For Jennie, Los Angeles holds a special place in her heart.
In an exclusive cover story with Billboard on January 9, the Blackpink star, 28, opened up about why she feels she has more freedom in L.A. compared to her home city of Seoul.
“I can definitely go out and eat whenever I want, wherever I want,” Jennie shared. “The environment in L.A. is so different, especially for people in music. You meet so many inspiring people.”
While in Seoul, Jennie explained, she found comfort in familiarity but soon realized that she wasn’t growing. “I was so comfortable in the easy environment I created a long time ago,” she said. “I didn’t enjoy it. I kept telling myself to explore and learn if this is going to be my career and life.”
The decision to record most of her debut solo album in L.A. was intentional, according to Jennie. “I just really wanted to throw myself out there and experience it,” she said.
Though she embraced the challenge, the process of adjusting to a new city and new creative environment wasn’t easy. “I struggled a lot in the beginning,” she admitted. “I was just knocking on doors, asking, ‘Is this it?’ until I eventually found a great group of people that I clicked with, both sonically and personally.”
Jennie also spoke candidly about the secrecy surrounding her upcoming album. She explained her frustration at not being able to share more details. “It’s not nice to always be like, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t say anything,’” she said, adding, “I want to say I’m almost there.”
However, she kept the release timeline vague, joking, “I don’t do well with time.”
As Blackpink prepares for a new tour and fresh music in 2025, Jennie, Lisa, Rosé, and Jisoo are also continuing to pursue their solo careers. The group’s last tour, in 2022, sold over 1.8 million tickets across 66 shows, making it one of their most successful to date.
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