Jennie collaborated with big names in the music industry including “Dem Jointz” (made the hit “Supernova” by aespa), Mike Will Made It (“23” by Miley Cyrus), Amy Allen (wrote for Sabrina Carpenter), Diplo (Where Are Ü Now by Justin Bieber), and more. Recorded in the United States, Jennie is going for a Western sound and successfully achieved it.
Jennie is a true creative, making 15 diverse tracks that reflect her ability to not conform to one kind of sound. The album's first half is more upbeat with songs like “like JENNIE” where she is spitting bars, and goes into more pop-forward up to her ninth track. Track 10 and on is a completely different switch of vibe with soulful R&B and ballad songs showcasing her wide vocal range.
When she was in BLACKPINK, she was strictly doing hip-hop songs that follow the YG Entertainment pattern: strong verses, a hard-hitting chorus, a soulful bridge by the vocalists and a beat switch as the climax. Here, in “Ruby,” she can do what she wants as she is in charge of her solo career for the first time. It’s a vulnerable and candid record, talking about issues that the public wouldn’t see if she didn’t create Odd Atelier, her self-made label.
The best songs on this album are: “like JENNIE,” “Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis),” and “Filter.”
“like JENNIE” is a short track but consists of her best rap to date with a unique beat. Being a part of a girl group in a man’s world is hard and comes with a lot of competition. She is putting the competition to rest in this song, saying that she is one of a kind and cannot be replicated. The song is a confidence booster and sometimes talking against people is superficial, but she has been receiving hate since her debut in BLACKPINK for simply being successful.
“Damn Right (feat. Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis)” is a soulful R&B track that is very addictive. The beat is slower and we get to hear all three of these collaborators’ beautiful voices together, taking turns on the verses. Uchis and Gambino were the perfect pick as a feature, matching Jennie’s soprano vocals perfectly.
Thirdly, “Filter” was a favorite because of its important message. She doesn’t want to change how she looks or conform to the norms society wants to push on her. Without any filter, Jennie loves herself the best. I found multiple interpretations of this. First, that she doesn’t want to look fake online and embrace her inner beauty. It also means she doesn’t want to filter her personality or act the way people want her to, she is her own person making her own decisions in life.
Overall, I think “Ruby” is a 10/10. To be able to balance hard-hitting songs or pop songs alongside these slower and sometimes sadder tracks effortlessly is a feat that Jennie accomplished.
She wanted everyone in the world to know she could be a star on her own, and being in control of her music, she sounded better than ever. Having the name of the album be her middle name signifies the identity she puts on this project as it details various lesser-known aspects of herself. You can hear how much time she spent on this project based on the quality, along with her ability to switch between vocals and rapping abilities without sounding off. I appreciate an artist who immerses themselves in the music and creates an individual path in the industry. This album surpasses any expectations I had.