By the end of 2023 and February 2024, three members, including Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo, announced the establishment of their own companies for personal activities after deciding not to renew their solo contracts with YG. Jennie was the first to announce the formation of her company, ODDATELIER, followed by Lisa and Jisoo, who quickly announced the establishment of their companies, LLOUD and BLISSOO, two months later.
It wasn’t until four months later that the first information related to Rosé’s new management company was revealed. According to Korean media, after hinting at Rosé’s contract not long ago, THE BLACK LABEL confirmed on the morning of June 18 that they had signed an exclusive contract with Rosé.
Thus, after Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa, Rosé is the final BLACKPINK member confirmed to pursue individual activities under THE BLACK LABEL.
In their statement, THE BLACK LABEL announced that Rosé would meet global fans through new music projects and perform musical activities worldwide with global record labels in the future. THE BLACK LABEL promised to provide unwavering support for Rosé to diversify her activities.
Despite all BLACKPINK members having their own paths, Rosé’s choice to work under THE BLACK LABEL worries fans.
Fans are concerned that Rosé might be neglected like other artists under THE BLACK LABEL.
In reality, THE BLACK LABEL is no stranger to K-pop fans, especially BLACKPINK’s fans. It is a subsidiary of YG, founded by music producer Teddy. The company currently manages prominent K-pop artists such as TAEYANG (BIGBANG), Somi, Zion.T, and actor Park Bo Gum.
Teddy, who has been linked with BLACKPINK since their debut days, is dubbed the “music wizard,” having produced numerous billion-view hits for BLACKPINK, such as “Boombayah,” “Ddu-du Ddu-du,” “Kill This Love,” and “How You Like That.” For Rosé, Teddy directly participated in composing and producing her solo tracks in her album “-R-” like “On The Ground” and “Gone.”
Although Teddy has been behind BLACKPINK’s hits since their debut, Rosé joining THE BLACK LABEL has left fans worried. Many are concerned due to the company’s controversial history of neglecting its artists.
Notably, Somi, who joined THE BLACK LABEL as a solo artist in 2018, saw her popularity wane and nearly disappeared from the music scene. Despite being with the company for about six years, she has only promoted her music a handful of times, with her latest comeback being in August 2023 with the song “Fast Forward.”
THE BLACK LABEL’s sporadic promotion caused Somi’s product to receive limited support from fans. Additionally, she has had long periods of inactivity, similar to how YG previously handled BLACKPINK.
Similarly, Anda, the first solo artist under THE BLACK LABEL, made a splash with the song “What You Waiting For” in collaboration with producer R.Tee in March 2019. However, after this release, she completely disappeared from the K-pop scene, with no updates from her management. Fans only learned about her whereabouts in May 2024 through her personal announcement of marriage and childbirth.
Following THE BLACK LABEL’s confirmation of Rosé’s exclusive contract, social media platform X (Twitter) erupted with debates. Many international fans expressed disappointment with Rosé’s decision. Some had high hopes for the Australian-born singer’s announcement after six months of leaving YG.
However, the announcement felt like a “cold shower” compared to what everyone had been eagerly awaiting. Even a long-time BLACKPINK fanbase with over 360,000 followers couldn’t hide their sadness after THE BLACK LABEL’s official statement: “I trust her, but I don’t know how to express this.”
Another comment read: “I’m sorry, but I’m extremely disappointed. She gave me so much hope when she left YG and then shared a snippet of music only to remain silent for months for this to happen. I’m really struggling to accept this, and I feel quite exhausted.”
Some posts even suggested that joining THE BLACK LABEL might be worse than leaving YG: “I’m sorry, but I’ll never trust the person responsible for BLACKPINK having only 30 songs in 7 years. Quality over quantity, but I don’t know what he offered her. If THE BLACK LABEL is the choice, staying with YG would be better.”
Despite the concerns, fans still respect and look forward to Rosé’s solo endeavors.
As per THE BLACK LABEL’s announcement, Rosé’s contract is a “management contract.” The company confirmed that Rosé would engage in global music activities with international record labels.
This means that Teddy’s company may only be responsible for managing Rosé’s activities, while she retains the freedom to work with global record labels for her music. Fans can be reassured that Rosé’s music will not be confined to THE BLACK LABEL’s scope.
In her letter to fans on the evening of June 18, Rosé explained that she comes from an environment where everyone supports each other in all tasks rather than doing everything alone. She needs time to learn, understand, and trust herself and her team to become responsible for herself.
Unlike her fellow members, Rosé might find leading a company less important than spending all day in the studio, living with her music, and flourishing in a space where she can be herself.
Joining THE BLACK LABEL under Teddy’s leadership, Rosé must have her reasons. Regardless of the reason, it is clear that Rosé is committed to delivering high-quality, meticulously crafted music to her fans and audience.
With her current position and global influence, Rosé can control her future plans without interference. While she may not have established her own company or taken on the CEO role like her groupmates, “artist Rosé” remains the most important title for her and her fans. After all, fans should patiently trust Rosé’s decisions and look forward to her future endeavors.
