"Handlebars" is a song by South Korean singer and rapper Jennie featuring English and Albanian singer Dua Lipa. It was released to US contemporary hit radio through Columbia Records on March 11, 2025, as the fifth single from Jennie's debut studio album, Ruby (2025). It was also released to Italian radio by Sony Music Italy on March 14. The music video for the single was directed by BRTHR.
Background and release
After her departure from YG Entertainment for solo activities, Jennie founded her own record label named Odd Atelier in November 2023.[1] She signed as a solo artist with Columbia Records in partnership with Odd Atelier in September 2024.[2] Jennie released "Mantra", "Love Hangover", and "ExtraL" between October 2024 and February 2025 as the first three singles from her debut studio album.[3] On January 21, she officially announced the album's title Ruby and its release date of March 7, 2025.[4] The announcement was accompanied by a teaser video revealing the list of featured artists on the record, which included Dua Lipa.[5] Jennie had previously collaborated with Lipa as a member of Blackpink on the 2018 song "Kiss and Make Up".[6]
Jennie revealed the album tracklist on February 18, which confirmed the duet's name was "Handlebars".[7] On February 27, an album sampler video was released with snippets of "Handlebars" and other unreleased songs from Ruby.[8] The day before the album's release, Jennie and Lipa both teased the song by posting photos on Instagram of themselves posing together, with Dua Lipa wearing a crystal net dress.[9] Ruby was released for digital download and streaming alongside the single "Like Jennie" on March 7, while "Handlebars" was included as the album's fourth track.[10] The latter song was sent to US contemporary hit radio on March 11, as well as Italian radio on March 14, becoming as the album's fifth single.[11][12]
Composition and lyrics
"Handlebars" was written by Dua Lipa, Delacey, Amy Allen, James Alan Ghaleb, and Rob Bisel.[6] It has been described as a "mid-tempo", "chilled-out R&B track"[13] with a "slinky, drum-driven instrumental" evoking the out-of-control beating of a heart in love.[14] The song and its title compare falling in love to crashing a bike, with Jennie singing in the chorus: "I always go all in, all in, all in, / Over the handlebars / Hitting the ground so hard / If I’m alone, fallin’, fallin’, fallin’."[14] In her first verse, she describes the song's core message regarding her frustration of giving into love despite it hurting her previously: "Mercy / Why is it love is never kind to me? / I heard that fools rush in and, yeah, that's me / It burns me time and time again / So why am I still fixing for this frying pan." In the chorus, the duo belt "I trip and fall in love / Just like a Tuesday drunk," comparing their pursuit of love to getting tipsy on a weekday. The comparisons to alcohol continue throughout the song, with Lipa asking for "another round, another drink" before she gets "a little too buzzed on your love" in her verse.[15]
Music video
An accompanying music video for "Handlebars" was directed by BRTHR and uploaded to Jennie's YouTube channel on March 10.[16] The video depicts the two artists in a technicolor psychedelic-inspired world of fantasy and opens with Jennie lying on a circular bed surrounded by TV screens.[17] Wearing a glittery shirt over a metallic mini dress,[13] she walks through a rainy neon alleyway and freezes the rain in place with a snap of her fingers.[17] For most of the video, she lies on an electrified, heart-shaped spider’s web, symbolizing her entanglement in love and desire.[17] A glowing Dua transports in from another dimension and joins Jennie in lounging side-by-side in the spider web, which is located in a futuristic landscape filled with piles of glitchy monitors and colorful flashing lights. Near the end, the women shoot streams of shiny water from their eyes, which crash into each other and form a floating, fiery disco ball heart.[13]
Live performances
Jennie included "Handlebars" on the setlist of her concert tour The Ruby Experience, which commenced in Los Angeles on March 6, 2025 at the same time as Ruby's release.[18] She also performed the song for Billboard's Iconic Stage, which was uploaded to Billboard and Billboard Korea's official YouTube channels on March 12.[19]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Ruby[20] and Tidal.[21]
Recording
- Recorded and engineered at Paradise Sound Recordings LA (Los Angeles, California), Conway Studios (Los Angeles, California), and Ponzu Studios (Los Angeles, California)
- Mixed at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
- Mastered at Sterling Sound (Edgewater, New Jersey)
Personnel
- Jennie – vocals
- Dua Lipa – featured vocals, songwriter (Dua Lipa version)
- Rob Bisel – songwriter, producer, background vocals, recording engineer, engineer, bass guitar, piano synthesizer, drum programming, glockenspiel
- Amy Allen – songwriter, background vocals
- Delacey – songwriter, background vocals, recording engineer, vocal producer
- James Alan Ghaleb – songwriter
- Ido Zmishlany – producer (Dua Lipa version)
- Kuk Harrell – recording engineer, engineer, vocal producer
- Cameron Gower Poole – recording engineer (Dua Lipa version)
- Morgan Jones – assistant recording engineer (Dua Lipa version)
- Jelli Dorman – vocal producer, vocal engineer
- Jackson Card – engineer
- Aaron Stirling – engineer, drums, percussion
- Chris "Tek" O'Ryan – vocal producer
- James Alan – piano
- Shelby Epstine – glockenspiel
- Alex Ghenea – mix engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mix engineer (Dua Lipa version)
- Bryce Bordone – assistant mix engineer (Dua Lipa version)
- Will Quinnell – mastering engineer
Charts
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[22] | 63 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[23] | 47 |
