__FORCETOC__
Baek Ye-rin (
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
:백예린; born June 26, 1997), also credited as Yerin Baek, is a South Korean singer-songwriter. A former member of duo
15&, she debuted as a solo artist with the mini album ''Frank'', in 2015. Known for her delicate and sweet vocals,
since 2015, she has had eight singles peak in the top ten on
Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
. A singer-songwriter, Baek is credited with composing and writing the lyrics for the majority of her songs, often touching on personal topics and writing from real-life experiences. In addition to her solo career, she is also the front person for Korean rock band The Volunteers and has been performing with them from 2018 onwards.
Biography
Baek was born on June 26, 1997, in
Jung District, Daejeon. While a trainee under
JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
, she spent two years living in New York where her family now lives. She graduated from
Hanlim Multi Art School
Hanlim Multi Art School ( ko, 한림연예예술고등학교) is an arts high school located in Songpa District in Seoul, South Korea.
History
Hanlim School was founded on 3 March 1962, with Lee Hyeon-man being appointed school principal. In 20 ...
in February 2016 alongside 15& member
Park Ji-min and
Kim Yu-gyeom of
Got7.
Career
2007–2012: Career beginnings
In a 2007 episode of the
SBS variety show ''
Amazing Contest Star King'', Baek performed "
Listen
Listen may refer to:
* The action of listening
* Auditory system#Central auditory system, Central auditory system listening is how the brain processes what you hear
* Listening behaviour types in human communication
Computing
* LISTEN, a Transm ...
" by
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
and was labeled a "
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythm ...
genius".
Baek Ye-rin, who appeared on the stage as a "10-year-old ballad genius", surprised the cast and viewers. After her ''Star King'' appearance, Baek decided to audition for
JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
. She performed "Listen" on the audition day, and later won the second place, behind only
2PM's
Jang Woo-young
Jang Woo-young (Hangul: 장우영; Hanja: 張祐榮; born on April 30, 1989), better known mononymously as Wooyoung, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. In 2008, he debuted as a member of 2PM, a boy band currently managed by J ...
. She spent five years (2007–2012) training in South Korea and the United States, and was called a "genius girl" for her vocal talent, skills in using the piano and fluency in the English language.
On September 27, 2012, JYP revealed Baek would debut as part of a duo along with
Park Ji-min called
15&. October 5 marked Baek's debut date and on October 7, 15& debuted with their first single, "I Dream", on
SBS ''
Inkigayo
''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
''. The duo began a four-year hiatus in February 2015 and disbanded following Park's departure from JYP Entertainment.
2015–2016: Solo debut and EPs releases
In 2015, she planned a solo album for the music style she pursued and met Cloud, a producer of
Cheeze. At the first meeting, Baek Yerin did not know Cloud, but he said that he was a fan of Baek Yerin, and later he was able to meet her with the introduction of his agency. In November 2015, Baek debuted as a solo artist with her first extended play, ''Frank'', with the lead single titled "Across the Universe". The lead song's lyrics were inspired by the film ''
The Martian''.
Baek released her first digital single titled ''Bye Bye My Blue'' on June 20, 2016. Her follow-up digital single titled ''
Love You on Christmas
"Love You on Christmas" is the second digital single by South Korean singer Yerin Baek. It was released digitally by JYP Entertainment on December 7, 2016 and distributed by KT Music.
Background and composition
Yerin announced would be releasing ...
'' was released on December 7.
2018–2019: Solo success and departure from JYP
As Baek continued to feature on songs by popular artists, she also began performing covers and her own unreleased songs at festivals. In 2018, she formed The Volunteers with members of the independent rock band Bye Bye Badman, and released their first EP, the post-grunge rock "Vanity & People". The Seoul-based rock band consists of vocalist and guitarist Baek, bassist Hyungseok Koh, guitarist Jonny, and drummer Chiheon Kim. Like the majority of Baek's post-JYP solo work, The Volunteer's lyrics are written entirely in English.
Baek released her second mini-album, ''Our Love Is Great'', on March 18, 2019. The following day, her title track "Maybe It's Not Our Fault" went to the top of all eight domestic music sites' realtime charts. ''Our Love is Great'' and lead track "Maybe It's Not Our Fault" won Album of the Year, Best Pop Album, and Best Pop Song respectively at the 2020 Korean Music Awards.
Baek also contributed to the soundtrack of the popular 2019 K-drama Crash Landing on You, with an original ballad, "Here I am Again." The song peaked at #6 on Billboard's K-pop Hot 100 chart, her highest position on the chart yet.
On September 13, 2019, Baek announced her contract with
JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
had finished, and that she was leaving to create her own independent record label, Blue Vinyl.
