The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

bitenewmusic Images courtesy of Satellite414 I nternational multi-faceted global superstar, fashion icon and K-pop phenomenon Lee Chae-rin known as CL has released her solo debut album Alpha. She first exploded onto the K-pop scene at the age of 17 as the front-woman of the girl group, 2NE1. As the writer and co-producer of the band’s 2014 hit album Crush , CL quickly distinguished herself as a promis- ing versatile crossover artist, helping the album to become the highest-charting and best-selling Korean album in US Billboard 200 history. Following several sold-out world tours with the group, the singer embarked on a long speculated solo career in 2016, marked by the release of her first smash single ‘Lifted’ from her solo debut album which garnered over 33 million YouTube views and landed her a US TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden. After a three-year recording hiatus and a show-stopping per- formance at the 2018 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, she returned to the spotlight in 2019. The In The Name of Love album chronicled her private years following the release of ‘Lifted’. In addition to this, she received the ‘2019 People’s Choice Award’ for The Most Inspiring Asian Woman and became a two times nominee for TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. A genre-bending artist, CL has collaborated with the Black Eyed Peas and Lil Yachty, and performed with the likes of Skrillex and Diplo, electrifying their sets at the Ultra Music Festival and Hard Summer festivals. This fall, the singer embarked on a new era with the release of widely successful lead singles ‘SPICY’ and ‘Lover Like Me’ in anticipation of her full-length project. Her album Alpha debuted at #3 on the U.S iTunes Charts and #1 on both the Pop and K-Pop charts as well as nabbing the #1 spot on iTunes’ overall Album Charts in nine different countries. The artist continues to pave the way for Asian women in music, utilising her platform, 12M combined to empower them to push past cultural and industry barriers. CL can also be seen in season 2 of the popular FX series, Dave, which premiered this June 2021. www.chaelincl.com/music CL - Let It