Key points
- Rosé headlined the music at LACMA’s 15th Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, closing her four-song set with “APT.”
- A clip of “APT.” posted online by The Hollywood Reporter drew sharp criticism of her live, unprocessed vocals on social media.
- Fans pushed back, arguing she sang over a live band with no backing track, which is a risk many pop acts avoid.
- The set also included the first live performance of “New Trick,” her single released in September as part of Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign.
Contents
Rosé was the musical guest at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Art+Film Gala on Saturday night, November 7. Leonardo DiCaprio and LACMA trustee Eva Chow co-chaired the black-tie fundraiser, which honored filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and artist Vija Celmins. The Blackpink singer closed the evening with “APT.,” her global hit with Bruno Mars, and got a room full of Hollywood stars dancing.
Online, the reaction was less unanimous. One short video of that closing number was taken out of context and passed around, and within a day the singer’s live voice had become a debate among K-pop fans and casual pop listeners alike. Here is what happened, what each side is saying, and why this gala booking matters for an artist in between albums.
A four-song set built around “APT.” and a live debut
According to Star News Korea, Rosé played four songs at the museum on Wilshire Boulevard. The setlist mixed her solo catalog with a cover:
- “New Trick”, her latest single, performed live for the first time;
- “Number One Girl”, from her 2024 solo album “rosie”;
- a cover of “Read My Mind” by The Killers, the Las Vegas rock band;
- “APT.”, saved for the end.
Guests at the venue danced through the final song, the Korean outlet reported.
The choice of The Killers was not random. Rosé has leaned toward guitar-driven pop-rock since going solo, and her new single goes further in that direction. A stripped-down, band-backed gala set suited that sound better than the choreographed, track-heavy shows Blackpink is known for in stadiums.
Why one clip of “APT.” set off a backlash
The controversy came from a single video. As Koreaboo reported, The Hollywood Reporter shared footage of the “APT.” performance, and the clip quickly circulated on X and other platforms.
Critics focused on her pitch and breath control during the high-energy chorus. Several posts mocked her long-standing reputation among fans as Blackpink’s strongest vocalist. Others said she would have been better off singing over a pre-recorded vocal track, as is common at televised events.
Some users went after the outlet rather than the singer, accusing it of choosing an unflattering moment to post. That objection matters, because the backlash rests almost entirely on a short excerpt of a much longer set.
Rosé’s defenders point to a live band and no backing track
Her supporters argue that the clip shows exactly what live music should sound like. By their account, Rosé sang over a band at a private fundraiser, with no lip-sync, no backing vocals and no obvious pitch correction. For a song as fast and shouty as “APT.,” they say, a few rough notes come with that choice.
The same argument comes up for nearly every big pop act today. Fans increasingly expect a studio-perfect sound in concert, while many performers lean on backing tracks to deliver it. Rosé has chosen raw vocals before: live sets at festivals and on radio have earned her praise for the same unvarnished approach that drew criticism this weekend.
Neither Rosé nor her label has commented publicly on the criticism.
Inside LACMA’s Art+Film Gala, from Villeneuve to Kidman
For readers outside Los Angeles: LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, and its annual Art+Film Gala has become one of the main crossover events between Hollywood and the art world. The money raised supports the museum’s film programming as well as exhibitions, acquisitions and education work. Gucci returned as presenting sponsor this year, and Audi provided transportation, according to the museum’s announcement on October 13.
The 2026 honorees reflect that blend. Denis Villeneuve, the Quebec-born director of “Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049” and the “Dune” films, was celebrated alongside Vija Celmins, the Latvian-born American painter known for meticulous renderings of oceans, deserts and night skies.
The guest list leaned heavily toward film and fashion. Star News Korea reported that Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were there, along with South Korean actor Park Bo-gum and Ningning of the K-pop group aespa. Anya Taylor-Joy and Andrew Garfield also walked the red carpet.
Getting the music slot puts Rosé in a lineage of past gala performers that includes Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Sting, Florence and the Machine, Beck, Lenny Kravitz, Anderson .Paak, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. She already knew the room: she attended the gala as a guest in 2023.
From the Grammys to “New Trick”: Rosé’s year so far
“APT.” has followed Rosé everywhere since its release in October 2024. The song earned three Grammy nominations for the February 2026 ceremony: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. That made her the first Korean artist nominated in both of the top song categories. She and Bruno Mars opened the Grammys broadcast in Los Angeles with the song.
Her new music is heading somewhere else. “New Trick,” released on September 18, 2026, is a punchy pop-punk track that Rosé co-wrote with Amy Allen and Andrew Wells, who also produced it. Dave Meyers directed the video, which was shot entirely on an iPhone for Apple’s advertising campaign.
LACMA gave the song its first performance before a live audience, yet it was the two-year-old hit that dominated the conversation afterward. That says a lot about where Rosé stands: a global star whose biggest song still sets the bar every time she takes the stage.
What to watch next
Rosé has described “New Trick” as a standalone single rather than the first taste of her next record. She has said her second solo album should arrive in 2027, which means more live dates and TV appearances are likely to keep testing her voice in public.
Every one of those performances will be filmed, clipped and argued over within hours. The LACMA episode shows that for a pop star in 2026, choosing to sing live with a band is no longer just a creative choice. It is also a statement, and fans and critics alike will judge it one short video at a time.