| France (SNEP)[24] | 134 |
| Global 200 (Billboard)[25] | 21 |
| Greece International (IFPI)[26] | 98 |
| Hong Kong (Billboard)[27] | 6 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[28] | 67 |
| Japan Hot Shot Songs (Billboard Japan)[29] | 16 |
| Malaysia (IFPI)[30] | 7 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[31] | 3 |
| Philippines (IFPI)[32] | 16 |
| Singapore (RIAS)[33] | 5 |
| South Korea (Circle)[34] | 177 |
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[35] | 2 |
| Taiwan (Billboard)[36] | 4 |
| Thailand (IFPI)[37] | 8 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[38] | 41 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[39] | 80 |
| Vietnam (IFPI)[40] | 5 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 11, 2025 | Contemporary hit radio | Columbia | [11] |
| Italy | March 14, 2025 | Radio airplay | Sony Italy | [12] |
References
- ^ Peters, Michelle (December 24, 2023). "BLACKPINK's Jennie Begins 'Solo Journey' With New Label and Company OA". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (September 8, 2024). "Blackpink's Jennie Signs Solo Deal With Columbia Records". Variety. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ Aniftos, Rania (February 21, 2025). "JENNIE Calls on Doechii for High-Energy 'ExtraL': Stream It Now". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (January 22, 2025). "Blackpink's Jennie Unveils Debut Solo Album 'Ruby'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
- ^ Bernardo, Jaehwa (January 22, 2025). "Blackpink's Jennie to drop album Ruby on March 7". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ a b Gonzales, Erica (March 10, 2025). "Jennie and Dua Lipa Trip and Fall in Love on Their New Song, 'Handlebars'". Elle. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ Ki, Adelle (February 19, 2025). "Jennie Reveals 'RUBY' Album Tracklist". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ Dailey, Hannah (February 27, 2025). "JENNIE of BLACKPINK Unveils Snippets of Unreleased Songs in 'Ruby' Album Sampler: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 27, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ Dale, Alexandria (March 7, 2025). "Dua Lipa Teases Her JENNIE Collab "Handlebars" in a Crystal Net Dress". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Chelosky, Danielle (March 7, 2025). "JENNIE – "Handlebars" (Feat. Dua Lipa)". Stereogum. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Your Radio Add Recaps". Hits. March 11, 2025. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ a b Sony Music Italy (March 7, 2025). "Handlebars – Jennie, Dua Lipa" (Press release) (in Italian). EarOne. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c Kaufman, Gil (March 10, 2025). "BLACKPINK'S JENNIE Snares Dua Lipa In Her Glittery Web in Dreamy 'Handlebars' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ a b Williams, Aaron (March 7, 2025). "Jennie's Wistful 'Handlebars' Featuring Dua Lipa Compares Falling In Love To Crashing A Bike". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Kickham, Dylan (March 7, 2025). "Jennie & Dua Lipa's "Handlebars" Lyrics, Explained". Nylon. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Paul, Larisha (March 10, 2025). "Jennie and Dua Lipa Fall Under the Spell of Love in 'Handlebars' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c Ki, Adelle (March 11, 2025). "Jennie and Dua Lipa Go All in on "Handlebars" Music Video". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ Garcia, Thania (March 7, 2025). "Jennie Brings 'The Ruby Experience' to Los Angeles for a Sweet and Sultry Intro to Her Solo Era: Concert Review". Variety. Archived from the original on March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Ahn, Byeong-gil (March 13, 2025). "제니, 빌보드 출연 첫 주인공···독점 인터뷰+퍼포먼스" [Jennie, Billboard's first appearance as the main character···Exclusive interview + performance]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
- ^ Jennie (2025). Ruby (liner notes). Odd Atelier/Columbia Records. L200003175.
- ^ Jennie (February 21, 2025). "Ruby / Jennie / Credits". Tidal. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 17 March 2025". The ARIA Report. No. 1828. Australian Recording Industry Association. March 17, 2025. p. 4.
- ^ "Jennie Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Top Singles (Week 11, 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Jennie Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 11/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ "Jennie Chart History (Hong Kong Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts (Week 11, 2025)". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Shot Song – Week of 19 March 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Malaysia Chart Top 20 from 03/07/2025 to 03/13/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "NZ Hot 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. March 14, 2025. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
- ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Philippines Chart Top 20 from 03/07/2025 to 03/13/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "The Official Singapore Charts Week 11 (7 - 13 Mar 2025)". RIAS. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
- ^ "Digital Chart – Week 10 of 2025". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 11, 2025". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ "Jennie Chart History (Taiwan Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Thailand Chart Top 20 from 03/07/2025 to 03/13/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
- ^ "Jennie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Vietnam Chart Top 20 from 03/07/2025 to 03/13/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
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| Singles |
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