A lot of K-Pop stars’ vocals are described as “soulful,” often a product of a public relations team short on English and long on imagination. Lee Hi is one of the few artists whose voice actually lives up to that descriptor.
She debuted at a relatively young age, having made her first broadcast appearance on SBS’s K-Pop Star survival program in 2012 when she was 16 years old. Having clutched second place in the show, she would go on to train under YG Entertainment that same year, featuring on Epik High’s It’s Cold from their 99 album. Lee Hi would release 1.2.3.4 later in 2012, marking her official debut.
Lee Hi’s slightly scratchy, evocative vocals are perfect for the sultry, jazzy vibe of 1.2.3.4, and kind of remind me of some of Adele’s early work. I mean, just listen to 2010's Rolling In The Deep and tell me that Lee Hi couldn’t muster a passable cover of it. Oh wait, she has: