K-Pop singer ROSÉ’s new single “APT.” with Bruno Mars has made a historic debut, landing at #1 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart. With this achievement, ROSÉ now holds the record for the highest-peaking song by a female K-pop soloist in the US Apple Music pop genre, as “APT.” reached #24, surpassing LISA’s “MONEY” at #25.
“APT.” is the first single from ROSÉ’s sophomore full-length studio album Rosie, set to release on December 6 via Atlantic Recording Corporation. “Apt.” is a high-energy pop-punk track that’s made for sing-alongs. Imagine the infectiousness of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl,” but instead of chanting “B-A-N-A-N-A-S,” you’ll be shouting “Apartment! Apartment!”
On YouTube, “APT.” garnered over 25 million views in its first full day, while also racking up 8.5 million streams on Spotify, setting a new record for the biggest debut by a K-pop female soloist on the platform. In terms of global Spotify debuts for K-pop soloists, “APT.” secured the #3 spot with 6.85 million streams, trailing behind Jungkook’s “Seven” with 15.99 million and “Who” with 7.9 million.
On YouTube, “APT.” also became the fastest music video of 2024 to reach 40 million views, achieving the milestone in just 1 day and 10 hours, surpassing “ROCKSTAR” which took 1 day and 13 hours.
“APT.” is also on track to continue its streaming success, outpacing its first-day numbers on multiple platforms. With 1.17 million streams in the US alone, it also became the biggest debut by a female K-pop act in Spotify US history, surpassing BLACKPINK’s “Ice Cream” (1.15 million).
It’s been three years since Rosé, a BLACKPINK vocalist graced the world with her solo debut. Back in 2021, she launched her first project R, which included the hit singles “On the Ground” and “Gone.” Her unique blend of indie-rock and electro-pop, paired with her distinctive vocals, showcased her versatility and star power beyond K-pop.
Rosé reveals that the song was inspired by a popular Korean drinking game called “Apartment.” Initially unsure about writing a song around such a playful concept, she almost scrapped the track, only to realize that both she and her team were hooked on it. To honor her Korean roots, both Rosé and Mars use the Korean pronunciation of “apartment” (apateu, 아파트) throughout the song.
Co-produced by hitmakers Cirkut, Omer Fedi, and Rogét Chahayed, “Apt.” is challenging for a top 30 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 based on first day numbers. — It would become the highest-debut charting K-pop female soloist song in history.
The song pairs Mars’s smooth tenor with Rosé’s electric soprano, creating a playful yet powerful anthem. With lyrics like “Sleep tomorrow, but tonight go crazy. All you gotta do is just meet me at the apartment,” it’s clear that fans won’t need a drink to get in on the fun. This track is destined to be a standout hit.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ collaboration “Die With A Smile” has now surpassed 1 billion streams worldwide.
