Credit: Arianna Shang

Join WSPN’s Arianna Shang as she reviews BLACKPINK’s new album “DEADLINE.”

Almost half a year after releasing the single “JUMP,” K-pop girl group BLACKPINK returns with “DEADLINE.” The album marks the group’s first collection of songs since its 2022 album “BORN PINK.” “DEADLINE,” an all-English album, features five tracks: the previously released single “JUMP” and four new songs, “GO,” “Me and My,” “Champion” and “Fxxxboy.”

The first track is “JUMP.” Released July 11, 2025, the song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 123 million streams and 14,000 units sold worldwide in its first week. “JUMP” features an upbeat rhythm that makes listeners want to dance along. Rosé’s opening vocals immediately draw listeners in as she sings, “I’m not that easy to tame / you should see me under these lights, all my tears turn to ice.” The style is not what listeners typically expect from BLACKPINK, and it brings something new and refreshing to the group’s discography.

The track “GO” is notable as the first BLACKPINK song written by all four members. Rosé opens with powerful vocals, almost as if making a declaration. Lisa keeps up the energy, singing that she is “your guardian angel / your kingdom come.” Jennie then drives the pre-chorus forward with a fiercer tone. As the instrumental slowly builds, Jisoo declares that “you only move / when I say so.” In the chorus, the four members come together to declare that “BLACKPINK’ll make ya / GO” as the synths and bass boom. On its own, the song offers a catchy beat and strong production, but as a title track, it feels somewhat underwhelming because of its empty chorus.

“Me and My” features a hip-hop beat and centers on bold, confident girlhood. However, the song does not add much that feels new to BLACKPINK’s discography, and it does not fully match the overall vibe of the album. BLACKPINK’s signature style is less present here. Without knowing the artist beforehand, listeners might not immediately guess the song is by BLACKPINK. The track also feels more like a duet between Jennie and Lisa, who dominate much of the line distribution, while Rosé and Jisoo each take the four-line pre-chorus. Still, the rap verses are satisfying to listen to. Lisa delivers lines such as “mirror on the wall / this ain’t from the mall / courtside on the call / we can touch the ball,” while Jennie raps about “pretty privilege.”

The next track, “Champion,” begins with Jennie’s powerful line, “Ain’t quitting, I trust my intuition,” followed by a pre-chorus led by Rosé singing, “No lie, look into my eyes / you can’t take me out.” The four members then come together in the chorus, delivering a powerful sound as they proudly declare that even “If I ever, ever fall down one time / I’ma keep going on, ’cause I know I’m a champion.” The song uplifts listeners through its group chorus and inspiring lyrics, and it feels especially suited for a live concert performance.

The closing track, “Fxxxboy,” is distinctly different from the album’s previous upbeat songs. The midtempo track opens with acoustic guitar and Rosé’s calming voice as she sings about love, asking, “everybody needs love / do you, do you / really wanna go down that road tonight?” With the acoustic guitar continuing in the background, the group delivers a heartfelt performance that allows its steady, soothing vocals to stand out. The song gives the album a quiet ending, and before listeners know it, the 15-minute runtime is over.

Overall, “DEADLINE” showcases a range of styles and themes as BLACKPINK experiments with its musical direction. However, as a comeback album, it feels somewhat underwhelming. I wish BLACKPINK had included more Korean lyrics, as “DEADLINE” no longer fully feels like a K-pop album. Still, the songs are consistently strong, and there are several tracks worth adding to a playlist. The album’s release makes one thing clear: BLACKPINK is back for another strong era.