“First Love” – iTunes Top 10 Soul Albums
US #3
Canada #2
New Zealand #2
Sweden #3
Australia #3
Italy #4
Japan #2
LEE HI made her official debut as YG Entertainment’s first female teenage solo artist in October 2012 with her hit song “1, 2, 3, 4.” The retro-soul inspired song debuted at #1 on Billboard’s K-pop Chart and simultaneously on all of South Korea’s music charts. It was an unprecedented feat for a rookie artist, one that ultimately helped her claim various “Rookie of the Year” awards in her home country.
The fresh-faced 16-year old returned with her debut album “First Love,” which was released in two parts on March 7th and March 21st. LEE HI showcases her vocal talents throughout the 10 songs that make up the R&B, blues, soul and jazz influenced album. The first single from “First Love” is the jazzy, bouncy break-up song, “It’s Over.” The accompanying music video draws from the single’s light-hearted sound and highlights LEE HI’s youthful, playful side, complete with a giant dancing blue teddy bear. The music video for “It’s Over” has already hit over 3 million views on YouTube in the short few weeks since its release.
For the album’s second single “Rose”, LEE HI trades in the whimsical sound of “It’s Over” for an up-tempo, bass heavy beat, over which she sings of the more serious side of love. LEE HI’s performance on the Teddy Park produced track highlights her ability to command different genres with her vocal talents. The music video is nearing 2 million views on YouTube in its first week of release.
Yang Hyun-Suk, President of YG Entertainment and the album’s Executive Producer, based the album’s artistic direction onLEE HI’s strong, soulful vocals and the distinctive characteristics that make LEE HI unique and help her stand out from her K-pop counterparts. The making of “First Love” was a true YG family affair, with Epik High’s Tablo contributing as a writer on 3 songs and YG songwriter/producers Choice 37 (BigBang’s “Bad Boy”, G-Dragon’s “One of a Kind”) and Lydia Paek (2NE1’s “Lonely” and “I Love You”) adding their musical flavor to the mix.
LEE HI got her start on the South Korean reality TV talent competition program K-Pop Star, where she gave standout performances of Duffy’s “Mercy” and Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. Although she did not win the competition, her natural talent and unique charm resonated with YG label-head Yang Hyun-Suk, who serves as a judge on the show. He ultimately offered her a contract and she joined the YG family in 2012. LEE HI quickly began building a dedicated fan-base beyond the K-Pop Star audience when she provided feature vocals on the 2012 Epik High single “It’s Cold.” The song was an instant hit,hitting #1 on all of South Korea’s music charts.
LEE HI recently performed with Big Bang’s G-Dragon at his sold-out solo concert in Seoul and is currently gearing up to be a guest performer during label-mate PSY’s April 13th concert in Seoul, Korea. The entire concert will be streamed live onYouTube.
