LISA Puts Her Thai Identity at the Centre of New Single ‘SaWaDiKa’

LISA has opened the next phase of her solo career with “SaWaDiKa,” a new hip-hop single that places her Thai identity at the centre of the release.

The BLACKPINK member released the song on September 4 through LLOUD Co. and RCA Records. It serves as the lead single from her forthcoming EP, PRESS PLAY, scheduled for release on October 23.

The title is derived from “sawatdee ka,” the Thai greeting commonly used by women to say hello. Rather than treating the phrase as a passing reference, LISA incorporates her Thai heritage throughout the song’s accompanying visual.

The music video was filmed in Bangkok and directed by Bang Jae Yeob, with locations and imagery drawing directly from the city and Thai culture. Reporting on the video has highlighted elements including tuk-tuks, Muay Thai and traditional Thai fabrics.

Musically, “SaWaDiKa” leans into LISA’s rap-focused delivery, with production from Thom Bridges and Ojivolta. The release represents a more direct return to hip-hop following her 2025 solo album, Alter Ego.

The single also arrives during a particularly active period in LISA’s solo career. Her upcoming PRESS PLAY EP is one of several projects surrounding the singer this year, alongside the forthcoming documentary Always LISA and her planned Las Vegas performances.

For LISA, however, “SaWaDiKa” establishes a more specific identity for the next stage of her solo work. Bangkok is not simply the setting for the video, while the title itself makes her Thai background part of the release’s central narrative.

With PRESS PLAY still ahead, “SaWaDiKa” provides the first clear indication of the direction LISA is taking after Alter Ego: a more rap-driven sound accompanied by a stronger emphasis on the culture and identity from which she emerged.