As Los Angeles was blessed with a blanket of rain, Jennie’s fans were blessed with The Ruby Experience by Jennie on March 6 and 7 at the Peacock Theater. The short and sweet tour, consisting of only four dates total, including the two nights in Los Angeles, was an “intense but intimate” look into Jennie’s debut album, Ruby, released on the 7th.
Jennie Kim does not require much introduction. As a member of the global show-stopping powerhouse girl group BLACKPINK, Jennie became a household name almost immediately after the group’s debut. BLACKPINK sold out stadiums and broke records, including becoming the first K-Pop group to headline at Coachella in 2023.
Of course, the members were just getting started: they hadn’t released their solo albums yet.
Until now.
Prior to her two performances at the Peacock Theater, Jennie invited fans earlier in the week to listen to Ruby in full at The Novo, indicating her complete confidence in the project. The intimate affair was met with warm and positive initial reactions from fans, creating immense excitement for what the BLACKPINK ace had prepared for the concert.
Fans lined up on the main floor to purchase food, drinks, and the much-awaited merchandise. The female fans dressed in an array of iconic Jennie-inspired outfits comparable to those from Paris Fashion Week that Jennie attends religiously.
Red curtains greeted the audience while they slowly settled down in their seats upon entry. Mellow jazz music echoed in the theater. The album had been out for less than a day, and already, jaw-dropping fancams from the previous night were all over TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). Quiet chatter buzzed with anticipation about what Jennie would bring to the stage.
The night began with a monologue from Jennie spoken into a dark theater, asking the audience to let go. “Take a breath, let go,” Jennie hummed, “Welcome to The Ruby Experience.”
The intro track, “Intro: Jane with FKJ” whimsically played while the red curtains slid open, fully revealing the top-to-bottom LED screens. As red bouquets swirled and filled the screens, a ballerina dressed in white appeared, dancing delicately across the stage and waving to everyone in the crowd. As the ballerina slowly approached the mirror, Jennie emerged from behind, staring back at herself while the dancer disappeared. She began to sing “start a war” with a brown fur coat, light blue tights, a white tank top, and embellished jewelry. Jennie continued the theme of intense love with “Handlebars,” laying down as blue and pink cracks spread across the LED floor. The track also featured one of her closer artist friends, Dua Lipa, and expresses being “all-in” when falling in love.
Shortly after, a group of dancers emerged, talking excitedly among themselves before Jennie strutted onto the scene. She hit a quick intermission dance break before diving into the female power anthem, “Mantra.” Jennie’s swift and sensual dance moves captivated the crowd as they screamed, “This that pretty girl mantra, she’s a stunna / Make you wanna swing both ways” back to her. Her cheeky grins illustrated clearly how much Jennie was in her element: she is K-Pop’s “It Girl” after all. The segment ended with a prolonged outro, the dancers kept up the momentum before the mood shifted to a slower tempo.
This show was distinctly different from both BLACKPINK’s performances and a typical K-Pop showcase. The Ruby Experience did not have any VCRs. Instead, it featured mood visualizers and sound mixers to set the tone for the next set of songs. It set the atmosphere perfectly and showcased Jennie’s rich musical tastes and sensibility. She is more than an idol: she’s a performance artist and musician, a fact often overlooked until now.
Jennie returned to the stage to perform a coquettish rendition of “Love Hangover.” The song captured the heart of a woman who has a constant on-and-off situationship with someone. She always returned feeling apologetic, only to say, “Oh shit. I did it again.”
Dressed in a gorgeous corset and a mini-skirt of tiny mirrors, she sashayed across the stage, dancing flirtatiously and winking at the male dancers as she zipped through them with ease. It was emblematic of Jennie’s undeniable star power as one of the top female idols in the business. She was constantly in the dating rumor mill with other top male stars and was a beacon of jealousy for many. It came with the territory, but Jennie owned it – not holding back her siren-like and playful nature.
The lights darkened again as an owl hooted, its cry echoing throughout the theater. A gray owl emerged with piercing orange eyes, enveloping the LED screens with its appearance. Jennie then appeared in a leather coat and a smaller two-piece outfit, revealing her true self to the audience. “Zen” began to play, and Jennie turned on the charisma to high. Any past criticisms of her performance ability could be put to rest with this show, and Jennie took every moment to prove she is confident, unwavering, and true to herself.
