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Few music groups have enjoyed quite the breakout moment like BLACKPINK, the K-pop four-piece comprised of Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie and Rosé.
Since their debut studio album in 2020, the “How You Like That” hitmakers have become household names, helped in no small part by their longtime record label, YG Entertainment. The entertainment company, which is also home to fellow music signees like Treasure and BabyMonster, has been behind BLACKPINK’s biggest tracks and albums, but its involvement in the band’s solo music ventures is a little less clear.
News about the relationship between YG Entertainment and BLACKPINK band member Lisa arose in December 2023, after months of speculation that the rapper and vocalist was departing the label for her solo music projects. So what exactly is the contract between YG Entertainment and Lisa of BLACKPINK, and is she still signed with the music label?
Is Lisa leaving YG?
YG Entertainment announced last December that it would not be proceeding with the individual projects of all members of BLACKPINK, including Lisa. The record label revealed in a statement that it had renewed its contract with the group as a whole, but would not be involved in each member’s solo efforts outside of the K-pop group. YG Entertainment said that it would continue to “support BLACKPINK’s activities” and “cheer for” each bandmate “with a warm heart.”
This means the label, which signed BLACKPINK with a seven-year contract in 2016, will remain involved in group projects, but are not connected to any solo ventures Lisa might make moving forward. So far, Lisa has only released two individual music projects, with her solo singles “SG” and “LALISA” both arriving in 2021. For their part, remaining members Rosé, Jisoo and Jennie have each released solo singles since 2018.
While there has not yet been confirmation around where Lisa will sign for her future solo material, her departure from YG Entertainment was the subject of much speculation in September 2023, a few months prior to the label’s announcement. At the time, it was reported that Lisa had rejected YG Entertainment’s offer to renew her solo contract for 37 billion won (around $26 million USD), and later turned down an even higher offer of 50 billion won (around $35 million USD).
It was also speculated that Lisa had rejected the offer to pursue an American entertainment company instead, but we’ve since learned that she started her own agency. “Rockstar”, Lisa’s upcoming solo single set to arrive on June 27, will be released under LLOUD Co., a music management firm she created earlier in 2024.