If you walked into the Peacock Theater last Thursday night in Los Angeles, you would have been met with a bit of pandemonium. Eager fans filled the venue, looking for photo opportunities to commemorate their favorite K-pop idol’s first-ever solo show, as VIP badges swung everywhere. The LED sign outside the stadium read “The RubyExperience,” while elated fans hurried around and handed out JENNIE fan club freebies, and the small merchandise booth was swallowed up by a line wrapped around the entryway and across the entrance.
As I stepped into the 7,100-capacity theater, soft piano music played, attempting to mellow out the chaos, confusion, and nerves that filled the room.
Everyone was excited to see JENNIE, 1/4 of the supergroup BLACKPINK and a multi-hyphenated singer and actor. Some fans wore red wigs reminiscent of her album cover, while BI-ping-bongs (BLACKPINK light sticks) were scattered throughout the audience. Flashes from selfies erupted like fireworks as we approached the start of “The Ruby Experience,” with Los Angeles being the first stop—a city that JENNIE has called home for some time.
When the clock struck 9 PM, the show began, but not with the bang I expected. “Intro: JANE with FKJ,” the first song from her solo album, played through the speakers, and she came out and performed “Start a War.” JENNIE’s performance was surprisingly mellow and “zen”—no pun intended—as she donned a fur coat and stealthily commanded the stage, surrounded by dancers. Then, she disappeared into the back.
“Make some noise for the dancers,” she encouraged the audience.
This pattern repeated throughout the night: JENNIE performed a song, then left the stage while the dancers took over, or the LED screens displayed visuals for the crowd. These pauses made sense as she performed and danced for 15 songs solo and needed the time allowance for outfit changes and moments to catch her breath.
Although she sold out both nights in Los Angeles, fans from the first night had mixed reviews. On the one hand, JENNIE looked beautiful and expressed her appreciation for the fans who have followed her journey as a member of BLACKPINK, an actor on one of HBO’s most controversial shows, The Idol, and now a solo artist following her dreams, and finding her voice.
“You guys are the first people to hear this album live,” JENNIE exclaimed to the crowd, who cheered in admiration. “That’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to perform in this theater—I wanted it to feel intimate, and I wanted to feel you guys on this stage. I’m so glad that I made that choice.”
“I wanted it to be something that truly represents me—not just the polished parts, but not just what you guys have seen over the years. I’m presenting myself again for the first time in this raw and honest way. Every song and lyric is a piece of the story I’m telling you,” she said, wiping away tears. “I spent many nights in the studio trying to make the music sound like me, with no filter and no compromises. If you’re here tonight, just know it means the world to me.”
As she shared her struggles in creating an album that suited her, her fans cheered, “Nuna neomu yeppeo,” meaning “Noona, you’re so pretty,” and “don’t cry.”
However, when JENNIE wasn’t speaking candidly to the crowd, fans were left to stand and silently groove to a stacked setlist they had never heard. The Ruby album was released everywhere during the first show, so most fans in attendance were hearing the new songs for the first time. While it was exciting to witness the live debut, the constant intermissions between songs had JENNIE exiting the stage while her dancers took over. This interrupted that natural flow of concert energy where fans feed off the artist, and the artist feeds off the fans. I often say that LA crowds can be challenging, so debuting a 15-song project under these circumstances added to the crowd’s lack of participation.
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Not even high-energy songs like “ExtraL,” “Mantra,” or “like JENNIE” and sexy tracks like ”Damn Right” or “Seoul City” were able to hold a crowd in a continuous state of vocal excitement. Were they in awe of JENNIE? Absolutely. Were they cheering her on? Absolutely. Did she put on a great show? Absolutely. However, I felt something was missing from the experience, whether it was crowd involvement or simply the overall vibes from the stage to the show floor.
Needless to say, this was her solo debut, and despite the energy voids, fans were gleaming with joy. Perhaps the next time around, JENNIE will keep the vibes flowing with fewer intermissions and more JENNIE.
Photos & Words by Asha Moné
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