One could sense her controlled yet graceful anger behind her verse as she growled, “In the dark, I grew.” It was a powerful performance and the highlight of the show. As Jennie stared into the crowd, taking it all in, she took a long, deep breath before walking slowly back on the catwalk. The dancers dispersed, allowing the audience to see Jennie at her essence. She silenced any doubts about her ability to carry an entire show on her own, proving Jennie is at her best whenever she overcomes adversity, as evidenced by her iconic past performances.
She breezed through the next couple of songs, exuding sensuality and confident allure with “Damn Right” and “Seoul City.” While “Damn Right” featured her alone swathed in shades of red light, “Seoul City” was accompanied by male backup dancers as she caressed them in an intimate duet. The segment ended with a highlight on the dancers, giving them their well-deserved moment in the spotlight.
The energy surged as all of the dancers stormed the stage, strutting around like they owned the building. As the male dancers flipped and contorted themselves, Jennie came out with a bang with “Like Jennie,” singing, “Special edition, and your AI couldn’t copy.” The chorus was a burst of intense and fast choreography, followed by a rapid speed rap in Korean, emphasizing her rapper prowess.
This high-octane energy transitioned into a smoother and slower vibe with “with the IE (way up),” which sampled Jennifer Lopez’s 2022 hit, “Jenny from the Block.” The screens showed 2000s California motifs like a car with a black and yellow license plate that read, “Jennie.” The segment ended with “ExtraL,” a bombastic and loud hip-hop track featuring recent Grammy winner, Doechii. As Jennie let loose and embraced the moment, the cameraman captured her up close, showcasing her beauty and energy to the roaring crowd.
With the lights dimmed, Jennie took a moment to take it all in as a crowd of stylists flew in to fix her hair and makeup. She was out of breath, but she pushed on, thanking fans for attending the show.
“Thank you for believing in me,” she told the crowd with twinkling eyes. “It’s such an emotional day for me and I’m trying to keep my calm, but I feel like I’m still dreaming.”
As Jennie donned another fur coat, she introduced the next song, “F.T.S” with a dedication to “everyone who has ever felt held back and judged, and you’re just tired of all the bullshit out there.” Belting all the notes with raw emotion, Jennie put her all into the performance, almost breaking into tears by the end. It was an accumulation of her hard work, and it was cathartic for the fans who waited longingly for her solo album. There were no dry eyes in the theater because many felt it: Jennie reclaimed her power, and she was unapologetic about it.
Continuing on the theme of liberation, Jennie bared her body and soul with “Filter,” slowly stripping her outer layers to reveal a white one-piece underneath. As the crowd stared at her in awe, she danced wildly around, surrounded by her backup dancers, free from inhibitions and judgment. As the live band closed out the main show, the audience cheered.
After a short intermission, a white piano appeared for Jennie to play a little bit of “Starlight,” the penultimate song of the album and for the show. As she removed the microphone from the stand, she serenaded the crowd and continued having fun onstage with her dancers. During the last few seconds, Jennie looked into the crowd a bit longer than usual, marveling at how full the theater was. She took a few deep breaths, nodding her head in acknowledgement, almost to confirm that it was real, all of it.
The night ended with “twin,” a song close to Jennie’s heart. The song was written for a close childhood friend with whom she had grown apart. With a guitarist strumming delicately, Jennie began in a red chair before standing up to finish the heart-wrenching performance. She hugged her chest tightly as she delivered the last few lines. Then, the red curtains closed.
As the credits rolled like a film, the audience began chattering about the intimate show as they filed out of the theater. It wasn’t what anybody had expected. Jennie’s decade-long polished elegance gave way to the raw honesty that she wanted to show her fans. It was a successful visual performance, something that perfectly captured Jennie Kim as an artist. She is a fashionista, a charismatic performer, and a titan in the industry. After overcoming many misfortunes, Jennie has finally found her zen.
The mini-tour concluded in Seoul on March 15 at the Inspire Arena, and Jennie now has her sight set on her upcoming performance at 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. You can stream and purchase Ruby on all major streaming and retail platforms.