"APT." by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars // Song Review

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ROSÉ of BLACKPINK and Bruno Mars from APT. music video

"APT." by ROSÉ stands out as a major highlight from her debut solo album, rosie, which was released in late 2024. As a member of the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK, ROSÉ embraced a bold and experimental approach for the start of her solo journey, as the rest of her bandmates have as well. This was the lead single of rosie, released alongside the announcement of her solo album, which went on to become one of the biggest global hits of all time. 

It has a strong pop punk vibe to it, which is mostly an outlier compared to the rest of the album, but serves as the perfect introduction to ROSÉ as a solo artist. With her solo debut, she experimented with so many new styles of music that showcased her versatility as an artist. Much of the album feels like a culmination of influences such as Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez and Avril Lavigne. I have really enjoyed hearing all of the new music each member of BLACKPINK has released over the past few months, and the unique approach they each take in their respective solo careers. 

The chorus of "APT." is a repetition of the Korean word "apateu" or "아파트", which translates to "apartment" in English. "'APT.' is actually my favorite Korean drinking game that I play with my friends back home," ROSÉ said in an interview with Stereogum. "It's so simple, puts a smile on your face, and breaks the ice at any party. One night in the studio, I taught my crew how to play the game. Everyone was fascinated, especially when I started the chant, so we played around with it, and I said we should make a song out of it... and after Bruno joined the track, the rest became history!"

Bruno Mars' feature on this song elevated this song to new heights, their voices complement each other so well. I especially love the way they harmonize when they sing the pre-chorus together, "Don't you want me like I want you, baby? Don't you need me like I need you now?" ROSÉ and Bruno also collaborated with a great group of producers and songwriters on this track, including Cirkut, Omer Fedi, Rogét Chahayed, and Amy Allen, among others. Together they created a song that is bold and infectious, with a playful melody that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head all day. 

Upon its release, "APT." was a massive success, which spent 19 weeks and counting at the top of the Billboard Global 200, as of March 2025. It is the second number one single for both ROSÉ and Bruno Mars. It was also the longest-running number-one single of 2024 on the global charts as well. 

"APT." is a such a fun and unique ode to her Korean heritage, beautifully translated into a globally resonant pop anthem. While "APT." has been such an inescapable hit for the past several months, I finally listened to the rest of her debut album and truly fell in love with so many of the songs. From pop punk anthems like "APT." to heartfelt ballads, she explored so many different styles on rosie and I'm very excited to hear where she goes next. 


Check out more from my song of the week series here. ☆ Thanks for reading! 

-Melissa ♡




 Photo Credit: ROSÉ, Atlantic Records




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