Ready for a little bit of sour with your sweet? Lady Gaga will release her highly anticipated new album Chromatica on May 29, and one day prior, she surprised fans with one of the most exciting collaborations on the record: “Sour Candy,” featuring K-Pop superstars BLACKPINK. The group — Jennie, 24, Lisa,, 23, Rosé, 23, and Jisoo, 25 – added their own special flavor to the track and it tastes just like you expect it would: amazing! The song is upbeat and fun, with lyrics like, “I’m hard on the outside, but if you give me time, then I could make time for your love,” and “Come unwrap me, I’ll show you what’s me, close your eyes, don’t peek, now I’m undressing, unwrap sour candy.”
Ahead of Chromatica’s release, there was speculation that “Sour Candy” could be the breakout hit that not only gives Gaga another platinum record, but it could also be BLACKPINK’s biggest showing on the US Billboard Hot 100. BLACKPINK earned its first Top 40 entry on the Billboard 200 in 2018 with its Square Up EP, according to Forbes. It peaked at No. 40, and the lead single, “Ddu-Du Dhu-Du,” peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 (though, it eventually surpassed 1 billion music video views.) Their 2019 ep, Kill This Love, reached No. 24, and the title track got closer to the top of the Hot 100 by reaching No. 41. However, there hasn’t been any new music since Kill this Love, which has left their fans (aka Blinks) wanting more. A multi-pronged campaign followed, with Blinks demanding better promotion from the band’s management company, YG Entertainment. YG finally relented and announced that BLACKPINK’s debut full-length album will arrive in September.
Though Gaga didn’t mention them by name, she mentioned about how she’s in a position to use her role and power to help raise the next generation of music superstars – like BLACKPINK. “I love all these younger artists. I’m there for you. I love you. I am not in competition with anyone,” she said in her chat with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “I want everyone to win. I support. I want to support and love, but that’s how I feel about the world, Zane. Just generally I feel that my rebellion in life is to be kind like to almost an annoyance to people.”
It wasn’t an annoyance when Gaga confirmed BLACKPINK’s presence on Chromatica. Though the album’s tracklist leaked early in 2020, Gaga made it official in April, and Blinks were hyped, to say the least. “Can’t think of anyone more iconic in the pop scene than Lady Gaga and no one as iconic as Blackpink in Kpop… and you’re telling me these two are collaborating.. the world isn’t ready #GAGAPINK.”