Blackpink's Rosé on the past two years: 'I tried to prove myself'

Blackpink's Rosé revealed that her attitude toward life and music has shifted as she reflects on the past two years. After a period of constantly feeling the need to prove herself, she says she has learned to accept her vulnerabilities and imperfections.

In a September special edition cover story and interview with fashion magazine Elle released on the 28th, Rosé shared her thoughts on preparing her new album and the recent changes in her life.

For Rosé, who is once again immersed in music production during midsummer following her first full-length album 'rosie', summer holds a meaning beyond just a season. "Ultimately, summer is a time for me to make music, to discover myself, and to discover my music," she stated. "I am working in Korea this time, and I think the time spent enduring this intense humidity will remain like a scene from my new album."

The process of making an album is also a time for Rosé to face her inner self. "Album production is a time when I delve into my entire being," she explained. "I end up seeing sides of myself that I don't want to face, and it feels like I am bundling the time I've passed through like a time capsule."

This suggests that music is not merely a creative act of producing new songs, but a medium for recording her own experiences and emotions. Especially for Rosé, who has been subject to public scrutiny and high expectations as a member of a global group, the work of converting personal experiences into music is a process of reconfirming her identity.

This change is clearly evident in the way she views the past two years.

"It was a time of constantly asking myself, 'Can I trust my voice? Can I trust myself?' and trying to prove it," Rosé said. "In the end, I reached the conclusion that listening to and trusting the words of my heart is the right answer."

She continued, "Now, I am able to acknowledge and embrace even my weak and lacking parts."

This shows that her life's standard has shifted toward accepting imperfection rather than maintaining perfection. Rosé, who has constantly sought balance between the image required of a global star and her actual self, has begun to accept even her vulnerabilities as part of her creative process.

She is also still exploring her direction as an artist.

"Right now, the process itself of finding out whether I am someone who contains personal stories or someone who creates a world I want to express is fun," Rosé remarked. Although she has already established a firm position through global musical activities, her current task seems to be building her own unique language and world rather than simply extending her success.

Her experience living in various cities around the world has also changed her perception of "home."

"In the past, if home was simply a space, I have now realized that the mindset of being able to make any space a home is more important," Rosé said. "As I learned how to endure time spent alone, I finally began to like being with myself."

For a global artist whose life involves constant movement, "home" has shifted from a physical address to a concept of psychological stability. In a life of moving between unfamiliar cities, hotels, and studios, the state of being in a space has become more important than the space itself.

She has also learned to slow down the pace of life.

Rosé confessed that she used to describe herself as a "workaholic" and considered time spent doing nothing to be meaningless. However, she now says, "I think it's okay to lie on the sofa and rest, or to take my time drying my hair."

This signifies a move away from evaluating time based solely on achievement and productivity. Rather than a simple lifestyle change, it represents a star—who has long been required to practice extreme self-management—changing her fundamental perspective on life.

Recently, she has taken interest in small hobbies, such as collecting organizers and starting origami. "There are so many big and small joys in the world, and I want to tell myself that it's okay to fully enjoy the life I am given right now," Rosé said with a smile.

Rosé, who has faced the gaze of countless audiences on stage, is now listening more to her own intuition than to the eyes of others. It is an attitude of accepting ordinary, trivial moments as part of life, rather than believing time is only valuable when something is achieved.

These changes are also connected to her musical direction. Following the personal stories shared in her first full-length album 'rosie,' she is exploring her inner self and creative world even more deeply while preparing her new album.

Blackpink also marked their 10th anniversary of debut this year. They continued their group activities with the release of their third mini-album 'DEADLINE' in February, which set a new personal record by selling nearly 1.5 million copies on its release day.

While the group continues to achieve global success, the most significant changes for Rosé are occurring in the internal realm—areas that cannot be quantified by numbers. Instead of chasing more achievements or higher records, she is moving toward a life of trusting herself, acknowledging her flaws, and accepting the value of stillness.

Ultimately, the past two years Rosé described were a time of constant self-proof, but also a time to discover a self that no longer needs to prove anything. As she prepares her new album, interest is mounting not only in the musical world she will unveil but also in the clearer, more human voice of Rosé that will emerge through the process.

All four members of Blackpink are also active as solo artists. Among them, Rosé has seen massive success, particularly with the mega-hit collaboration 'APT.' with Bruno Mars.