BLACKPINK, the popular K-Pop girl group from YG Entertainment, made their recent comeback with a new extended play, “Deadline,” on Feb. 27. The EP was preceded by the lead single “JUMP” and their 2025 world tour.
2026 marks the 10th year since BLACKPINK’s debut. Since their group contract renewal in 2023, the K-pop groups’ members have been increasingly focused on individual development, including solo albums, fashion and TV dramas. The individual activities, however, did not seem to break BLACKPINK as an entity. BLACKPINK is BLACKPINK – never overshadowed by “APT.” or “like JENNIE.” Today, this era defining girl crush icon has evolved to more than just musical releases.
In this comeback, listers are looking to taste the BLACKPINK flavor again. We wanted to revisit those shared fandom memories and sensations evoked by their reunion, which is already happening since their 2025 world tour.
“JUMP” came out during the tour. It is obvious that the song was made to serve live performances. The production prioritizes live experience: the mechanical, pulsating four-on-the-floor techno drum kick is what grooves with the heartbeat and puts the audience on the dance floor. It also sticks to the girl crush core of BLACKPINK — powerful, impactful, addictive, free and a little bit aggressive.
The title song, “GO,” also continues and expands the BLACKPINK core. The impactful low end of this EDM invites listeners to move with it. The use of the scratching sample in the chorus is interesting and addictive. The chorus starts with a powerful chant, and then the vocals leave space for the crazy synths to go mad. What is different is that it sounds cooler, more restrained and fashionable. Instead of a colorful splash, “GO” sounds more like a black-and-white futuristic scene.
The repeating “BLACKPINK” chant towards the end lasts for 20 seconds. Although it might sound a little awkward when played through headphones, it clearly serves for hyping up the crowd at concerts. Besides, YG seems like they are running out of English lyrics. The opening line “I’m on a mission” is also the start of the debut single of BABYMONSTER, another YG girl group. Followers of such a pioneering girl crush group may be expecting more depth and meaning of being powerful women after so many years. Sticking to some same broad slogans will make the work sound more like a mass-produced product than authentic expression.
“Me and my” evokes some old school hip-hop vibe. The usual chanting seamlessly blends into this new style, refreshing the ears while still making the crowd excited. “Fxxkboy” starts simple with some guitar chords. Some uniquely processed vocal clips, like the echoing “twice,” are interesting ear candies. The less conventional chords enrich the color of this love song and make it less boring.
“Champion” reminds you of the uplifting moment in concerts where everyone claps, sings along and perhaps cries. Same as the title track, there is a section with the “BLACKPINK” chant too. The members sing together, the simple melodic lines flowing smoothly, hitting straight to the emotional point.
The main deficiency in “Champion” is that the members’ choir sounds too soft and weak. They are singing together, but we can’t hear the youthful passion and ambition of being a champion. Instead, we might hear more fatigue or “I am just singing it to complete a commercial task” vibe — the price behind being a champion. That weakness is arguably a time stamp for their growth as well, but we might just start to wonder if the music still has the power to move us if the members themselves sound forced.
Undoubtedly, “Deadline” is very well produced, cohesive and consistent with BLACKPINK’s style. “Deadline” feels like an extension of their live performance, highlighting the fact that the group is more than music nowadays. It is a brand selling love, collective nostalgia and glamour by bringing the fans into a specific space.
When the members can possess greater artistic freedom while maintaining their commercial value individually, what is something they still want to express through BLACKPINK, except from exploiting the fandom’s emotion? Maybe the majority of followers don’t care about that; they just want to see them be together again — a fair reason for making another okay EP.
3.5/5
