BLACKPINK’s genius Coachella 2023 set turned me into a BLINK

The set was preceded by a mesmerizing aerial drone show that referenced iconic installations from Coachella history, ranging from the massive caterpillar that transformed into a butterfly in 2015 to the astronaut that appeared in 2014 and 2019. 

There was a 10-minute lull between the drone show and the beginning of Blackpink’s set, which in the moment felt like a missed opportunity at carrying forth the momentum, but by the time the video monitors flooded with gushing pink waves, the break was forgotten. The legion of BLINKS were a ubiquitous presence on the polo fields, wearing more merch than for any other artist I’ve seen this weekend. They erupted into chants of “Blacccckpink” in opener “Pink Venom,” which began with a slinky melody plucked on the strings of a traditional Korean instrument called the geomungo.

The four members of BLACKPINK — Jennie Kim, Jisoo, Lisa, Rosé — were larger than life, exuding infinite pop star charisma and proving without a doubt they deserved top billing; they are the first Korean band to headline Coachella. Unlike Bad Bunny’s set, which was plagued by technical difficulties, BLACKPINK’s was flawless. Each choreographed dance move landed effortlessly, and their backing band was also a highlight. The band barely appeared on the video screens except for a glowing acknowledgement towards the end of the set, but their presence gave the set the energy of a live-wire rock show. Rodgers, who has also played with Childish Gambino and Mariah Carey, almost seemed like the fifth member of BLACKPINK, providing a virtuosic backbone that I could’ve listened to by itself.

After powering through hit songs “Kill This Love,” “How You Like That,” “Pretty Savage,” “Kick It” and “Whistle,” the show entered a second act where each of the four members performed a solo track.

It was hard to deny Lisa on “Money,” which evolved from a Missy Elliott-style club banger into dark techno territory, but something about Jennie’s “You & Me” turned me into a Jensetter (the official term for Team Jennie). Jennie emerged in 2012, unveiled by K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment simply as “Mystery Girl,” and in 2016 she was named BLACKPINK’s first member. As a fan of syrupy pop production and throwback hip-hop drums, she was the standout for me, partially due to the clear Neptunes influence, with Rodgers dancing over his kit like Pharrell and Chad Hugo hammering out a beat on their ASR-10 sampler. 

Not to discount the power of the full group, but for the uninitiated, the solo segment of the set was a move of pure pop marketing genius. It showed off the personality of each singer, and left every person in the polo field who wasn’t already a BLINK with a favorite member (or two).