BLACKPINK’s Rosé is making waves in the global music industry with her latest single “APT.,” a collaboration with Bruno Mars, while simultaneously drawing attention for her unique status as a formal MBE recipient from the British Royal Family.
Released on October 18th, “APT.” has dominated both domestic and international music markets. The track surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify within seven days of its release, setting a new record for the fastest K-pop female solo artist to achieve this milestone. This makes her the second K-pop artist, following BTS’s Jungkook, to reach this milestone within a week.
The song’s success extended to the UK Official Singles Chart, where it debuted at No. 4, marking the highest position ever achieved by a female K-pop artist. In their official announcement, the Official Charts notably referred to her as “New Zealand-born, Australia-raised Roseanne Park MBE,” highlighting her royal honor.
The MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) distinction, which Rosé received from King Charles III on November 22nd last year, has garnered renewed interest. Unlike her BLACKPINK bandmates who received honorary MBEs for their work as COP26 ambassadors in 2023, Rosé was awarded a formal MBE due to her New Zealand citizenship, a Commonwealth nation. This formal designation potentially qualifies her for future knighthood, following in the footsteps of The Beatles members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, who received their knighthoods years after their initial MBE honors. The distinction also grants her the privilege to marry at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where royal weddings are held.
Adding to her achievements, Rosé has become the first K-pop solo artist to top both the US and Global Spotify charts, leading both weekly rankings as of October 25th. She is the first K-pop artist to reach No. 1 on the US weekly chart, with predictions suggesting a likely top 10 debut on Billboard Hot 100.
Further cementing her success, Rosé’s personal YouTube channel “ROSÉ” has surpassed 10 million subscribers, making her eligible for YouTube’s Diamond Creator Award. She becomes the fifth Korean solo artist to reach this milestone, following PSY (19.1 million), JFLA (17.4 million), Jennie (12.1 million), and Lisa (11.7 million).
Source: Daum