Blackpink member Lisa releases her debut album, Alter Ego, after the success of her previous solo work under Blackpink's label, featuring "Lalisa" and "Money," which have garnered 600 million and 1.3 billion views, respectively. Lisa's debut album features a selection of interesting songs with a lot of instrumentation and loud bass sounds. I see some inspirations from Blackpink throughout this album, with new elements as Lisa tries to establish her own sound amidst a cathedral of modern sounds, featuring some slower, laid-back, and deeply meaningful lyrics.
Enjoyment of each song:
Born Again – 9
Rockstar – 9
Elasigirl – 8
Thunder – 8
New Women – 9
FXCK UP THE WORLD – 9
Rapunzel – 9
Moonlit Floor – 10
When I'm With You – 10
BADGRRRL – 7
Lifestyle – 7
Chill – 9
Dream – 10
FXCK UP THE WORD – 7
Rapunzel – 8
Some of the standout songs on the album for me are "Moonlit (Kiss Me)," which has a nice, calm dance feel underlined by a beautiful love story. ' Dream' is also another standout for me, a much slower and simpler song than others in terms of instrumentation, but all of this makes for a tear-jerker of a ride throughout the song.
The collaboration between Lisa and Tyla in "When I'm With You" works well, with both artists complementing each other very well. Other collaborations on the album, such as "Born Again" with Doja Cat and RAYE, as well as ROSALIA, Megan Thee Stallion, and Future, are alright.
I am not quite sure of the need for the Vixi solo and Kiki solo versions of FXCK UP THE WORLD, AND Rapunzel as I don't think there is enough change to warrant a new song. I do believe the Megan Thee Stallion feature on Rapunzel is undoubtedly the better song than the solo one. Megan can add another element to the music with her confident, powerful flow.
Final Thoughts
Alter Ego is a solid debut album by one of Thailand's most prominent stars, featuring notable collaborations within the industry. Ultimately, Lisa is still trying to determine which direction she wants to take musically.