Who is JENNIE? She is the BLACKPINK star who became a global solo force, the first K-pop soloist to hold a top-10 song on the Billboard Hot 100 for more than 20 weeks, and one of the most-streamed women in music right now. This JENNIE biography covers her real name, age, childhood in New Zealand, her BLACKPINK years, the Ruby album, the record-breaking “Dracula” with Tame Impala and her brand-new single “Someone To Hold.”
JENNIE Quick Facts
| Full name | Jennie Kim (김제니) |
| Born | January 16, 1996 (age 30) |
| Birthplace | Bundang, Seongnam, South Korea |
| Group | BLACKPINK (debuted August 8, 2016) |
| Labels | Odd Atelier (own label), Columbia Records |
| Debut solo album | Ruby (March 7, 2025) |
| Biggest songs | “Solo,” “Mantra,” “Like Jennie,” “ExtraL,” “Dracula” (with Tame Impala) |
| Newest single | “Someone To Hold” (November 6, 2026) |
JENNIE Biography: From Seoul to New Zealand
JENNIE was born Jennie Kim on January 16, 1996. An only child, she grew up in the Bundang area of Seongnam, just outside Seoul. Then, at age eight, after a family trip to Australia and New Zealand, she asked to stay abroad. So, a year later, she moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where she lived with a host family and attended Waikowhai Intermediate and later ACG Parnell College. As a teenager she dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. Meanwhile, she became fluent in English, which later set her apart from every other trainee in K-pop.
In 2010, at 14, her mother planned a move to Florida. However, Jennie wanted to go home to Korea and chase music instead. That same year she auditioned for YG Entertainment with a Rihanna song and joined as a trainee. Because she was shy, YG pushed her toward rap, and that decision shaped her entire sound.
BLACKPINK and the Rise of a Global Group
First, YG teased her as early as 2012, and she appeared on tracks by G-Dragon, Lee Hi and Seungri before her debut. Then, on August 8, 2016, BLACKPINK launched with the single album Square One. Alongside Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa, Jennie soon helped turn the group into the biggest girl group in the world, with a 2018 Interscope deal, Coachella appearances and stadium tours.
In 2019 she became the first Korean solo artist to perform at Coachella, during BLACKPINK’s set. Most recently, BLACKPINK’s Deadline World Tour ran from July 5, 2025, in Goyang to January 26, 2026, in Hong Kong. It was the group’s first all-stadium tour, with 33 shows, and it supported their 2026 EP Deadline and the single “Jump.”
Going Solo: “Solo,” “You & Me” and The Idol
Her solo career started early. For example, “Solo,” released November 12, 2018, topped Korea’s Gaon chart and became the first music video by a Korean female soloist to pass one billion YouTube views. Later, in 2023, she released “You & Me,” which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Global 200, and she made her acting debut as Dyanne in HBO’s The Idol, credited as Jennie Ruby Jane. Her song “One of the Girls” with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp became a sleeper hit from that series.
At the end of 2023, Jennie made the biggest move of her career, and every JENNIE biography turns on it. She founded her own label, Odd Atelier, and chose not to renew her solo contract with YG. Then, in September 2024, she signed with Columbia Records. As a result, the stage was set for a true solo era.
Ruby: The Debut Album
Ruby came out on March 7, 2025. It sold one million copies worldwide in its first week, entered the top 10 in 19 countries, and reached No. 3 in the UK, the highest UK chart position ever for a female K-pop soloist at the time. In addition, the singles tell the story: “Mantra” (No. 3 on the Billboard Global 200), “Love Hangover” with Dominic Fike, “ExtraL” with Doechii, “Like Jennie” (No. 5 on the Global 200 and No. 1 in Korea) and “Handlebars” with Dua Lipa. “Mantra,” “Like Jennie” and “ExtraL” are all RIAA-certified gold.
In April 2025 she performed the album at Coachella, becoming the first K-pop soloist to play the festival’s Outdoor Theatre. Afterwards, Ruby won Best K-pop Album at the Korean Music Awards, and on January 10, 2026, she became the first-ever Artist of the Year grand prize winner at the Golden Disc Awards.
“Dracula”: The Record-Breaking Hit With Tame Impala
Surprisingly, the song that took JENNIE to a new level is not even originally hers. Tame Impala’s “Dracula,” from the album Deadbeat, got a remix with Jennie on February 6, 2026. Almost immediately, the new version exploded on TikTok, climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200, and gave both Jennie and Tame Impala their first Hot 100 top 10. More importantly, it refused to leave: the song has now spent more than 20 weeks in the top 10, the longest top-10 run on the Hot 100 by any K-pop artist, with close to a billion streams worldwide. As of the November 7, 2026 chart, it still sits at No. 5.
2026: Festivals, Fallen Angel and “Someone To Hold”
This year has been her busiest yet, and this part of the JENNIE biography is still being written. She headlined Governors Ball in New York on June 7, then Roskilde, Open’er and Mad Cool in Europe, making her the first K-pop soloist to headline back-to-back major European festivals. After that, she released the single “Less Than a Lover” in July and the EP Fallen Angel on August 28, and Time named her one of the 100 most influential people of 2026.
Now comes “Someone To Hold,” released on November 6, 2026. Justin Tranter wrote and produced it, and it plays over the end credits of Steps, Netflix’s animated Cinderella reimagining starring Amanda Seyfried, Ali Wong and Bette Midler. The film and its soundtrack arrive on November 20, 2026.
JENNIE Best Songs
- “Dracula” (with Tame Impala)
- “Like Jennie”
- “Mantra”
- “Solo”
- “ExtraL” (feat. Doechii)
- “You & Me”
- “Someone To Hold”
In short, this JENNIE biography is the story of a shy trainee who became one of the most powerful women in pop. See where she ranks among the top 30 female singers in the world, and find more artist stories in our singer biographies.
FAQ
How old is JENNIE?
She was born on January 16, 1996, so she is 30 years old.
Is JENNIE still in BLACKPINK?
Yes. She runs her solo career through her own label, Odd Atelier, she still performs with BLACKPINK, most recently on the Deadline World Tour.
What is JENNIE’s biggest song?
“Dracula” with Tame Impala, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has spent more than 20 weeks in the top 10.
What is JENNIE’s new song?
“Someone To Hold,” released November 6, 2026, for the Netflix animated film Steps.
Photo: JENNIE in November 2023 by K-POPIT 케이팝잇 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and text added by MusiccStar.