For many of us, Lisa has been inescapable. The famed Blackpink member was hard at work the past year with her solo foray into the Western pop scene, from performing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and headlining the Global Citizen Festival to even taking over the stage at the 2025 Oscars.
Her trail of releases—’Rockstar’, ‘New Woman’, and ‘Born Again’—built on the charismatic and edgy image of Lisa K-pop fans know and love, showing her spunky energy was not going anywhere. The album’s concept uses five colourful personas created by Lisa: Speedi, Vixi, Roxi, Sunni, and Kiki, each embodying specific tracks in Alter Ego with their distinct feels.
With music heavyweights Megan Thee Stallion, Future, and Tyla billed as collaborators and legendary producers Ryan Tedder and Max Martin in the studio, Alter Ego is Lisa’s most ambitious venture yet—but did it pay off?
Since its release on 28 February, we’ve been putting Lisa’s solo debut album on heavy rotation to really marinate in how we feel about each song. Safe to say, we’ve found our list of favourite bops and skippable tunes.
With that said, here is our ranking of every song on Lisa’s Alter Ego.
15. ‘Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)’
While it isn’t terrible (we don’t accept any Sixpence None The Richer slander), ‘Moonlit Floor’ is the weakest song on the tracklist because it’s an almost one to one cover of the original. Apart from some cheeky lyrics about her “green-eyed French boy”, the pop ballad is just not exciting enough of a song to sit through.
14. ‘BADGRRRL’
We’re all for Lisa being in her baddie era but ‘BADGRRRL’ was sadly not it. Despite being a hip-hop rap-focused track where the singer is supposed to shine, the song feels shallow and empty. It has a cool electro-pop and hybrid trap beat but Lisa swaps out any potential for interesting rap flows for overly repetitive verses and monotonous talk-rapping. It’s also the shortest song on the tracklist too, clocking in at just 2 minutes and 12 seconds. Therefore, this filler track could’ve been left out for a tighter album.
13. ‘Rapunzel (Kiki Solo Version)’
Despite listening to the song for a few days, ‘Rapunzel’ just didn’t grow on us. Kiki is meant to be one of Lisa’s softer and laidback alter egos, and you definitely get that vibe in this song. “Hair down, feeling like Rapunzel”, the singer opens. We can see people winding their windows down while singing its anthemic chorus, but for the most part, the song still lacks the oomph that it needs to make it an instant summer bop.
12. ‘Rapunzel (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)’
Speaking of oomph, this version of ‘Rapunzel’ ranks higher because of Megan’s feature. The song picks up when the ‘Mamushi’ rapper slides into the second verse and her playful energy is palpable through the speakers. While Megan does a great job at riding the chill tempo, it was surprising to see this collaboration take this route. We can’t help but wonder if putting Megan on a darker and more powerful beat would have been the better option.
11. ‘Elastigirl’
Taking inspiration from the iconic stretchy superhero from The Incredibles, ‘Elastigirl’ is an energetic song that speaks of the singer’s adaptability and flexibility: “You can watch me hit the ground / and snap right back, that’s a metaphor for life”. Its bouncy and upbeat rhythm make it a fun song to listen to and even add to our workout playlist—in the right mood. It does have a danger of entering corny territory, which is why we’ve ranked it here.
10. ‘Lifestyle’
If we could rearrange the tracklist order on Alter Ego, ‘Lifestyle’ would have been first because it makes for a banger of an opener. When Lisa chants “Fast cars, drop tops and tank tops / Diamonds on my TikTok / That’s just my lifestyle”, she really isn’t kidding. An unapologetic anthem about living large, jet-setting across the globe, and dropping big dime, ‘Lifestyle’ is Lisa through and through. We have a feeling this is one of those songs that work better performed on stage.
9. ‘FXCK UP THE WORLD (feat. Future)’
In another case of a collaborator who didn’t quite hit the mark, Future’s feature on Lisa’s latest lead single left much to be desired because, well, he is hardly in it. Unfortunately, Future’s verse felt like it was shoehorned in as an afterthought and the track would have greatly benefited if more of his ad-libs were littered throughout.
8. ‘When I’m With You (feat. Tyla)’
Finally, a feature done right! The two pop stars have expressed wanting to work with each other on multiple occasions and we’re happy to report that the chemistry was off the roof in the studio. ‘When I’m With You’ perfectly blends Lisa’s bold seduction and Tyla’s sensual softness as the two artists riff off each other, one line at a time. The ‘Water’ singer is present throughout the song and the pair bounce off each other seamlessly in this romantic R&B pop ballad.
7. ‘Rockstar’
Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion but we didn’t love ‘Rockstar’. While we’re huge fans of the production and the visuals of the music video, the actual song is lacklustre in its meaning and musicality. Apart from one rap verse and a heavenly bridge that is way too short, you’re essentially listening to the pre-chorus and chorus on repeat. The droning, monotonous talk-rapping also strikes again here. Plus, do rockstars have to constantly remind us that they’re rockstars? Something to think about.
