JENNIE names Rihanna as the pop icon she dreams of becoming

BLACKPINK member JENNIE named Rihanna as the artist whose cultural influence she hopes to one day achieve, opening up about her career ambitions in a new interview.

In a Cosmopolitan cover story, JENNIE said Rihanna is her “North Star” when it comes to the kind of artist she hopes to become.

“Rihanna will always be my biggest dream in terms of how much influence she has over pop culture and also music culture and art itself,” the K-pop star told the publication.

“She’s so inspiring for me,” she continued. “To find that for myself would be a dream.”

JENNIE said she admires not only Rihanna’s music but also her impact on fashion, business and popular culture, pointing to her as an example of an artist who has built a distinct identity across multiple industries.

Rihanna, whose Fenty empire spans fashion and beauty, has also earned 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. JENNIE said the “Umbrella” and “Diamonds” singer represents not only musical success but also how an artist can shape culture across industries.

A cover story with six covers 

JENNIE made the comments as part of Cosmopolitan‘s Fall Style issue, for which she appeared on six different covers, each featuring a unique color scheme. In the interview, she discussed her work, her relationship with her BLACKPINK bandmates and her plans for the future.

The feature arrived during what Cosmopolitan described as “the Summer of Jennie,” alongside a global festival circuit and the release of her single “Less than a Lover.” Since debuting with BLACKPINK in 2016, JENNIE has become one of K-pop’s biggest global stars, with her profile further boosted by the success of her 2025 solo project, Ruby.

“Being honest, it was a crazy year for me, the past year. I never had the time to sit down, adapt and really embrace what Ruby did for me,” she shared. 

She added that she intentionally shut out distractions while making the album, saying, “I made sure I didn’t step out of that bubble, so I stayed focused.”

Looking ahead, JENNIE said she is prioritizing authenticity over perfection.

“I’m more in control of who’s in the studio and who I’m working with, but I’m definitely not in a space where I want to make everything perfect. If anything, I’m heading the other way, where I might sound horrible and may not be perfect, but I’m just trying to enjoy and be less serious and be me. I’m not a ‘let’s be perfect’ person right now. I’m trying to stay on a good vibe,” she said. 

Other artists JENNIE praised in the interview 

Rihanna wasn’t the only artist JENNIE praised. In an accompanying episode of Blind Date on the magazine’s YouTube channel, she also spoke highly of her “ExtraL” collaborator Doechii and fellow Chanel ambassador Gracie Abrams.

“I love Doechii. She’s just like a walking inspiration for me. Anything that she does is so creative, and I can already tell that she puts so much time and her vision in it… I was immediately drawn to all her videos and all her music from the beginning. So, I just knew deep down, like, I wanted to collaborate with her,” she raved. 

JENNIE also reflected on an essay Abrams wrote about her for this year’s TIME100 edition.

“I didn’t know she was writing this piece about me, so when I saw it, I was in literal tears, and I was actually screaming a little bit too,” she said. “It was just the sweetest thing that anyone could’ve done, and Gracie’s such a sweetheart. I’m such a big fan of her music and her as an artist. So to be able to share this generation together, so closely, I think I’m just very lucky.”