Thai superstar Lisa of BLACKPINK joined the likes of Post Malone, Doja Cat, Rauw Alejandro, and Jelly Roll as a headliner for Global Citizen in Central Park Sept. 28, and fans are still gushing over her performance.
LISA made her first solo festival performance at the Global Citizen music festival inside of Central Park’s Great Lawn, where swarms of fans arrived in the early morning hours just to get a chance to see the K-Pop idol up-close. Many of them choosing to be drenched from head-to-toe due in the downpour told amNewYork Metro that it was all worth it to see Lisa.
Audrey Reynolds, a devout K-Pop fan, was amazed by Lisa’s energy, admitting that she screamed and danced the entire time.
“I was worried that the rain was going to make it difficult for people to enjoy the show but the second she went on that stage… everyone forgot about the bad weather,” Reynolds said. “My favorite performance was ‘New Woman’ and how they used the chairs to create a dance break to fill Rosalía’s verse! She made her Global Citizen performance special and didn’t just do the basic routine performance.”
Lisa’s Lillies, the name she gives to her supporters, were treated to her chart-topping hit “Rockstar,” “New Woman,” “Lalisa,” and “Money.” While fans were able to throw their hands in the air and singalong in the rain, Lisa made sure to provide a special surprise, showcasing her unreleased new track “Moonlit Floor,” which is set to release on Oct. 3.
“I loved her surprise song! We all know she is an amazing rapper but her singing voice is soft and angelic. It’s a good change from her most recent songs and I loved how she sampled Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” which I think older fans like myself enjoyed. I’m excited to see what her next step is, and I can’t wait to continue supporting her work,” Reynolds gushed.
Despite waiting hours in the deluge, Lillies hugged their ponchos closely trying to gain a bit of warmth as they screamed, “We’re here for Lisa!”
Mary Padiernos traveled from New Jersey and said she was in it for the long-haul to see Lisa.
“Lisa was definitely the main reason why I waited that long in the rain, such a huge fan of hers and BLACKPINK! I know her performances are definitely worth the wait,” Padiernos said.
Angel Polito made the trek from Long Island for Lisa, who was one of the defining factors to take part in the 6-hour festival.
“She was a major factor in my decision to attend. I had actually got the tickets long before she was announced to perform because I had the premonition that she would be announced, and I also was holding out hope Jin from BTS would be Chris Martin’s special appearance,” Polito said, adding that it was actually Ed Sheeran who was the Cold Play frontrunners guest singer. “I loved [Lisa’s] unreleased song because it revealed a new musical direction she wishes to explore…It was really nice to hear Lisa utilize her vocals more and reveal a softer side to her rockstar persona.”
While those in attendance were rocking out with Lisa, the Daily Mail reported that there are many who claimed that the performance was marred by “bad lip-syncing.”
K-Pop journalist Isabella Salant who covered the performance disagrees, stating that between the rain and camera lag were conditions that may have made it difficult for streamers to get the full effect of Lisa’s performance which she describes as energetic and fun.
“As someone who attended the Global Citizen Festival in person, Lisa’s performance stood out among the rest and a real pop sensation. So many people in the audience were there just to see her, and even on social media she was the talk of the town,” Salant said. “I’ve seen her receive criticism for lip synching recently, which is something I usually pay attention to while watching an artist. At a large-scale festival like this, especially given the weather conditions and the fact that it was being streamed live, it makes sense to have a loud backtrack to drown out the noise – but she was definitely still singing.”
