BlackPink live in Hyde Park BST 2nd July 2023

By Deban Aderemi

Jennie, Jisoo, Lalisa and Rosé as individual pop stars are a force to be reckoned with. As Blackpink, they are a global phenomenon.

Yes, a global phenomenon! The impressive records set by their debut album Square Up were topped shortly after the release of their sophomore album Born Pink late last year. In addition to receiving platinum certification in their native South Korea, the group have gone on to top the official charts in most major music markets including The USA, UK, and Canada.

It should come as no surprise that they packed out Hyde Park during their headline set at the British Summer Time festival. With thousands of loyal fans all dressed in pink and armed with their signature £65 glowstick merchandise, Blackpink catered to their fandom with an impressive setlist of hits, and solo fan favourite tracks.

Kicking off the show was an extended live mix of Pink Venom. Padded with a crew of Gen Z dancers all dressed in black, the girls showed out in customised all-white outfits. Their on-stage dresses combined aspects of fitness couture, ball-gowns, harnesses and military footwear. 

Pink Venom is pop-rap EDM track that contains Korean language and sound elements. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart last year, and went on to garner the most views of any music video within a 24 hour window ( 90 million plus). A befitting opening number, and if this was a test, it worked! The crowd went wild! Whilst some fans sang along, others were only capable of screaming in excitement as their idols looked like beauty queens ready for a battle.

Pink Venom quickly transitioned into How You Like That. In this number, four chairs were brought on stage as props for a somewhat racy choreography. This quickly transitioned into another hit single Preety Savage. As the night went on, it was evident that the girls had come to SLAY! The chronology of their setlist was rapid, and charged with explosive dance routines.

But that was not all. The girls come out individually to showcase their solo hits too. Jennie opened with You & Me and this was followed with Jisoo'sFlower. Rosé was third in line with two pop bangers Gone and On The Ground, with LaLisa closing the solos set with a remixed dance-break version of Money. 

The night was re-packaged with impeccable choreography set against an exciting LED backdrop. Vocally, it was hard to tell how good they were. Their fans sang along to every single song. The production values were evident. There were pyrotechnic showers, confetti rain, smoke cannons, visual hydraulics and a series of costume changes all helping to cement a euphoric feeling.

However, what really stuck out was their personalities and sense of fan appreciation. In between their songs, Rose couldn't contain her excitement and said : "London, it has always been a dream of ours to perform for you at Hyde Park. Thank you for all your support. We love you"

And it was blatantly obvious that the love is mutual. Fans sang along to every word (even  Korean lyrics), and many more knew their dance routines. This pop band was carefully modelled on a formula of tough training, bitingly long hours and intense marketing. They have been coached full-time in a  highly-competitive bootcamp since they were 14 years old. Musically, they are devoid of fillers. Every track performed is practically a hit, and executed with robotic precision. 

This blend of high-octane pop has made them Korea's most successful music exports and brand ambassadors internationally. Pink Domination is under-way, and as the egress made its way out of Hyde Park at 11pm on a Sunday night, the show signalled the start of a fantastic summer break for many of their fans.

Setlist:

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/blackpink/2023/hyde-park-london-england-33a7846d.html

BlackPink certainly work hard to make their fans play harder.

Photos by Deban Aderemi