BLACKPINK’s Lisa (리사) is better known for her dancing and rapping skills, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a good set of pipes. She got to showcase her vocal abilities in her group’s slower tracks, as well as in her solo hit single “Born Again” featuring Doja Cat and Raye. That said, did you know that the idol was once asked to tone it down when it came to her singing?
Her senior, 2NE1’s Sandara (Dara) Park (박산다라), is currently serving as a mentor for MBN’s new survival show “UNDER 15”. After one of the contestants’ performances, the singer shared that the contestant reminded her of Lisa and compared their vocals to one another. Here’s what she said:

In the most recent episode of “UNDER 15”, Dara shared her feedback about one of the contestants’ performances. While doing so, she said she was reminded of her junior, BLACKPINK’s Lisa, stating that both the trainee and idol have powerful vocals. “I remember attending one of BLACKPINK’s monthly evaluations when they were trainees. They were performing on stage with handheld mics, and the [evaluators] told Lisa to turn off her mic because her voice was so powerful, so seeing you now reminded me of her back then,” she told the contestant.
That moment during the show went viral online, and BLINKs began backing up the singer’s statement about the Thai artist’s singing. Many reposted Lisa’s best vocal moments from when she was performing with BLACKPINK on tour, while others shared comments by other idols who have praised the “White Lotus” actress. Some said they were not entirely surprised by the revelation, as Lisa is known to get straight As during the monthly evaluations, something that is difficult to achieve.

However, Dara’s comments also sparked outrage among fans, who expressed disappointment in YG Entertainment, accusing them of holding their idol back. Many said that the agency should have given Lisa more opportunities to showcase her singing, while others speculated that the company was most likely the reason the BLACKPINK member lacks confidence when it comes to vocal-oriented songs, even for her solo projects.
Now that BLACKPINK is coming back for a tour and possibly new music this year, let’s hope that Lisa will get to express herself as a capable vocalist like her groupmates. Will she also perform her solo music on tour? We can only hope so.
Watch Dara’s comments about Lisa’s vocals below:
@ktlili05_97 DARA 2NE1 praises LISA for having a powerful voice« BECAUSE HER VOICE WAS TOO POWERFUL » 🔥🥹 #LISA #lisa #lalisamanobal #lilies #xh #viraltiktok #fyp
A compilation video of some of Lisa’s best vocal performances:
@liliesnyalisa #Lisa #artist #queen #alterego #singing #bornagain #wearelloud #lalisa