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Capa CL (Foto:  ATOM Studio)

Capa CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

Released just over a month ago, ALPHA, CL's first solo career album, marks a new era in the life of one of the most important names of South Korean culture. The 30-year-old singer is a role model when addressing empowerment, influence and impact on the K-Pop industry. Lee Chaelin, as she is also known, has gained world notoriety as one of the members of the 2NE1 group.

The quartet – formed by CL, Dara, Bom and Minzy – debuted in 2009 and gained a legion of fans with their hit I Am The Best two years later. The huge success has earned several awards, critical acclaim and started – along with other names – to popularize K-pop as we know it today.

2NE1 has sold over 66 million albums worldwide and has nearly 2 billion views on its YouTube videos. Even with their global popularity and the potential for more growth, the group disbanded in 2017. On the other hand, the end did not erase or diminish the importance of 2NE1 to the musical genre.

"It was hard for me to see it [2NE1's impact on K-pop's history] when I was in it [the group]. But I look back and think about how we were the ones who wore sneakers on stage and dressed differently from the standard K-pop idols back then, and I am proud of that", says CL in an interview for Quem in her first magazine cover in Brazil.

As a soloist, CL already showcased her power with her solo singles – The Baddest Female, Doctor Pepper and Hello Bitches, released from 2013 through 2015 – and further increased her audience through collaborations with Diplo, Skrillex, Black Eyed Peas, G-Dragon and Epik High, among others. The expectations of those who followed her since 2NE1 only grew. In 2016 CL was defined as the "future of K-pop in America" by Time magazine.

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

Total artistic creativity and career management freedom – long-awaited by CL and her fans – came in 2019, when her contract with the previous company ended. Despite being free, the artist ended up postponing the release of her first full-length album. The 11-track album is CL's rebirth on her own terms.

The singer started her own label – Very Cherry – and worked through all the details in the project to explore her potential. Producing the record was intense and painful. CL was dealing with the group's disbanding and the ups and downs of her new career in the United States. Amid the expectations and preparation for a new, utterly authentic era, she lost her mother. The grief was translated into a song, Wish You Were Here, released in February 2021.

"I think in 2020, coming out of the K-Pop system and getting to finally really share my stories with my fans, that was the beginning. That's why I called it a rebirth. Because now I have the creative freedom [to do what I want]. I'm an independent artist right now and I released my first album with my team as an independent artist, and that was a statement [of this new beggining]", she explains.

"I've never wanted to disappoint my fans, so having to push the album back and let them down was tough"

"I've never wanted to disappoint my fans, so having to push the album back and let them down was tough. But I must trust my gut and not rush for anyone. The most rewarding part is feeling like I took the necessary time and now I can finally share 'ALPHA' with all my fans. ALPHA is about choosing love over fear. That's where I kept my focus while showing different aspects that my fans haven't seen before."

Let It stands out among the tracks so much that even got its own music video after the album was released. The song is about dealing with hardships and believing in yourself, reminding us what CL has faced up to this point. She told her fans that the song would be a 2NE1 reunion and even played a snippet with Dara and Bom in the vocals. The reunion, which did not happen due to the difficulty of organizing agendas, has not been ruled out.

"When I first heard 'Let It,' I felt like I could hear their voices in it. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish it because Minzy couldn't be in it. But just to be in a song together made me feel nostalgic, and it felt good to be back with the girls. I would love to finish that song and share it with my fans if I can, bu we'll see", says CL.

Like most K-pop idols, CL got into the industry very early, when she was only 16 years old. At the time, she suffered body shaming and was pressured to go through plastic surgery – which still happens, and not only within the South Korean music industry. She never avoided the matter, however. On the contrary, CL has always been sure of herself and her message to the public. Her artistic persona was one of the main tools to keep her confidence and values from being shaken.

"'ALPHA' is actually about CL and Chaelin finding balance together and going through that. It's about your choices. Whatever it is, if it's your choice, that's what I want to support. I want people to feel like it's okay to say no if it's not your choice. Going through that… I'm human, so whenever someone judges you based on how you look, not knowing the story or the other side of it, it sometimes gets to you. But you are you. And that's what 'Let It' expresses a lot. Everything I went through there and what I felt."

Asked about defining CL as a shield, the singer explains: "CL has always been confident on stage with this untouchable attitude. But the truth is I am shy and it takes time for me to open up and be comfortable. [The armor] is more like CL helped Chaelin to be resilient on stage in the past and less about protection."

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

BACK TO THE STAGE
A month after ALPHA's release, CL performed her first show in three years at the Head In The Clouds festival in Pasadena, California. The performance had 13 songs and a stage presence acclaimed by fans and the public. No wonder she's the alpha.

"I wouldn't change anything. My past is an important part of who I am today. I've learned so much from every experience and I've grown as an artist. When I create new songs, I visualize myself performing them on stage. I imagine myself dancing and I add fashion and other layers on top of that. Fashion is so important [to me] because it helps bring the mood or attitude to life and helps me show the emotions I am expressing in the lyrics", she says. She's sincere when it comes to the pressure of being a pop music reference.

"There are no Asian solo artists on MTV and I’ve always wanted to change that. That's what keeps me going"

"Growing up, I never saw a pop artist that looked like me. There were no Asian solo artists on MTV and I’ve always wanted to change that. That's what keeps me going. I wouldn't call it pressure; I would call it motivation," she said.

To meet the industry demands, CL says that she always had her family around. She spent part of her childhood and adolescence in France and Japan. She says her grandmother had a significant influence on who she is today. "I think I get a lot of confidence from my grandma. She's always reminded me that I will get through it no matter how hard it is. She's taught me there is nothing I am not strong enough to achieve.

ALPHA is a detailed diary about CL. In its 34 minutes of music, she presents her truths (like in Let It), her frustrations (Chuck is about being surrounded by fake people), her identity (Spicy's opening is performed by actor John Malkovich, a friend), and also her future. As she sings in several verses, CL is flying and absolutely nothing, or no one, can stop her.

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

CL (Foto: Mok Jung Wook)

CL (Foto: Mok Jung Wook)

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

CL (Foto: ATOM Studio)

Photos: ATOM Studio and Mok Jung Wook
Styling: Juju and KNCStudios
Beauty: Park Tae Yun and Lee Hye Young
PR (Brazil): Build Up Media and HQ Music
English adaptation: Andre Euphrasio