Lisa released her debut solo album 'Alter Ego' on Feb 28, 2025. Photo: Lisa/Instagram
Finding fame in a group doesn’t always guarantee solo success, but Thai sensation Lisa is proving to be the exception.
As a member of K-pop powerhouse Blackpink, Lisa, 27, has amassed over 40 billion on-demand global streams, scored nine Billboard Hot 100 hits and played some of the world’s biggest stages.
As a K-pop soloist, she’s the first to win both the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards, the first to surpass a billion streams on Spotify and the first to perform on the Oscar stage.
With nine Guinness World Records under her belt, Lisa also reigns as the most-followed K-pop artiste on Instagram (105 million).
Lisa won the MTV Video Music Awards for Best K-pop in August 2022. Photo: Blackpink/X (formerly Twitter)Despite her success, the singer-rapper, whose real name is Lalisa Manobal, remains grounded, constantly seeking new ways to push creative boundaries.
Last month, she unveiled her first solo album Alter Ego, offering fans a glimpse into distinct facets of herself.
In an online media conference attended by StarLifestyle, Lisa revealed that the album had been in the works for a year and a half.
“I started by trying stuff I hadn’t done before – (experimenting with) new styles, new colours of Lisa, and finding the right song.
“Turns out, I can do so many styles, so why not bring the many colours of Lisa into one album? I thought that’s a fun concept, and here we are,” she said.
The project features five personas: Roxi, the rock star; Sunni, the carefree lover; Kiki, the adventurous spirit; Speedi, the risky daredevil; and Vixi, the unapologetic baddie.
Lisa's favourite alter ego is Vixi, the unapologetic and fearless baddie. Photo: Lisa/InstagramWhen asked which alter ego resonated with her the most, Lisa admitted that all five were close to her.
“I’m just being a girl. Girls have their moods and are different every day, so I guess these five are all me.”
But if she had to pick one, it would be Vixi, whom Lisa described as the main character of her 15-track album.
“Vixi’s fearless, and we have a lot in common. I want people who listen to this album to feel confident and empowered,” she said.
Breaking boundaries
Fearless is a word that perfectly describes Lisa.
When it comes to music, she refuses to play it safe, always trying to bring something fresh with each release.
In Alter Ego, Lisa goes from hard-hitting rap anthems like Elastigirl to soulful gems such as When I’m With You and Dream.
While she effortlessly fuses intensity with emotion throughout Alter Ego, striking the perfect balance wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t want the songs to be too different from one another. It was hard to find a middle ground and the right title track for this album,” she said.
Lisa’s creativity doesn’t stop there.
She’s expanding her Alter Ego universe with Alter Ego: The Official Comic – a 56-page graphic novel that brings to life her five personas.
Not only did the K-pop star author the story, but she’s also launching it under her own company Lalisa Comics, in collaboration with American media company Zero Zero Entertainment.
The graphic novel, illustrated by Japanese artist Minomiyabi, ships out March 24.
Destined for stardom
Born Pranpriya Manobal, Lisa changed her name to Lalisa at the advice of a fortune teller when she was 13 – just as she was auditioning for YG Entertainment, the agency behind major K-pop acts like Big Bang and 2NE1.
She once recalled being told that the name change would bring her prosperity – a prediction that proved true when she passed the audition a week later.
Out of 4,000 hopefuls in Thailand, Lisa was the only one to make the cut, becoming YG’s first foreign recruit.
Training in one of the most competitive systems in the industry was an uphill battle, especially since she couldn’t speak Korean.
On top of navigating an unfamiliar culture, she had to cope with the loneliness of being away from her family in Thailand.
“I didn’t think I’d make it,” she admitted in her 2020 Netflix documentary Blackpink: Light Up The Sky.
“I was on the verge of letting go, but I had to keep fighting. I had to give it my all. I didn’t care how long it would take. I said, ‘Bring it on! I don’t care anymore!’”
Lisa’s resilience paid off when she finally made her debut as a member of Blackpink in 2016, alongside Jisoo, Jennie and Rose.
As part of the quartet, Lisa has lent her signature rap flow to hits such as Boombayah, Kill This Love, How You Like That and more.
Her solo era came in 2021 with the record-shattering EP Lalisa, whose eponymous title track became the most-viewed music video by a solo artiste on YouTube in 24 hours (73.6 million).
The Money hitmaker kept the momentum going with other singles like Rockstar, New Woman (featuring Rosalia), Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me) and Born Again (featuring Raye and Doja Cat).
Jack of all trades
But Lisa’s more than just a pop sensation.
As a global fashion icon, she has served as the face for luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Bulgari and Celine.
In 2024, she stepped into the world of entrepreneurship by launching her own management company Lloud.
Reflecting on the experience of being her boss in our online conference, Lisa said: “I think it’s a huge challenge to do this.
“I’m just so lucky and happy to have my own creative space and a supportive team. Whatever I suggest, they’re just like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”
In mid February, Lisa gave acting a hand with a supporting role in the third season of the award-winning HBO series The White Lotus.
She plays Mook, a health mentor at the titular resort in Thailand who shares a budding romance with security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong).
The K-pop star made her acting debut as Mook in the third season of HBO's 'The White Lotus'. Photo: Handout
“It’s super new to me,” she said of her latest career move. “I’m so happy and lucky that I can do music and acting at the same time.”
Despite being new to acting, Lisa has received much praise from her co-stars. Fellow actor Patrick Schwarzenegger described her as “a natural-born star” while co-star Catherine Hook said Lisa’s acting left the cast members impressed.
To add to her impressive work ethic, Lisa used her time off from The White Lotus filming in Thailand to record her album, though finding time to unwind was hard.
“It’s really tough... I actually recorded the album in Thailand, Seoul, Miami and Los Angeles, so it’s everywhere,” she said, before adding, “My schedule last year was so packed.”
Despite the hectic celebrity lifestyle, Lisa wouldn’t trade it for anything else, stressing that she’s blessed to be able to do what she loves.
As for whether she prefers acting or singing, Lisa can’t just choose one.
“They’re two different things. I love singing and acting is really fun for me too, so I’d love to do both, if I can.”
Alter Ego is available on all music streaming platforms. The White Lotus S3 is available on Max and HBO (Astro Ch 411/unifi TV Ch 401), with new episodes out every Monday.
