Jennie's Lollapalooza Headlining Set Draws Mixed Reviews, US Media Calls it 'Luxury Karaoke'

BLACKPINK member Jennie (김제니) recently took to the main stage at the major U.S. music festival, Lollapalooza Chicago, as a solo artist. She made history as the first K-pop female solo artist to headline the festival, setting a new record. However, her performance has since garnered mixed reviews, with some netizens questioning her live vocal abilities and local U.S. media offering harsh criticism, even describing the entire show as “a luxury karaoke session.”

Jennie delivered an approximately one-hour solo performance, featuring several new songs from her upcoming album, as well as hit tracks like “ZEN.” Fans in the front rows reportedly reacted with great enthusiasm.

However, the U.S.-based *Chicago Sun-Times* published a music review on August 1 (local time) that offered significant criticism of Jennie's performance. The report acknowledged Jennie's achievement as the first K-pop female solo artist to headline the main stage at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, but noted a clear disparity in her ability to command a large festival stage alone compared to her group activities.

The review stated that Jennie gradually regained her stage presence in the latter half of the performance, thanks to powerful dance routines and stage effects during songs like “Mantra,” “ExtraL,” and “Like Jennie.” However, the overall stage arrangement for the first half received severe criticism.

The *Chicago Sun-Times* suggested that the large number of dancers and elaborate stage props distracted from Jennie, and poor sound mixing made her vocals sound flat. Her new collaboration with Australian musician Kevin Parker, “Dracula,” was specifically singled out, with the review stating that the live vocals and backing track failed to blend, describing the entire performance as “a meticulously packaged luxury karaoke session.”

Additionally, the media noted that Jennie's setlist included a large number of unreleased new songs, such as “Heaven,” “Lock It Down,” and “Sweet Tooth.” This unfamiliarity with the tracks among the general audience reportedly affected their engagement with the performance.

The report mentioned that while fans in the front rows cheered continuously, the focus of the general audience further back gradually declined, with some even leaving midway. Compounding this, Jennie's performance coincided with that of British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, and her choice to perform many unreleased songs within a limited time slot was seen as further diminishing the overall appeal of the show.

Beyond the U.S. media reviews, official live stream footage quickly sparked discussion on social media. Many netizens questioned the significant discrepancy between her live vocals and pre-recorded tracks, citing issues such as missed beats, misalignment with the backing track, and noticeable drops in stamina. Some also pointed out that certain audience members were seen leaving early.

The news also ignited heated debate in South Korea, with many netizens leaving scathing comments. Remarks included, “It was my first time seeing her perform, and I had no idea what she was trying to convey,” “Stop using stamina and schedule as excuses. As a professional singer who gets paid so much, she should deliver a good performance,” “Similar controversies have happened several times during BLACKPINK activities, and each time someone defends her by talking about her stamina. But many singers practice singing while running for tours; if you take the money, you should train your your physical condition,” “There were so many mistakes,” “She's always been like this, it's just more obvious this time because of the sound issues,” “As a singer, she should sing, but it felt more like acting,” “She's a professional singer, why should everyone be understanding about her stamina issues?” and “If you're going to be a solo artist, you should at least be able to complete a concert of two hours or more without stress.”

Other comments included, “Her vocal range feels a bit narrow; she's better suited for rap than singing,” “She looked lethargic, swaying while standing; I thought she had heatstroke,” “It's just Jennie, nothing surprising,” “It wasn't obvious in the group, but now that she's solo, I realize she can't carry a whole show alone,” “How long will she keep using stamina as an excuse? This isn't the first time,” “It was the same at Coachella last time; I hope she can adjust,” and “The most common excuses for singers who can't perform well live are bad sound, earphone issues, or not being in good condition today.”

However, many attendees who were present at the festival offered positive reviews, praising Jennie's undiminished stage charisma and captivating presence. They also stated that the live vocals sounded much clearer in person than on the official broadcast, suggesting that the live stream did not fully capture the actual performance's effect.

Despite Jennie successfully setting a new record as the first K-pop female solo artist to headline Lollapalooza, the polarized reactions to her performance have once again raised questions about her future ability to independently command international major music festival stages as a solo artist.