Song Review: Jennie (BLACKPINK) – Handlebars (ft. Dua Lipa)

BLACKPINK’s Jennie seems intent on promoting as many singles from her debut album as possible, and given how long YG Entertainment kept her music locked in the dungeon I don’t blame her one bit. With talent as notable as Dua Lipa on the track Handlebars, it makes sense to give the song a music video. After all, this is a long-gestating fulfillment after BLACKPINK featured on one of Dua’s tracks way back in 2018.

Given this pairing, I was expecting a much more uptempo song. For me, Dua Lipa is at her best when occupying the dancefloor and Jennie is most potent with material that draws upon her charisma. Handlebars is oddly mid-tempo, like a disco comedown after the party has ended. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but squanders the potential of both artists. Handlebars seeks to portray a soulful warmth through its bass-heavy instrumental and smoldering melodies. This requires a certain style of vocal. Both Jennie and Dua have instantly identifiable tones and that goes a long way toward covering Handlebars‘ flaws, but even with this added personality I’m not quite sold on the song.

When it comes down to it, Handlebars simply sounds like a pleasant b-side — connective tissue between bigger moments on the album. It works in this context, managing expectations to the point where its lilting chorus becomes a dynamic sing-along. But compared with the other high-profile duets on Ruby, the producers could have given this a weightier arrangement.

Grade: C+