2019–2020: Founding of label Blue Vinyl, ''Every letter I sent you'', ''Tellusboutyourself''
Baek officially launched her own label, Blue Vinyl, on November 6, and on November 22 she released her first single through the label, "Popo (How Deep Is Your Love)"''.'' In the build up to Baek's new album, it was revealed that songs which had previously been released on her
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
would feature on the new release, as well as new, never-heard-before tracks.
On December 10, 2019, Baek released the first studio album and first double album ''
Every letter I sent you.'' with 17 out of the 18 songs being written in English. Her next single "Square (2017)" also made Baek the first South Korean artist to top charts with a song in English. The track went on to score an 'all kill', where an artist tops the daily and realtime charts of
Melon
A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit. Botanically, a melon is a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo". The ...
,
Genie
Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources)
– are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic mytho ...
,
Bugs, and
Soribada
Soribada ( ko, 소리바다) was the first Korean peer-to-peer file-sharing service, launched in 2000 by Sean Yang. The name 'Soribada' means "Ocean of Sound" or "Receiving (downloading) Sound". It was closed in 2002 by court order but continued t ...
; and the realtime charts of Flo and iChart. As well as "Square (2017)" finding success, the album also topped charts in South Korea. Baek was awarded Top 10 artist and Best R&B/Soul for her track "Square (2017)" at the 12th Melon Music Awards in 2020, as well as Best Pop Album for ''Every letter I sent you.'' at the 2021 Korean Music Awards.
In February 2020, her first solo concert, "Turn on that Blue Vinyl", was a success. As tickets for about 4,400 seats were sold out in 30 seconds, it is an example of how Baek Yerin's reputation is clearly different from before.
On December 10, 2020, exactly one year after her previous album, Baek Yerin released her second studio album ''
tellusboutyourself'', consisting of 14 tracks. The first single "0415" also came with a music video on the same day. Overall 5 music videos ("0415", "Hate You", "I'll be your family!", "I'm in love", and "You're so lonely now, so you need me back by your side again") were released along with the album. The album features a both a wider range of musical genres and lyrical themes than her previous work.
2021–present: ''Love, Yerin'' and "Pisces"
On February 16, 2021, Baek released ''tellusboutyourself (remixes)'', a digital EP featuring 6 remixed tracks.
Her band The Volunteers launched their self-titled debut album under Blue Vinyl on May 27, 2021, after previously making their music solely available through SoundCloud and
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
. The album draws influence from rock acts such as
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.”
The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
,
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
and
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
, while sonically channelling "a sense of rebellion".
On September 10, 2021, Baek released the cover album ''Love, Yerin'', featuring 6 remake tracks.
On May 24, 2022, Baek released the digital single "Pisces".
Artistry and Reception
Baek has cited
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz.
A membe ...
,
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.”
The location of oases has been of critical imp ...
,
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
,
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerfor ...
, as well as Korean artists
BoA
Kwon Bo-ah (; born November 5, 1986), known professionally as BoA, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer and actress. One of the most successful and influential Korean entertainers, she has been dubbed the " Queen of K- ...
, Light & Salt, and
Yoo Jae Ha among her many varied influences.
She named her first album as a solo artist, ''Frank'', as a tribute to
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz.
A membe ...
, whose
debut album shared the same name.
On her decision to write most of her recent songs in English, Baek explains her intentions as wanting to make her music accessible to international fans, plans for an international tour, and the influence English-language artists have had on her style and music. In a 2021 interview she mentioned that it is her dream to perform in the home countries of the many western artists that inspired her.
Whether in English or Korean, Baek is known for her candid and straightforward lyrics. On her lyrical inspiration for her most recent album, Baek cites the poetic metaphors of
Blossom Dearie
Margrethe Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She had a recognizably light and girlish voice. Profile at AllMusicDearie performed regular engagements in London and New York City over ...
and the straightforward style of Amy Winehouse as influences.
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Other charted songs
Soundtrack appearances
Songwriting credits
Music videos
Concert
Headlining concert
"Turn on that Blue Vinyl"
Ambassadorship
* Ambassador for the 5th Seoul Animal Film Festival (2022)
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baek, Ye-rin
1997 births
Living people
21st-century South Korean singers
Hanlim Multi Art School alumni
JYP Entertainment artists
People from Daejeon
Melon Music Award winners
Korean Music Award winners
South Korean female idols
South Korean women pop singers
South Korean rhythm and blues singers
South Korean singer-songwriters
21st-century South Korean women singers
South Korean women singer-songwriters
South Korean contemporary R&B singers