6. ‘Dream’
Lisa is known for her dance and rap skills, so we’re giving her major props for including a ballad on Alter Ego—and one close to 4 minutes long at that! Singing about a past love, ‘Dream’ is full of yearning as Lisa wonders how they’re doing. More of her vocal range is on display, from her lower register to falsettos and belting the highest notes fans have probably heard her sing. All in all, a solid ballad that we’ll have fun performing at the karaoke.
5. ‘Thunder’
With its heavy electro-trap influence, ‘Thunder’ is a clear standout on Alter Ego. The production and mixing on the song are great, from the heavy bass and electro-industrial elements to the hauntingly beautiful chorus. It’s just asking for a killer EDM remix! Further, the lyrics don’t focus on the usual flashy objects and instead, use the metaphor of thunder to symbolise Lisa shaking up the industry and rising to the top. With lyrics such as “I’ll take my place up ahead / No, you said I’ll never get by / Now look at me, I’m so high”, ‘Thunder’ is a self-assured and empowering anthem.
4. ‘FXCK UP THE WORLD (Vixi Solo Version)’
It’s nasty, pompous, and serving major C word. With its track heavy beat, the title track of Alter Ego demands to be heard on the loudspeakers (we highly recommend, it’s a great time). But it’s not without flaws. In some verses, Lisa sounds like she’s playing catch-up with the fast tempo and there is also a lack of variety in her rap flow. But for the most part, Lisa does a fantastic job of holding her own thanks to her charisma and high energy. We’ll be blasting this when we need to mother the F up!
3. ‘New Woman (feat. Rosalía)’
This bouncy dance pop song had everyone gagged, as the Gen-Zs say, when it first came out and still does. Exploring themes of transformation and reinvention, Lisa and Rosalia embody a new, modern woman who is unapologetically confident, resilient, and refuses to be boxed in: “Pain has come and gone again / Walked though that fire / I rediscover”. Lisa goes from hard rap verses to softer melodies whilst Rosalía lends her husky and powerful vocals in a harmonious blend. A certified bop!
2. ‘Chill’
‘Chill’ was an instant love at first listen and managed to stay at the top throughout our Alter Ego marathon. It also has one of our favourite lyrics on the album: “Can’t read my face, just call me Mona Lisa”, which cleverly likens her detached persona to the most enigmatic portraits in art history. The instrumental is incredibly catchy, chord progressions are fun, plus this type of breezy and nonchalant rap and singing style suits Lisa a lot, so much so that we wondered why this isn’t one of her lead singles. It’s not too late, Lisa!
1. ‘Born Again (feat. Doja Cat & Raye)’
Did someone say mother convention? In our minds and ears, ‘Born Again’ is the song that checks all the boxes. From its top-notch production and captivating vocals to its emboldening message of turning heartbreak into power, the disco pop song is a masterpiece till the end. It does a great job of utilising each of their strengths (Lisa’s charismatic star power, Raye’s soulful voice, Doja Cat’s melodic sensibilities) individually and together as a unit to enhance the entire track. Brava!
FINAL VERDICT
Overall, Alter Ego is showy but ultimately lacks substance. The production and visuals for the album are high quality and top-tier. However, Alter Ego is let down by its depth (or lack thereof). While the initial concept of different personas sounded interesting, the execution left more to be desired. The nuances between the alter egos are not fleshed out enough (no, putting on different wigs doesn’t count).
In trying to explore the fragments of her personality, the album loses what should be the main focus: Lisa, the artist herself. Despite a 15-song tracklist, we don’t get any closer to understanding the person behind the personas.
Alter Ego doesn’t delve deeper beyond the pop star’s love for fast cars, spending money, and shiny diamonds, which is a shame because Lisa has much more of a story to tell. Moving to South Korea as a trainee at a young age; debuting in a globally-renowned group; dealing with the xenophobia that often came with being a foreign (and specifically South East Asian) K-pop idol; the pressure of embarking on a solo career; the weight of her unfathomable fame, just to name a few.
In ‘Fxck Up The World’, Lisa boldly tells listeners, “they want the old Lisa, then listen to my old sh*t”. The thing is, there is no stark difference between ‘Money’ Lisa and ‘Rockstar’ Lisa. She has been rapping about the same themes since her Blackpink days and Alter Ego could have been a good opportunity to explore more of her artistry through her lyricism and storytelling rather than sticking to surface-level wants (that and there are only so many times we can hear about her “golden teeth” and how she smells like money).
Fortunately, this is only just the beginning for her blossoming solo career. As Lisa becomes more comfortable with exploring her musicality and finding her voice, we have no doubt that we’ll see what the talented artist is really capable of.
Rating: 2.5/5
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