by Ella Okunmwendia

"Monster rookie" and "hottest newcomer" were phrases used to describe Amy Lee when she emerged onto the Korean music scene. The Korean-American singer, known by the stage name Ailee, debuted with an R&B track titled "Heaven" in 2012. "Heaven" was well received and made the charts, cementing her place as a top soloist in South Korea. 11 years down the line, Ailee is a household name in Korea and has earned nicknames such as "Korea's Beyonce," "K-pop Diva," and "Queen of OSTs." Let's dive into Ailee's career, emphasizing her pre-debut, success, artistry, and legacy.

Genesis of a Revolutionary Powerhouse

While the Denver-born artist does not recall when she wanted to become a singer, she remembers wanting to sing forever. Growing up in New Jersey, she participated in school talent shows and sang in the Korean choir at church. She continued singing while studying Journalism at Pace University in New York.

Ailee also showcased her talent through covers on YouTube and singing competitions. In 2006, she created the YouTube channel "mzamyx3," where she uploaded song covers, including Whitney Houston's "I have nothing." It also featured videos of Ailee practicing and performing in Philadelphia. Furthermore, her channel captured a milestone in Ailee's life: winning the "Vocal Category" at the 2006 Kollaboration, a talent show for aspiring Korean-American artists. She launched her second YouTube channel in 2007 after deciding to pursue music professionally. On her "Aileemusic" channel, Ailee uploaded covers of songs such as "No One" by Alicia Keys and "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. She also uploaded "Shoe Game," her rendition of Drake's "Uptown," which she described as her first release. The release was after Ailee emerged second on "The Maury Show" in 2008, after performing Rihanna's "Unfaithful."

From the Garden State to the Soul of Asia

Despite being born and raised in the United States, Ailee always wanted to "create music in the country of her roots, before any other music." She had the opportunity to make this dream come true when she received a debut offer from a South Korean entertainment agency. An elementary school student at the time, Ailee turned it down because she felt it was not the right time. Despite turning down the offer, Ailee was interested in Korea. After spending a year in her home country, she improved her Korean fluency and started listening to K-pop groups such as Fin.K.L and S.E.S. In a chat with Eric Nam on the Daebak Show, she revealed she listened to groups like Big Bang, Girls Generation, and F(x) while in the States and was a big fan of BoA and 2NE1.

Ailee had the opportunity to debut in Korea when her uncle showed one of her videos to an executive at YMC Entertainment. She then relocated to South Korea, where she auditioned for the agency, singing "Resignation" by Big Mama. Before her official debut, Ailee wowed South Koreans, announcing her presence in September 2011. She appeared on the MBC program "Singer and Trainee" as a trainee under the tutelage of singer Wheesung. Performing Usher and Alicia Keys' "My Boo" and "Halo" by Beyonce got many admiring her vocal prowess. During the show, she impressed judges, viewers, and netizens.

In February 2012, she made her much-anticipated debut with "Heaven," which became the sixth most-downloaded single of the year with over 3,220,000 digital downloads. The Wheesung-produced song peaked at number three on the Gaon Digital Chart and the Billboard K-pop Hot 100.

Furthermore, Ailee dominated the chart with her subsequent releases, such as "I Will Show You," "Room Shaker," "U&I," "Mind Your Own Business," and more. Her EPs Magazine, A New Empire, and her albums Vivid and Butterfly also held spots on prestigious charts such as the Billboard World Albums charts.

Sonic Odyssey

While the majority of Ailee’s discography is in Korean, the singer has released three Japanese singles: Japanese versions of "Heaven" and "U&I" and her rendition of Japanese group Ikimonogakari's "Sakura." Ailee's version of "Sakura" boasted new lyrics in English and Japanese. She further diversified her discography with four English tracks, including "Shoe Game" and her US debut single "Fall Back." She later released the English version of her Christmas ballad "Sweater" and "Murder on the Dance Floor" from her first English album, "I'm Lovin' Amy.

