BLACKPINK’s LISA Returns to Her Rap Roots With ‘SaWaDiKa,’ Tops MelOn Ahead of October EP
BLACKPINK member LISA has released “SaWaDiKa,” the hip-hop-driven lead single from her upcoming six-track EP “Press Play,” marking a deliberate return to her rap roots ahead of the project’s full release on October 23 via LLOUD Co. and RCA Records.
Released on September 3, 2026, the track takes its title from the Thai greeting “sawatdee ka,” a nod to LISA’s Thai heritage that runs throughout the rollout for “Press Play,” which the singer, born Lalisa Manobal, has described as her most personal project yet, tracing her journey from her hometown of Buriram to global stardom. Produced by Thom Bridges, known for his work with acts including Katseye and John Summit, alongside songwriting duo Ojivolta, “SaWaDiKa” sees LISA delivering confident bars centred on fame and identity over a thumping hip-hop beat, reasserting the rap-forward style that first defined her solo breakout.
The accompanying music video, directed by Korean director Bang Jae Yeob, was shot across a series of iconic locations in LISA’s native Bangkok and features the star in a succession of striking looks, including a red cut-out leather bodysuit paired with boxing shorts emblazoned with “SaWaDiKa” in rhinestone lettering, alongside a futuristic blue-toned outfit and jewelled headpieces, with the visual also incorporating elements of Muay Thai styling throughout its high-energy choreography sequences.
The single’s release capped off a carefully built promotional campaign that began weeks earlier with the launch of the “Hello Sawadika” global campaign website, which featured the word “Hello” displayed in eleven languages, alongside billboards spotted around Bangkok landmarks such as Siam Paragon ahead of the official announcement. The rollout generated substantial early engagement, with the track’s teaser reportedly becoming the most-viewed K-pop female soloist music video teaser on Instagram within its first 24 hours, while the single itself climbed to the top of real-time search rankings on South Korean platform MelOn following its release.
“SaWaDiKa” arrives as the first of three overlapping BLACKPINK member solo releases within a matter of days, following bandmate Jennie’s “Fallen Angel” on August 28 and preceding Jisoo’s “CLICK,” released the day after LISA’s single, underscoring a particularly active stretch for the group’s individual members. The single also follows the premiere of LISA’s documentary “Always Lalisa” at the Toronto International Film Festival, running September 10 to 20, with the film set for worldwide theatrical release on October 12, just ahead of the EP itself.
Beyond the EP, LISA is set to make history as the first K-pop artist to headline a solo residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, with her “Viva La Lisa” show scheduled for four dates in November, a run that reportedly sold out in under ten minutes. Taken together, the single, documentary, EP, and residency mark one of the most ambitious solo stretches yet for the BLACKPINK star, following her 2025 debut album “Alter Ego,” which became the first K-pop solo album to surpass one billion Spotify streams.
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