Ah yes! What we all have been waiting for. A blackpink comeback.
Shut Down is IT. I loved the song. I loved how there was no beat drop or a random dance break at the end of the song. There were no typical Jennie raps, Lisa raps, and then Jisoo or Rose sing, Jisoo and Rose instead rapped (?) in the pre-chorus and they both slayed!
They still had their creepy intro that makes you think 'what the hell is this' but the song gets way better and the way they didn't add extra beats in the rap parts or make the song sound overwhelming was so pleasing to me. I loved it!! I wish it was a little longer though, either way, it's perfect.
The choreography part in the MV was a little basic (I mean the scenario behind it). Rewatching their old mvs, there was colorful stuff and you could see it was really pretty but this time it was just a plain color. Also, I'm a little disappointed with the performance video. It felt like a dance practice, just like How You Like That's. Plain color background, no accessories, or stunning clothes that grab your attention.
As for Pink Venom, the chorus was my favorite part and the only part I liked of the song, to be honest. The rest felt like their Ddu-Du(x2) and Kill This Love. Jennie's scream rap at the beginning with recycled lyrics and entering like a queen, Lisa's rap, then Rose and Jisoo's high tones. Then, the beat drop. At last, the dance break.
I also don't like that most of their title tracks are under 3 minutes (the recent ones at least). It doesn't make me enjoy the song to the fullest because it rushes into the chorus, some rap, and then a dance break🧍🏻♀️
But we still got Shut Down, which I think deserves all the love because it was different!! Or at least that's what I think. It felt different and I loved the recreated scenes/references from other mvs. It made me remember how I used to think of Blackpink. Badass, emo, and enjoying the music like their older mvs. Not some girly, pink, and emotional stuff.
I also want to talk about their recent performances. They can do better.
Rose has been catching my attention lately. Someone mentioned that she was the only one that truly enjoyed being an artist and that she loved what she was doing and I agree. She seems to be having a lot of fun in recent performances and her live vocals have gotten better. She slays!
I've noticed Jennie either dances poorly or makes many mistakes in performances AGAIN which makes me think she doesn't spend the same amount of time the other members do practicing. She seems so distracted on stage sometimes and not focused. I hope she's ok 😟
Lisa's stage presence is the best out of them but she needs to work on balancing her dance and the live vocals. She and Jennie constantly are yelling the rapping parts so they run out of air quicker and get tired 😭 You don't have to scream bro- It's a mic, we can hear you.
As for Jisoo, I don't really have much to say. Her stage presence feels better and more comfortable now, but her facial expressions show she's insecure sometimes so I hope she gets more confident on stage :) Her vocals slay though 👌
That's it! I hope everyone's staying healthy and safe 😄