Following her 2019 album, In the Name of Love, a pioneer of the kpop industry, CL, recently made a long awaited comeback after her previous album left her fans—”Cheshires”—wanting more.
Being only one of the many great albums CL has released or been a part of, she puts herself back into the scenes showing new people what she is about and reminding others of her great influence in the Korean Music Industry.
Her fans long anticipated this very moment to see her on the stage again. Better known for her work while in K-pop group “2NE1,” Cheshires all over the world unite on their screens to watch the long anticipated comeback videos and trailers.
However to understand just how significant this moment is, it is important to know just how significant CL was not only as a person, but as an artist that changed and reformed the history of kpop.
“2NE1” sadly disbanded in 2016 after a great 15 years of hits one after the other. This disbandment wasn’t easy as it left fans awaiting what may come next. Their company didn’t have it any easier either.
In 2018, YG—CL’s former company—was engulfed in legal trouble and lawsuits regarding issues surrounding trafficking and drug scandals. This left many kpop fans unsure if CL was going to continue with solo projects or was just going to discontinue her musical career in its entirety.
Thankfully after much time, CL left YG entertainment and transitioned to creating more music, dropping her comeback album in 2019 titled ‘In the Name of Love’.
In the earlier half of this year, CL had an interview with ‘NYLON’ for their march issue in which she talked about her personal life and growing with her music.
“I want to keep doing what I like and show a better side.” stated CL
With 2 singles released and her debut stage on the Late Late Show with James Corden, CL is making her mark after a long awaited time not only showing her talent and musical abilities, but also her adaptiveness, style, and overflowing fierce personality.
+H₩A+
Starting off with a strong and powerful unison section to the song, this track offers an illusion of being in a concert singing along with the artist adding to the strangeness of not being able to see CL in concert. The musicality and catchiness from the very beginning of the song makes the effects of the rhythms and underlying beats more impactful. This song offers what many of her fans missed—a feel good ‘banger’ that makes people feel unstoppable.
“Haters gon hate, I’ll never change my attitude Envy, and jealous are shadows of success, C to the L, the godmother of Korean culture…”
With these lines delivered with a banging beat, listeners were in for quite a ride. Starting off with how no one could stop her and how her efforts shaped not only the South Korean Music scene, but also its pop culture overall.
Her professionalism and stage presence, as well as all the moves in her dance performance, show her experience. Furthermore the delivery of her lines as well as her attitude and flow show that she is most definitely not a stranger to the music scene. This song in many ways mirrors her past track, ‘The Baddest Female’.
The moment CL starts her flow, there is a wave of flowing emotions both nostalgic and proud rushing through the veins of fans as they are reminded of how influential she once was and how her new music will eventually transcend to this level as well, leaving no doubts that she was definitely missed.
+5 Star+
This song explores more music styles that CL doesn’t often delve into showing her more delicate and chill side. This emphasises her adaptability as an artist being able to go out of her comfort zone.
The song has unmatchable vibes with overflowing calmness that kicks worries away with one listen. If a car ride on a rainy day were to have an anthem to it, this would be it.
The lyrics invoke the feelings of not being able to get a special someone out their head and in a time where people can’t see each other, this song matches perfectly.
This song’s bridge is simply immaculate and ties incredibly with the rest of the song. The fact that the music stops for a couple of minutes during the bridge adds more depth and variance to the song. The pause adds to the idea that she expresses in the lyrics which is not being able to get someone out of their head. This song sounds as if it is an internal battle to get herself to stop thinking about someone, but still keeps on being reminded of their great qualities.
