Rosé is facing a fresh wave of criticism over her live vocals after performing “APT.” at the 2026 LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles on November 7, 2026. Clips of the BLACKPINK star’s performance spread quickly across social media, and within hours the footage had become the focal point of an intense online debate about her singing.
The backlash arrived fast and loud. Viewers who watched the raw videos questioned Rosé‘s vocal delivery, with some calling the performance shaky and others saying she should have lip-synced. While a smaller number of fans pushed back and defended the raw nature of the performance, the dominant tone in the immediate reactions leaned heavily critical — turning a prestigious gala appearance into the latest flashpoint in the ongoing debate about the singer’s live vocals.
Rosé Performs “APT.” at the 2026 LACMA Art+Film Gala
On November 7, 2026, Rosé took the stage as the official musical guest at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles. The high-profile event, which honoured filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and artist Vija Celmins, saw the BLACKPINK member perform a short set that included her global hit “APT.” (with Bruno Mars), the track “Number One Girl”, and a cover of The Killers’ “Read My Mind”, backed by a live band.
The Hollywood Reporter shared a clip of Rosé performing “APT.” on November 8, and raw videos of the performance were quickly shared across social media. Within hours, the footage became the focal point of intense online scrutiny, with viewers dissecting every note.
The LACMA Art+Film Gala is one of Los Angeles’s most exclusive annual fundraisers, bringing together Hollywood, the art world, and high fashion. Co-chaired by museum trustee Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio and presented by Gucci, the 2026 edition drew a star-studded crowd — which made the scrutiny of the night’s musical guest all the more intense.
Rosé Faces Backlash as “APT.” Clips Go Viral
The clip of Rosé‘s “APT.” performance triggered a swift and largely negative response online. One user dismissed the performance outright, writing that there was “no lip-sync, no autotune, no backtrack” and describing her delivery as “horrible vocals”. Another mocked the long-standing praise she has received, sarcastically referencing the “golden vocalist of korea” label while reacting to the same clip.
A third commenter went further, stating that fans “used to call this ‘golden vocal'” only to claim her voice and vocals were “so painfully bad”. Several users also tied the criticism to broader frustration with the song itself. One noted that “the dead crowd says it all”, arguing that people appeared exhausted of “APT.” and suggesting Rosé was pushing the track because it remained her biggest hit. The same user added that Bruno Mars had “carried” the song and claimed that with those vocals, she “just needs to hit play on the backtrack and lip-sync.”
Not everyone joined the pile-on. A smaller number of fans defended the performance, pointing out that Rosé was singing live with a band in a formal room — without the backing vocals, crowd noise, and stadium energy that usually cushion a pop performance. But their voices were drowned out in the first wave of reactions, and the criticism dominated the conversation through the day.
Rosé and the Live-Vocal Debate: Not the First Time
Criticism of Rosé‘s live vocals is not entirely new. Certain performances over the past couple of years have drawn criticism, particularly when her voice has sounded less stable or more exposed.
In December 2024, her appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge sparked mixed reactions. Alongside “APT.”, she performed a cover of Wham!’s “Last Christmas”. Some listeners criticised the performance as shaky or underwhelming, with comments questioning her technique and even suggesting she needed more vocal training.
A similar wave of comments followed in January 2025 after her performance at the Gala des Pièces Jaunes in Paris. Rosé faced criticism that her voice sounded unstable and that she struggled to hold certain notes. Later, in June 2025, her guest appearance at PSY’s Summer Swag Show also generated debate. While performing solo tracks including “toxic till the end”, some viewers felt her vocals sounded strained or off, with a portion of the conversation centring on whether she might have been dealing with illness or vocal fatigue ahead of BLACKPINK’s tour commitments.
Why the LACMA Stage Made the Rosé Backlash Bigger
Part of why this performance drew such a strong reaction is the room itself. A gala audience is not a stadium crowd. There is less crowd energy to lean on, fewer screams to fill gaps, and a different set of expectations compared with performing for dedicated fans. The formal nature of the night helps explain why a single circulating clip could spark such strong reactions.
What might pass as an energetic live moment in a stadium can sound thinner or less polished when captured in a quieter, high-profile room and shared online without the full context of the evening. Rosé was performing for an audience of film stars, artists, and fashion figures — not the BLACKPINK fans who know every word of “APT.” and sing along.
The choice of song added fuel as well. “APT.” has been inescapable since its release, and some of the criticism was aimed less at the vocals than at the ubiquity of the track itself. When a song is that big, every new performance of it invites a fresh round of judgement — and a formal gala, stripped of concert atmosphere, is the harshest possible setting for it.
The guest list only raised the stakes. The 2026 gala drew a star-studded room that included Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Garfield, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Michelle Yeoh, alongside Hrithik Roshan, who became the first Indian actor to attend the event. Performing for that audience — film stars, artists, and fashion figures rather than the BLACKPINK fans who know every word of “APT.” — meant there was no singalong to carry the night, and every note landed in a quiet, listening room.
Rosé Remains One of Pop’s Biggest Stars Despite the Criticism
Despite the recurring criticism that surfaces after her live shows, Rosé continues to stand as one of the biggest and most influential pop stars in the world. “APT.”, her collaboration with Bruno Mars, became a global phenomenon, and her solo work has kept her at the centre of pop culture through 2026.
The LACMA backlash is unlikely to dent that standing on its own. What it does show is how unforgiving the viral clip economy has become for live singers: a few seconds of raw audio, stripped of context, can define a whole evening — and a whole news cycle. For Rosé, the gala was meant to be a prestige booking, a sign of how far a K-pop star can travel into Hollywood’s inner circle. Instead, it became another chapter in the debate that follows her every time she sings live.
Whether the criticism fades or sticks, the pattern is now familiar: Rosé performs live, a clip circulates, the internet argues, and her fans rally. The LACMA Art+Film Gala was simply the biggest stage yet for that cycle to play out on.
Read more: Hrithik Roshan Makes History as First Indian Actor at LACMA Art+Film Gala 2026
Source: Indiatimes
Photos: Robbie Klinkenberg, Newsenstar1, and TV10 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY / CC BY-SA).
