JENNIE is finally giving fans the studio version of the song they have been chasing across festival grounds all summer. Her label OA Entertainment (ODD ATELIER) announced Tuesday, July 21, through its official social channels that the BLACKPINK member will release the digital single “Less than a Lover” on Friday, July 24 at 1 p.m. KST on major streaming platforms in Korea and worldwide. For international listeners, that is midnight Eastern Time on July 24 and 9 p.m. Pacific on July 23.
A single born on the festival stage
“Less than a Lover” took an unusual road to release. Rather than arriving with a conventional teaser campaign, the song was introduced live, unreleased, during JENNIE’s 2026 summer festival run. She debuted it on stage and kept it in her setlist across four major international festivals: The Governors Ball in New York, Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Open’er Festival in Poland and Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, Spain.
Short-form clips of those performances spread quickly online, and Korean outlets report that a steady stream of fan requests for an official version is what pushed the label to put the track on streaming services. In that sense, the July 24 drop is less a surprise release than an answer — the studio recording of a song fans effectively campaigned for.
What the song sounds like
According to the release announcement, “Less than a Lover” leans into a laid-back summer palette: lo-fi guitar and vintage electric keyboards form a hazy, languid texture, and JENNIE sings in a lower, more relaxed register than on her recent performance-driven singles. The official MV teaser matches that mood — a cinematic frame of scenery seen through a truck window, suggesting a road-trip romance rather than a stadium spectacle.
JENNIE’s fingerprints are on more than the vocals. OA Entertainment confirmed she took part in writing and producing the track, and she also participated in directing the accompanying music video, continuing the hands-on creative role she has claimed over her solo work since launching her own label.
Where this fits in her solo run
The single extends a busy stretch for JENNIE as an independent solo act under ODD ATELIER, the label she founded after leaving YG Entertainment’s management for solo activities. Following her first full-length solo album era, she has spent 2026 building an international live footprint, with the summer festival circuit serving as the testing ground for new material — “Less than a Lover” being the clearest product of that approach. According to Korean media reports, her festival schedule continues after the release, with appearances lined up at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Summer Sonic 2026 in Japan; OA Entertainment has not detailed those dates in the release announcement itself.
FAQ
When and where can I listen to “Less than a Lover”?
The single goes live Friday, July 24 at 1 p.m. KST (midnight ET on July 24 / 9 p.m. PT on July 23) on major streaming platforms in Korea and internationally, including the usual global services that carry JENNIE’s catalog.
Is there a music video?
A music video is part of the release, and JENNIE participated in directing it. The official MV teaser is already up on JENNIE’s official YouTube channel; exact premiere timing for the full video will be confirmed on the label’s official channels.
Is this the same song she performed at festivals this summer?
Yes. This is the official studio version of the unreleased track she performed at The Governors Ball, Roskilde, Open’er and Mad Cool 2026, released in response to fan demand.
Sources: OA Entertainment (ODD ATELIER) official announcement and JENNIE’s official YouTube channel, as reported by Hankyung, Segye Ilbo and BizEnter (eToday).
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