JENNIE

As one of the founding members of Black Pink, South Korean vocalist Jennie Kim made a quick rise to the top of the charts with the K-pop quartet before breaking records on her own as a solo artist. Stylistically influenced by singers such as Rihanna, she scored her first hit with the aptly-titled single, “SOLO,” which made her the first solo K-pop female artist to top the Billboard World Digital chart in 2018. Born Kim Je-ni in Seoul in 1996, she was educated in New Zealand before returning to her home country to audition for YG Entertainment. During her training, she worked with Lee Hi, G-Dragon, and Seungri before making her 2016 debut as a member of Black Pink. The group’s dance-friendly blend of hip-hop and pop helped push them to the top of the Korean and U.S. World charts. By 2018, they were the highest-charting female K-pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, buoyed by the success of single “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” from their debut EP Square Up. Soon after, Kim released her debut single, “Solo,” which was an immediate hit across the globe, topping charts in Korea and the U.S. while performing well in Canada and across Asia. ~ Neil Z. Yeung