ROSÉ Becomes First K-pop Soloist to Perform at Grammy Awards Opening; ‘APT.’ Nominations Also Mark Significant Achievement

ROSÉ, a member of BLACKPINK, became the first K-pop soloist to perform at the opening ceremony of the Grammy Awards. During the 68th Grammy Awards held on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA, ROSÉ performed her collaboration song “APT.” alongside Bruno Mars.

“APT.” is ROSÉ’s debut solo single, which achieved strong chart performance by remaining on the Billboard Hot 100 for 45 weeks. The song received three nominations at the Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Pop Duo/Group Performance. This marked the first time a K-pop artist was nominated in the General Field categories, tying the record for the most nominations held by a K-pop artist previously set by BTS.

ROSÉ’s Grammy opening performance drew attention due to its well-structured choreography and bilingual presentation in both English and Korean. Footage of fans dancing enthusiastically in the front rows of the arena was broadcast live and went viral on social media, generating widespread interest.

However, ROSÉ did not win any awards during the ceremony. Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower” won Song of the Year, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” won Record of the Year, and another song won Pop Duo/Group Performance. Nonetheless, Amy Allen, who contributed to the composition of “APT.”, won Songwriter of the Year, and Cirkut, who worked on the arrangement, won Producer of the Year, ensuring that the song’s creative team received honors.

Despite failing to win an award herself, ROSÉ’s appearance as the opening act at the Grammy Awards is viewed as a clear sign of K-pop’s significantly elevated global status. It indicates that the mainstream music industry in the United States has placed K-pop artists in the most prominent slots at one of music’s highest-profile award shows.

ROSÉ released her debut solo album, “Rosie,” in December 2024, which debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. She had previously set several firsts as a K-pop artist, and at the Grammys, she continued this legacy by further solidifying the international standing of K-pop soloists.