BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ Earns Three Major Grammy Nominations with Bruno Mars for ‘APT.’ — A Historic First for K-pop

BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ has been nominated for three major categories at the 68th Grammy Awards — Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on ‘APT.’, making her the first K-pop female artist to enter the Grammys’ prestigious General Fields.

According to the Recording Academy’s announcement on November 7, ‘APT.’ marks the first time a K-pop song has entered the Grammys’ top-tier categories. Korean outlet YTN highlighted that following its peak at No.3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, a record 45-week chart run, and its MTV VMA win for Song of the Year, ROSÉ’s latest Grammy nod cements her global standing.

As reported by Newsen, ‘APT.’ appears on ROSÉ’s debut studio album ‘rosie,’ known for its sleek melody and emotional resonance. Bruno Mars celebrated the news by posting a photo with ROSÉ on social media, writing, ‘ROSE, look at this! Thank you so much!’ reflecting the duo’s warm camaraderie.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s animated film ‘KPOP Girls! Demon Hunters’ also scored five nominations, including Song of the Year for its OST ‘Golden,’ symbolizing K-pop’s full-fledged entry into the U.S. mainstream. Composer EJAE shared on social media, ‘It’s beyond imagination — this feels like a dream come true.’

Global media outlets lauded the achievement, with the LA Times noting that Grammy voters ‘are beginning to value K-pop for its artistry rather than fandom,’ while Forbes called the nominations for ‘APT.’ and ‘Golden’ ‘historic yet unsurprising.’ The BBC emphasized that ROSÉ is ‘the first K-pop idol to be nominated in the Grammys’ Big Four categories.’

On her official Instagram @roses_are_rosie, ROSÉ wrote, ‘I cannot believe my life. I’m still trying to process everything. Thank you so much to the Recording Academy and everyone who’s been with me. I’m feeling incredibly grateful today.’ The post garnered over a million likes and heartfelt messages from fans around the world, marking another milestone in K-pop history.