Highlights
- BLACKPINK member Jennie marks a creative shift with her new single, replacing performance-heavy pop tunes with a more lo-fi, intimate sound.
- Her packed global festival circuit has already introduced Less than a Lover to thousands of fans ahead of its official release.
- As Jennie’s personal brand, OA Entertainment, continues to grow, her upcoming solo release could test the company’s commercial power.
BLACKPINK’s Jennie is all set to release her new song Less than a Lover on July 24, 2026 at 01:00 P.M. KST, through her self-founded company Odd Atelier (OA Entertainment). The track steps away from Jennie’s usual high-octane, choreography-driven releases, representing both a stylistic shift and a strategic test.
The song reportedly is built around sounds of lo-fi guitar lines and a vintage electric keyboard, alongside the usage of more subdued vocals, aiming for an intimate tune instead of stadium-ready pop. According to the agency statement cited by The Korea Times, Jennie took an active part in co-writing the lyrics and directing the music video, while also contributing to overall production.
Festival Exposure Builds Release Momentum
The release lands amid a multi-continent festival run. Notably, Jennie has already performed the track across Europe and North America, including sets at Denmark’s Roskilde, Spain’s Mad Cool, Poland’s Open’er, and the Governors Ball in New York. She is scheduled to continue this run next month with appearances at Lollapalooza Chicago and Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026.
Jennie’s Solo Venture Drives Growth
Jennie's trajectory is a prime example of K-pop’s emerging hybrid model, who utilize their parent labels for group work while owning solo IP through self-managed agencies. Since founding OA Entertainment, Jennie has built the company into a lucrative enterprise. Regulatory filings show the company generated ₩23.8 billion (~ $16 million USD) in revenue in 2025, driven by endorsement deals, broadcast appearances, live performances, and music releases.
Apart from her financial independence, Jennie also maintains a massive digital footprint. She currently commands almost 50M monthly listeners on Spotify. Notably, her total catalog on the platform has amassed over 7.8B streams to date, according to fan-tracked Spotify data.
Less than a Lover will also be closely watched as it comes after Jennie's first solo release, Ruby. Reportedly, her popular single from the album Like Jennie, reentered the Billboard Hot 100 post her 2025 Coachella performance, showcasing how live entertainment can help elongate the commercial run of a release.
