One Year of LISA’s “ROCKSTAR”: The Song That Lit a Global Fire

LISA - ROCKSTAR (Official Music Video)

June 27, 2024.

That’s the day LISA stopped waiting—and started reclaiming.

After three years in the solo shadows, after breaking away from the behemoth that was YG Entertainment and carving her lane through Lloud and RCA, she didn’t return quietly. She launched “ROCKSTAR.”

And she didn’t just come back. She burned the old map and wrote a new one—blazing hot, Bangkok-born, and global by design.

🛠️ The Build-Up: A Tease Turned Tsunami

LISA’s comeback didn’t ride on nostalgia. It rode on intent. From cryptic teasers to gritty TikTok clips, every breadcrumb was calculated. There was no label controlling the roll-out, and there were no tired formulas. LISA remained unfiltered, unpredictable, and in complete control.

By the time “ROCKSTAR” dropped on June 27 at 8 PM ET, the world was already watching. What they got wasn’t just a track. It was a mission statement.

🔊 The Sound: Hyperpop Meets Hip-Hop With Teeth

Co-produced by Ryan Tedder and Sam Homaee, “ROCKSTAR” was industrial, futuristic, and shamelessly loud. A bass-heavy cyclone dipped in hyperpop glitches, with a Tame Impala sample driving the bridge into a haze of modern psychedelia.

The result wasn’t a safe pop record. It was a genre collision. The structure of hip-hop, the chaos of hyperpop, the influence of J-hip-hop, and the soul of cyberpunk all blend together.

Lyrically, LISA stepped into the role of a global alpha. No apologies. No translations. Just flex:

“Gold teeth sittin’ on the dash, she a rockstar / Make your favorite singer wanna rap, baby, la, la…”

Tongue-in-cheek, multilingual, and loaded with cultural subtext, the bars took aim at Western monoculture, industry stereotypes, and anyone who still underestimated her.

🎥 The Visual: A Neon-Soaked Tribute to Thailand

Directed by Henry Schofield and choreographed by Sean Bankhead, the music video for “ROCKSTAR” wasn’t just a backdrop—it was a movement.

Filmed entirely in Bangkok, the video turned Yaowarat Road into a cyberpunk runway. Every shot was a love letter to authentic Thai culture—not the silk-and-lotus stereotypes, but the real Bangkok: quick, loud, layered, and alive.

The video featured 100 Thai dancers. Late-night street closures. Cameos from queer icons and transgender influencers. This was representation done right—raw, local, and proud.

And it paid off.

📈 The area saw a 15% spike in tourism.

💰 Local business surged.

📱 App use on mobile networks exploded.

LISA didn’t just film in her country—she elevated it.

📈 The Impact: History, Charts, and Global Disruption

Let’s talk numbers.

– #1 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S.–94.2 million global streams in one week– Broke the record for most streams by a non-American artist in 2024— Most-viewed K-pop solo video in 24 hours in 2024 (32.4M) – #70 on Billboard Hot 100 (her highest solo U.S. entry)—Headlined MTV VMAs, Global Citizen, Victoria’s Secret, Coachella, Amazing Thailand Countdown

And that was just the surface.

She became the first Thai artist to top the Global Excl. U.S. chart. She gave Blackpink its third solo #1, making them the only group in history with three members achieving that feat. And she won Best K-Pop at the VMAs—again.

🧠 The Debate: K-pop, T-pop, or Global Pop?

"ROCKSTAR" sparked a firestorm. Was it K-pop? T-pop? Or something else entirely?

Some critics said it didn’t qualify as K-pop due to its English lyrics, Thai roots, and lack of Korean influence. Others argued K-pop isn’t about nationality—it’s about strategy, fan culture, and high-concept media execution.

Lisa stood in the middle—a walking contradiction who didn’t care what box you tried to put her in.

And maybe that’s the point. She wasn’t trying to fit a mold. She was breaking it.

🗣️ The Critics: Divided on the Bars, United on the Bravado

Not everyone loved the lyrics. Some called them "braggadocious," "abrasive," and even "repetitive." But even the harshest critics couldn’t deny the charisma. That voice. That presence.

“It’s not poetry,” wrote one reviewer.“It’s power.”

Even when the lines drew side-eyes—like “Lisa, can you teach me Japanese?”—they sparked discourse, not dismissal. And that’s the mark of a real rockstar. You don’t fade. You ignite.

🎤 The Legacy: What “ROCKSTAR” Meant—And What It Still Means

One year later, “ROCKSTAR” isn’t just Lisa’s solo reset—it’s a case study in how to do it your way. She founded Lloud. She picked RCA. She bankrolled Bangkok. She created a product that was impossible to replicate—and didn't require it.

At a time when “authenticity” is merchandised and “global” means “Western-approved,” LISA gave us a moment that felt real. Raw. And revolutionary.

So here’s to “ROCKSTAR” at one year old. To the noise it made. The culture it shook. And in the future, it launched.

Because when the world said wait your turn… LISA said, I’m the whole damn stage.

#BossGlobalRadio 💙🖤

#LISA #ROCKSTAR

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