The 29-year-old singer first rose to fame in 2016 as a member of the K-Pop sensation, Blackpink. An instant fan favorite, she struck out on her own two years later and, in 2019, was named an official Chanel ambassador by the late Karl Lagerfeld. Jennie’s superstardom was so evident that she soon became known as Korea’s “sell-out queen”—in a good way. Anything Jennie touches, wears, or holds will likely sell out instantly, no matter the price tag.
Usually, in early March, you’ll find Jennie in Paris at fittings ahead of Chanel’s fall ready-to-wear show. But this season was different. For the first time during her ambassadorship, rather than sitting in the front row at the Grand Palais, she’s in New York City. “It feels weird for sure,” she says, settling into the green room. “It’s the first show in a very long time I’ll be missing.” The trade-off, though, marks a major moment in her career. “There [are] so many emotions, but getting to hold my first show for the first time in LA meant so much to me,” she says. “I spent a lot of time out there working on this album, so it was really special. And it was my first theater show.” Though Jennie is used to performing in sold-out stadiums and headlining music festivals, she admits that she gets just as nervous in front of smaller audiences. That’s where her pre-show rituals come in.
