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When the Hallyu wave crashes into the heart of Western music media, you know something historic is happening. In May 2022, BLACKPINK pulled off exactly that, landing the cover of Rolling Stone and becoming the first K-pop girl group ever to grace the iconic American magazine. For Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, it was more than another milestone, it was global recognition that a Korean girl group could sit at the very center of pop culture conversation.
A First in More Than Two Decades
BLACKPINK's appearance on Rolling Stone wasn't just a K-pop milestone, it was a milestone in the magazine's own history. They became the first all-female group on the cover since Destiny's Child in 2001, and only the third girl group ever to do so, following the Spice Girls in 1997. The four members also became just the second all-Asian act in the history of the magazine to claim the front page. The cover story, titled "How BLACKPINK Went From Strangers to Sisters to Pop Supernovas," was written by journalist Haeryun Kang and ran in the June 2022 issue. The photoshoot took place in Seoul on April 9, 2022, captured by Korean-born fashion photographer Peter Ash Lee.
Sisters Before Supernovas
The interview gave fans, known as Blinks, one of the most personal looks they had ever received at the four members. Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa opened up about their years as YG Entertainment trainees, when they lived together in a three-bedroom dorm, shared two rooms, played Rock Paper Scissors over the single bathroom, and survived monthly evaluations that decided who would stay and who would be sent home. Rosé recalled crying in the bathroom and then heading straight back to practice. Lisa spoke about calling her mother in Thailand wanting to quit, only for her mother to ask her to hang on for one more year. What emerged from those years was not just a girl group, but a family, which is the throughline of the Rolling Stone feature.
Four Members, Four Luxury Empires
Outside the stage, each BLACKPINK member is now the face of one of the world's biggest luxury houses, an achievement no other group has matched. Jennie is the global ambassador for Chanel and has been nicknamed "Human Chanel" by fans for the way she wears the brand at fashion weeks and brand events around the world. Lisa was personally chosen by Hedi Slimane as the first ever global ambassador for Celine, beginning in September 2020. Rosé became the global ambassador for Saint Laurent in June 2020, fronting the brand's Fall 2020 campaign shot by David Sims. Jisoo was named Dior's global ambassador for both Fashion and Beauty in March 2021, with Maria Grazia Chiuri citing her as inspiration for Dior's Fall 2021 collection.
Jisoo and the Dior Era
In the Rolling Stone feature, Jisoo, the eldest member, came across as thoughtful and grounded. She was the only member yet to release solo music at the time of the interview, and she spoke openly about her hesitation. "I'm not sure how much I want to go solo yet," she said. "The music I listen to, the music I can do, and the music I want to do, what should I choose?" Her partnership with Dior continues to define her solo image, with the brand styling her for everything from Paris Fashion Week appearances to global ad campaigns that helped Dior's recognition skyrocket among younger Asian consumers.
Rosé, the Voice and the Saint Laurent Face
Rosé, BLACKPINK's main vocalist with a voice fans call golden, also stepped into a leading role in luxury fashion through her work with Saint Laurent. Her first campaign for the brand under creative director Anthony Vaccarello was shot by David Sims in June 2020, making her the first Korean ambassador to front a ready-to-wear luxury campaign for the house. In the Rolling Stone interview, she talked about returning to her guitar after a long break, experimenting with new recordings on her iPad, and figuring out who she wants to be as a solo artist after the success of her 2021 single "On the Ground."
Lisa, Celine, and the Hip-Hop Heart
Lisa is the only non-Korean member of BLACKPINK, born and raised in Thailand. She is the group's main dancer and rapper, and her 2021 solo single "Lalisa" blended EDM, rap, and traditional Thai instruments. Her single "Money" later dethroned Drake on Billboard's Rap Digital Songs Sales chart. In the Rolling Stone interview, she opened up about a stretch of self-doubt between 2017 and 2018, when she could not sing in the studio. Outside music, she has anchored her fashion identity as Celine's first global ambassador under Hedi Slimane, a role she has held since September 2020. The black and white Celine portraits Slimane shot of Lisa helped redefine how the world sees K-pop fashion influence.
Why the Rolling Stone Cover Mattered
For Korean music fans, BLACKPINK's Rolling Stone cover wasn't just one more accolade in a long list. It was a moment of validation that K-pop girl groups had finally crossed into the same level of cultural recognition long held by Western pop royalty. The South Korean president even credited cultural exports like BLACKPINK for "giving hope and happiness to many around the world." Combined with their record as the most-followed music act on YouTube, their arena tours in the United States, and their collaborations with stars like Lady Gaga and Cardi B, the cover sealed BLACKPINK's status as one of the defining pop groups of their era.
What Comes Next for BLACKPINK
At the time of the Rolling Stone interview, BLACKPINK were recording new music underground at YG's headquarters, preparing for their long-awaited second studio album. Since then, their reach has only grown, with sold-out world tours, headlining slots at Coachella, and continued solo projects from each member. As Jennie told Rolling Stone, "Even if we're 70 and we have different lives, I'll still feel like I'm Blackpink. It's a part of my family. You can't deny your family." That family, and the Blinks who follow them everywhere, are why a Korean girl group on the cover of Rolling Stone now feels less like a surprise and more like the start of a new normal.
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