Ever since the members of BLACKPINK decided to leave YG Entertainment, fans have been eagerly anticipating the directions their solo careers would take. While some members have yet to release their solo projects, Lisa has embarked on a particularly intriguing path. From the outset, it was clear that Lisa intended to focus her solo career internationally rather than in Korea. Her performance at the Crazy Horse Cabaret in Paris, her purchase of a luxury home in Beverly Hills, and her performance at the PS Jan benefit concert all hinted at this direction.

In February 2024, Lisa launched her own label, Loud, with promotions kicking off immediately. Billboard ads in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, and Bangkok began circulating online. Lisa’s career quickly gained momentum with a confirmation that she would appear in the third season of the HBO series “The White Lotus,” which was set to be filmed in her home country, Thailand.

Anticipation grew as Lisa joined RCA Records and hinted at a collaboration with Grammy-winning artist Tyla. On June 6, she released a teaser poster with “coming soon” and pre-save links for Spotify and Apple Music, which stirred controversy among Korean netizens due to the absence of Korean streaming sites. Despite the backlash, her fans defended her, pointing out the hypocrisy of her critics.

The controversy didn’t end there. On June 18, Lisa released a teaser clip announcing her single “Rockstar,” set for a June 28 release. The teaser and subsequent concept photos sparked debates on social media, with accusations of blackfishing due to Lisa’s darker appearance in the images. Fans defended her by highlighting her natural skin tone and blaming the photographer’s style for the look.

Despite these controversies, Lisa’s team built hype around the budget and artistic direction of the music video for “Rockstar,” which was filmed on the streets of Thailand. Reports revealed that Lisa’s team paid over $500 to each shop owner on the street to close early for the shoot, sparking further debate about the amount of money given.

The “Rockstar” music video, released on June 28, impressed fans with its high budget and artistic direction. However, the song itself received mixed reactions, with some praising the beat but criticizing the repetitive lyrics and structure. A line in the song, “Lisa, can you teach me Japanese?” also confused listeners, leading to various fan theories.

Accusations of plagiarism soon followed, with Chinese designer Yu Yang claiming that a star-shaped top worn by Lisa in the music video was copied from her design. Lisa’s team issued an apology, resolving the issue. However, British director Gabriel Moses also accused Lisa’s team of copying a scene from Travis Scott’s “Fiend” music video. The accusations gained traction when Moses claimed that Lisa’s team had previously contacted his editor and used “Fiend” as a reference.

Additionally, Lisa faced accusations of payola after users reported receiving notifications from her TikTok account despite not following her. There were also claims that her music video was categorized under “People & Blogs” on YouTube instead of “Music” to generate more revenue. These accusations were later disproven by fans.

Despite the controversies, Lisa’s career continues to thrive. She has announced new music, joined the 2024 Global Citizen Festival lineup, and “Rockstar” debuted at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking another milestone in her solo journey.