Ailee earned acclaim for her powerful vocals, emotional delivery, stage presence, and musical versatility. Over the years, she has released music across various genres, including pop, disco, rock, R&B, soul, and ballads. The singer has always made it a point to showcase a new side with each release. In a Naver interview, Ailee recalled "wanting to show a little bit of a feminine side" with her debut song "Heaven" and switching to portray a more confident side in "I Will Show You." Her vocals, which have frequently received praise from music critics for their power, range, and control, are essential to her artistry. With either heartbreak ballads or rousing anthems to self-confidence, she conveys genuine feelings through her music. Moreover, the singer's performances, described as full of energy and charisma, have also garnered praise.

Although Ailee is a master interpreter of the works of others, she is also a talented songwriter in her own right. She has co-written and co-composed some of her songs, adding a personal touch to her musical repertoire. She has written songs such as "Home," featuring Yoon Mirae, and "Don't Teach Me," among others. As of January 2022, the Korea Music Copyright Association had credited her with writing over 36 songs.

Songstress of Screen

One of the avenues through which Ailee has demonstrated her interpretation of other people's works is her soundtrack appearances. She sang her first original soundtrack (OST) in 2011 for the drama "Racing Queen" and has since sung about 27 OSTs, releasing at least one annually. She lent her voice to soundtracks from popular dramas such as "Come Back, Mister" and "Alchemy of Souls" Light and Shadow." Like her singles, some of Ailee's soundtracks performed well on the charts.

"I Will Go to You Like the First Snow" is Ailee's highest-charting soundtrack. Recorded for the tvN drama "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," the song broke many records and made history as the most streamed song on the Gaon chart in December 2017. In addition to sweeping the award for the best original soundtrack at major award shows, it became one of the longest-running songs after never falling out of the top 100 songs of the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea.

Aside from drama soundtracks, she sang the soundtrack for Disney's "The Ghost and Molly McGee, titled "I Keep Up Ending With You." Ailee also lent her voice to "Believe," the theme song for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) fourth anniversary.

Embracing Female Power

From her musical influences to some of her memorable collaborations, women have played a pivotal role in Ailee's career. The singer has cited American singers Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, and Rihanna as her musical influences. Since her pre-debut days, she covered the tracks of the songstresses, captivating her audience in the process.

In addition to drawing inspiration from legendary musicians, Ailee has worked with several female musicians on songs and live performances. In 2016, she teamed up with Yoon Mirae for the single "Home" off her Empire mini-album. Following the release of the teaser, Yoon Mirae praised her, saying, "She sang her $& off on this track." On stage, Ailee has delivered iconic performances, including her "Fantastic Duo" performance of "Heaven" with singer Hedy. Other notable performances are her "Let It Go" with Hyolyn and her "Bang Bang" rendition on Immortal Songs with rapper Youngji. She had previously performed "Bang Bang" with Korean music stars Hyolyn and Jessi.

Epitome of Korean Pride

Ailee has represented South Korea on several international platforms. Aside from performing in countries such as Uzbekistan and New Zealand, she has participated in global projects, representing South Korea. In 2020, she sang the famous Christmas Carol, "Silent Night," in English and Korean for the musical documentary "Silent Night: A Song for the World." The project featured American singer Kelly Clarkson and artists from other countries.

That same year, she participated in a song titled "Me Me We," which featured eight artists from six countries. The song served as a relief and cheer-up song for people affected by COVID-19. In 2021, she released the Korean version of "Starting Now" as part of the Disney Princess 'Ultimate Princess Celebration' project.

Discovering Amy Lee

Outside music, Ailee is a canine enthusiast and devoted friend. An owner of three dogs, she has consistently shown off her paw pals on social media, even taking Cookie to her interview with Eric Nam.

Amy Lee loves not only her woof buddies but also her friends. Known to have a good relationship with soloists Amber Liu and Eric Nam, she has always supported their releases by sharing them on social media. Aside from her besties, she has gathered her fans to check out other artists' projects.

Ailee is currently signed to Pop Music following her exit from YMC Entertainment, Rocket3ENT, and THE L1VE, respectively. She kicked off 2023 with her tenth debut anniversary concert and is scheduled to perform in Taipei in July 2023.