Throwback Thursday: Best of Yerin Baek
With one of the most distinctive voices in the K-Music industry, Yerin Baek has been a bright light among her peers since 2012. Between being one half of 15&, frequenting drama OSTs, collaborating with renowned artists, and even launching her own label, it’s no wonder she’s a resident chart-topper.
“Bye bye my blue”
Released as a single in 2016, “Bye bye my blue” is one of Yerin’s most beloved songs. Covered and recommended by many idols, the relaxed pop track shows off Yerin’s unique vocal color. The song landed on the Gaon chart at No. 3, nabbing it a nomination for song of the year at the 2017 Gaon Chart Music Awards.
“Across the universe”
In 2015, Yerin launched her solo career with her debut mini-album FRANK, featuring the title track “Across the universe.” Though the track was her first official solo venture, her characteristic jazz influence was evident from the get-go. The song is based on the 2015 movie The Martian, wherein a man is left behind on an expedition to Mars; this message clearly resonated with the public as the song was nominated for “Best Vocal Performance - Female” at the 2016 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
“I Dream” - 15&
2012 saw the debut of 15&, with Yerin paired up with fellow songstress Jamie. Despite their young age—both girls were only 15 at the time—the duo wowed listeners with their surprisingly mature voices. The song is a heartfelt tribute to their journey to debut; their struggles were not in vain as the song landed at No. 6 on the Gaon chart and No. 11 on the K-Pop Hot 100 respectively.
“Come Over” - DEAN
Though this 2017 track belongs to DEAN, it’s Yerin’s feature that really gives the song its charm. It’s not easy to hold a candle to the dulcet tones of DEAN, but Yerin makes it seem like a piece of cake, with her mellifluous voice acting as the perfect counterpart in this duet. These two powerhouses teaming up was easily a match made in Korean R&B heaven.
“Popo (How deep is our love?)”
In 2019, Yerin released her first song through her newly created label Blue Vinyl, titled “Popo (How deep is our love?).” A wholly English track, the song is full of the artist’s token jazzy inspiration, with plenty of brass to spare. “Popo” was later released on the album Every letter I sent you, which peaked at No. 2 on the Gaon chart—a particularly impressive feat considering 17 of the album’s 18 songs are in English.