LALISA is LISA’s debut single album, making her the third member of BLACKPINK to debut as a soloist. Its title refers to LISA’s real name, Lalisa Manoban, sharing similarity with her fellow BLACKPINK member, ROSÉ, who had her solo mini-album called R, the first letter of her stage name.
On December 30, 2020, BLACKPINK’s agency, YG Entertainment, reported that LISA would be doing her solo debut right after ROSÉ the following year and that both their music videos were already filmed.
On August 22, 2021, the first teaser dropped in all BLACKPINK and LISA social media. The follow-up teasers and announcements revealed the release date, physical CD packages, tracklist and visuals for the single album.
Four days later, pre-orders began and the album sold over 100k pre-order copies within a day and three hours, making her the fastest female artist to achieve this in KTown4U history. On August 30, YG Entertainment reported that LISA’s pre-orders had surpassed 700k sales.
“LALISA” Q&A
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Translations
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What has the artist said about the single album?
2021 has felt like fate, like destiny. Releasing my long-awaited first solo album was truly a dream come true. I don’t think I can ever forget that. I was excited and nervous; I wanted to show who I am as an artist, as well as share the exact message that LALISA carries.
My ideas are reflected in the album, from the Thai-style melody line within the song to the music video sets, styling, album design, and choreography. I actively participated throughout the entire process, [so] personally it was an extraordinary experience. I worked hard just imagining the day I would get to showcase it and enjoy it with all my fans.
—LISA via Vogue
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Why did LISA pick these songs for her single album?
I heard “MONEY” first and told Teddy, ‘Oh my God, Teddy oppa, I have to do this song, I want this to be my solo song.’ And he was like, ‘OK, let’s do it!’ And then we heard [an early version of] “LALISA,” but the hook was another thing. Teddy had the idea to put my name in the hook. At first I was like, ‘Whaaa… I think it’s kind of weird to keep repeating my name. How’s it going to sound?’ And then we tried it, and it came out so cool. I really like it.
Continuing with the Billboard interview, Lisa said she didn’t struggle picking the songs, knowing right away which ones felt like her.
My sense is fairly specific. [Teddy] put on a few [other] demos and I was like, meh. But when I heard “MONEY” and “LALISA,” I was like, ‘These ones!’
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Why did LISA do hip-hop songs for her solo debut?
When I dance to hip-hop, it’s like, ‘This is me.’ I really like the “Pretty Savage” dance [from BLACKPINK’s THE ALBUM] — it’s very me. It’s hard, but it’s fun to do.
— LISA via Billboard
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Are there behind the scenes for the album?
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Is there artist album review or unboxing?
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Is there official animated artwork?
Yes, Apple Music featured animated artwork for this release.
