K-pop icon ROSÉ is still riding high off the massive global success of 'APT.', her chart-topping collaboration with Bruno Mars that became the most streamed song on Apple Music in 2025. In a vibrant sit-down with Zane Lowe on The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music, the BLACKPINK vocalist opened up about the whirlwind year she's had — from solo stages to stadium shows and everything in between.
"'APT.' just did its own thing"
Talking about her unexpected hit, ROSÉ shared how 'APT.' seemed to take on a life of its own:
“It just suddenly grew its own arms and legs and then just went to Harvard and law and became a president or something,” she laughed. “I feel like the parent at home who's like on social media with my glasses on… like, ‘Oh my God, my fourth child!’”
She admitted she was hesitant to release the song at first, asking her producers to keep it under wraps while she tested it out on friends and family. “I was just like... I don't know,” she said. “But people kept texting me, saying they had it stuck in their heads. That’s when I accepted it could be my single.”
A life-changing year for rosie
ROSÉ’s debut solo album rosie dropped in 2024 and quickly cemented her place as a solo artist. A year later, she's still pinching herself. “When I’m rehearsing with my band... I realise, this is my job,” she shared. “It’s those musical moments in between that make me so grateful.”
She also reflected on how her songs continue to evolve with her: “As I’m performing it, it’s relating to my life currently in such different stories and forms... It keeps growing. And I always thought once it’s out, it’s done.”
Coldplay, stadiums, and surreal moments
Another pinch-me moment? Performing 'APT.' twice on stage with Coldplay in Korea. “Chris Martin was like, ‘ROSÉ, do your thing. I’m just here to celebrate this for you,’” she recalled.
Even Bruno Mars came prepared, memorising the Korean version of the lyrics: “He was like, ‘ROSÉ, I’m sorry, it’s going to confuse me. I’ve already practiced the other one.’ He’s such an overachiever.”
Back with BLACKPINK
After a year of solo exploration, ROSÉ returned to the stage with BLACKPINK in 2025, describing the transition as a “mental challenge.”
“I had that one year to crunch in independence... And then just like quickly adjusting again [to group life] — so much brain work all year.”
But the return was rewarding, especially with the release of the group’s latest track ‘Jump’. “I love this era of BLACKPINK,” she said. “It’s funky, fresh, and I’m obsessed with it.”
From Sydney car rides to global stages
ROSÉ also opened up about her early relationship with music, growing up in Australia and discovering everything from Korean ballads to John Mayer through her sister’s iTunes library. “Music was just entertainment in my life,” she said. “My dad just saw that and said, ‘Do something about it before you regret it.’”
She soon found herself training in Seoul — a move that would kickstart a journey no one could’ve predicted.
Listen to the full episode anytime on demand with an Apple Music subscription here.
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