K-Pop Queens BLACKPINK Make Powerful Return to UK with Non-Stop Energy and Live Vocals
Four-piece South Korean group Blackpink started the European leg of their Born Pink world tour on Wednesday with a sell-out performance and their biggest hits.
Blackpink made their long-awaited return to the UK on November 30, with a non-stop performance of their biggest hits.
Known for tracks such as Pink Venom, Shut Down and Kill This Love, the four-piece K-Pop group provided fans, known as Blinks, with a few hours of high energy, live vocals and killer stage outfits.
Bursting onto The O2 in London for the first night of the European leg of their Born Pink World Tour, members, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa and Rosé opened things up with How You Like That.
Having faced criticism of low energy or lacking live vocals in the past, it was clear to the sold out audience that Blackpink did not come to play – and their microphones were definitely switched on.
They kept things moving with Pretty Savage and Whistle before taking a moment to introduce themselves to the London audience.
While the girls are all powerful performers, they appear almost “regular” when speaking to the crowd, giggling with each other over their put-on British accents, or teasing each other about their native Australian accent, in Rosé’s case.
Fans are obviously there for the music – a 24-song set list in total – but the quieter moments with Blackpink sharing their appreciation were very welcomed, with the crowd cheering and screaming just as loud as they did during the songs.
Blackpink were excited to be back in London, and London Blinks were glad to have the girls back after an uncertain few years around the world.
Finishing up the first act with Don’t Know What To Do and Lovesick Girls, the power returned with Kill This Love.
The anthemic powerhouse was set to backdrops fans would recognise from their music videos, like swans and red suns.
The visual aspects were incredible as the second act continued with Crazy Over You, Playing With Fire, Tally and the 2022 smash Pink Venom.
Members Jennie, Rosé and Lisa have each had their solo debuts, while fans got to see Jisoo lend her talents to acting while they await her own music.
And fans will be even more eager after her solo stage, during which she covered Camila Cabello song Liar, giving everything to the vocals and choreographed dance break.
Jennie was up next with as yet unreleased song You & Me, turning things super sexy with her silhouette burnt into a bright red light.
Rosé performed two tracks – her solo from the group’s album Hard To Love, and her own solo debut On The Ground – with fans singing along to the English-language tracks.
It was Lisa who got the crowd the most excited though with her two solo songs Lalisa and Money, as well as an unforgettable pole-dancing routine in between them.
Returning to the stage as a four-piece, Blackpink performed Shut Down, Typa Girl, fan-favourite Ddu-Du Ddu-Du and Forever Young before the concert came to a close.
They asked who would be returning the next night, as they would be performing again on December 1.
However for those unlucky enough to get their hands on tickets, as they sold out in just minutes, the group was recently announced for BST Hyde Park on July 2.
Of course, plenty of Blinks cheered loudly, suggesting they’d be back the next night – and more than likely in July too.
And after what felt like a slightly too-long tease, Blackpink returned with three more songs for their encore.
Ditching the intricate stage costumes for their own tour march, the girls danced around and interacted with the audience as they sang Yeah Yeah Yeah, a more upbeat version of Stay and the real crowd pleaser As If It’s Your Last.
The only song fans may have been disappointed to have been missed off the set-list was one of their debut tracks Boombayah, though this may have been due to time constraints, as the concert was delayed due to “technical issues”.
Despite the delay, which only made the audience more excited to see the group on stage, the concert was a visual and audial masterpiece from four absolute professionals.
At one point, Rosé threw some confetti from the stage and accidentally launched her microphone to the floor too.
What followed was a cute few moments of her and her bandmates frantically trying to figure out how to get it to work again.
It was a welcome reminder that behind the pristine performances the girls put on, Blackpink are human too – they just so happen to be adored by millions around the world.
cr. Daily Star