“Meant to be a hit with or without Bruno” – Fans react as BLACKPINK’s Rosé reveals demo ‘APT’ version amid claims Bruno Mars drove its success

On September 22, 2025, BLACKPINK member Rosé appeared on The Howard Stern Show. During the appearance she discussed her song APT and shared the original demo version, revealing insights into the song’s creation.

During the interview, Rosé played the demo, which she labeled as "APT 1.0", directly from her phone by placing it near the microphone. The demo featured different lyrics from the released version, although it begins with the same lines.

In the demo, she sings in Korean, “Chaeyoung’s favorite random game, random game, game start!” and then chants “APT” repeatedly. Though these two lines are same in the released version, the following first verse in the demo version diverges completely from the official release. In APT 1.0, Rosé sings:

“I'll be up in Room 17, cherry pick me from your favorite dream. We've been taking seven days a week, but you can't hold my body through the screen. So you should leave your friends back at the bar. The night is so young, I got what you need. You can go and call yourself a car, and don't tell anyone, you're gonna meet me at the APT.”

The reveal drew significant attention online, with fans praising the song’s composition and expressing admiration for Rosé’s work. The discussion came amid ongoing debate over the song’s global success and the extent to which Bruno Mars’ involvement contributed.

Some credited the hit largely to Bruno Mars, a narrative that intensified after Rosé received the VMA Song of the Year award. By sharing the demo, Rosé highlighted her creative input, prompting fans to rally in support.

Many argued that APT had strong potential from its inception and that its success cannot be attributed solely to Bruno Mars. The internet response emphasized the singer’s role in shaping the song, with one comment reinforcing,

“The way everyone says this is good. apt. was meant to be a hit with or without bruno. and it's her OWN song!”

Fans quickly flooded social media to praise her creative role in the song and pushed back against claims that its success was primarily due to Bruno Mars. Many highlighted that the track had strong potential from the very beginning and praised her for crafting it herself before any external collaboration.

Fans continued to share their thoughts online after she played the demo version of APT, with many praising her songwriting and musical talent. Many admired her musical talent, the creative collaboration with Bruno Mars, and expressed a desire to see the demo version officially released.

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Rosé’s APT. becomes global hit, wins song of the year at 2025 VMAs, sets Spotify records

During the interview Rosé described the creation of APT. as a spontaneous and playful process that began during a casual studio session. She recounted how a simple drinking game chant, which she was teaching others, became the inspiration for the song.

Initially, she wasn’t sure anyone would take it seriously, but after sending the track to her label where Bruno Mars was also signed he immediately connected with it. According to Rosé, Bruno understood the song’s energy and elevated it with his musical contributions. She recalled feeling amazed saying,

"He took it and then he just knew what to do with it. And I just, I'm still in shock to like what he's done with it [...] It's incredible what he did with it. And then he gets the guitar and then creating this really like, this rock feel to it. He puts that Bruno flavor in it. He picks up the guitar and then he gets on the drums and then adds all this to it. And I remember the outro, he starts adding these sounds and it's just like euphoric. "

APT., the lead single from Rosé’s debut solo album Rosie, has become a global sensation since its release on October 18, 2024, via The Black Label and Atlantic Records. The collaboration with Bruno Mars has won Song of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the first Korean artist to receive the honor.

The song draws inspiration from a Korean drinking game, where players chant “APT” while stacking hands in a circle. It also plays on the dual meaning of “APT” as shorthand for “apartment.” Its catchy production and cultural references have garnered praise from both critics and fans.

APT. upon it's release topped charts in over 50 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Indonesia, Norway, and Taiwan. It also spent 12 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Global 200, becoming Rosé and Mars’s second number-one single and the longest-running chart-topper of 2024.

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Meanwhile, all the members of BLACKPINK are preparing to continue their Deadline world tour. After a brief one-month break, the Asian leg will begin in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 18 and 19, 2025, before moving on to Bangkok, Jakarta, Bocaue, and concluding in Singapore.

Edited by Adrija Chakraborty