Biography of Ailee
Amy Lee, popularly known as Ailee, is an American singer and songwriter based in South Korea. With the booming digital success in South Korea, Ailee released four studio albums, six EPs and twenty-one singles, where six of her tracks topped five on the Gaon Digital Chart.
Following a short span at Muzo Entertainment, New York City, in 2010, she moved to South Korea and signed with YMC Entertainment. In 2012, she debuted her first single ‘Heaven’, which topped number three on the Gaon Digital Chart.
For the tracks ‘U&I’, ‘Singing Got Better’, ‘Mind Your Own Business’ and for ‘If You’, she won four consecutive ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’ for ‘Best Female Vocal Performance’ from 2013 to 2016. Her 2017 single ‘I Will Go to You Like the First Snow’, the soundtrack of the television drama series ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God’, won multiple accolades. It was the most digitally successful song of the year as well as the best-selling record in movies and dramas in the Korean sound record market.
Early Life and Education
Ailee was born on 30 May 1989 in Denver, Colorado and grew up in New Jersey. Before moving to Leonia, she attended Palisades Park High School. She is a graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School and later joined as a communications major at Pace University. She dropped out to pursue a career in music. She was initially under Muzo Entertainment where she collaborated with diverse artists like Johnnyphlo and Philadelphia-based rapper Decipher. She created two YouTube channels ‘mzamyx3’ and ‘aileemusic’ to promote and popularise her singing on the web.
In 2010, she participated in a music label audition through her uncle’s connections before moving to South Korea. She sang Big Mama’s ‘Resignation’ for the audition and was spot recruited for YMC Entertainment. She featured in the label’s Wheesung song ‘They Are Coming’ during her training at the label. She sang the song ‘Catch Me If You Can’ by Decipher and Jay Park. For the MBC’s Chuseok special episode of Singer and Trainee, she featured along with Wheesung in 2011. She performed Beyoncé ‘Halo’ and won first place.
Career
On 9 February 2012, Ailee released her debut single ‘Heaven’ for her extended play ‘Invitation’. The music video of the single featured Gi Kwang of Beast. The single won the ‘Rookie of the Month Award’ at the 2012 ‘Cyworld Digital Music Awards’. The single ranked number three on South Korea’s Gaon and K-pop Hot 100. She released her debut extended play ‘Invitation’ on 16 October 2012.
The album contained 6 tracks and was released under YMC Entertainment. The title track was titled ‘I Will Show You’ and the production was managed by Kim Do-hoon, Lee Hyun-seung, Park Guen-tae, Duble Sidekick, and Wheesung. The featured artists in the album include Verbal Jint, Swings and Simon Dominic. The album topped number ten on the Gaon Album Chart. For two consecutive weeks, the album debuted at number two on the K-pop Hot 100.
Ailee for her successful career in the music industry was nominated and won multiple awards. On 12 July 2013, She released her second extended play under YMC Entertainment and Neowiz Internet. The EP’s title track was titled ‘U&I with the singles ‘U&I’, ‘Rainy Day’, and ‘No No No’ were used to promote the EP. The title track topped various domestic charts within the hour of release. The title track ranked number one on the Gaon Digital Chart for two weeks. On 19 March 2014, she released her Japanese version of the song ‘U&I’, the second single she released in Japan. On 6 November 2013, she released her Japanese – version of ‘Heaven’ and ‘Starlight’ under the label Warner Music Japan.
On 6 January 2014, she released her single titled ‘Singing Got Better’, which is an R&B and rock ballad. The single had a high audience reception and commercial success. It topped number one on the Gaon Digital Chart. At the 2014 ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’, the single won the ‘Best Vocal Performance’.
On 25 September 2014, she released her third extended play ‘Magazine’. She co-wrote four of the album’s five songs including the title track. For the single, she collaborated with long-time producer Kim Do-hoon and the Korean rap twosome Dynamic Duo. The promotion of the extended play was through the song ‘Don’t Touch Me’. The single won the ‘Digital Bonsang’ at the 2015 ‘Golden Disc Awards’.
Ailee’s first solo concert was titled ‘Fatal Attraction’ at the Olympic Hall, Seoul, South Korea in 2015. Different artists joined her for her concert and she sang and collaborated with artists like ‘Shut Up’ with Showry, ‘Like Nobody Knows’ and ‘Comma 07’ with Cheetah, ‘Wash Away’ and ‘Officially Missing You’ with Geeks, ‘NimA’ and ‘Shower of Tears’ with Baechigi, and ‘Touch My Body’ and ‘Let’s Go Travel’ with Shin Bo-ra.
‘Vivid’, Ailee’s full-length album was released on 30 September 2015 under YMC Entertainment and was distributed by LOEN Entertainment. For the third consecutive year, Ailee was awarded the ‘Best Female Vocal Award’ at the 2015 ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’ for ‘Mind Your Own Business’.
She was one of the judges for Superstar K 2016. On 23 August 2016, she released her single ‘If You’ from the album ‘A New Empire’. On 5 October 2016, she released her EP ‘A New Empire’, which ranked number ten domestically and number nine internationally. She received the ‘Best Vocal Performance’ for the fourth time, at the 2016 ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’ for the single ‘If You’.
With the American single ‘Fall Back’, she made her international debut under the label WestSide Entertainment under the alias A.Leean on 7 January 2017. She also released the ballad, ‘I Will Go to You Like the First Snow’ for the South Korean cable television series ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God’. She won the ‘Best OST Award’ at the 2017 ‘Korea Cable TV Awards’.
With the success of the concerts held in Seoul, on 1 April 2017, Ailee held her first nationwide tour titled ‘Welcome Home Tour’ which started in Daegu. Ailee also held concerts in Taiwan and California. At the closing ceremony of 2018, the Paralympic Winter Games at the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, Ailee performed ‘I Will Show You’. For the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, North Korea, Ailee was chosen as a member of the South Korean cultural delegation on 14 September 2018.
Ailee’s second nationwide tour was titled ‘I Am: Ailee’. Ailee’s second studio album ‘Butterfly’ was released on 2 July 2019, with the lead single ‘Room Shaker’. Through her Instagram account, Ailee officially announced the start of a new firm named ‘Rocket3 Entertainment’ after eight years with YMC Entertainment.
Ailee released her first English-language single under the American label Sun and Sky Records on 13 December 2019. On 6 October 2020, Ailee released her fifth extended play ‘I’m’ with the lead single ‘When We Were In Love’. The single was directed by Will Kim and was released on 12 October 2020. Ailee released ‘Blue Bird’ on 8 November 2020 for the South Korean drama Start-Up. The sixth extended play was titled ‘Lovin” released under Rocket3 Entertainment on 7 May 2021.
The EP has a total of six tracks with two lead singles ‘Make Up Your Mind’ and ‘Spring Flowers’. On 22 July 2021, she joined as the first official artist at The L1ve. With ‘Don’t Teach Me’ as the album’s title track, Ailee released her first English full-length album, ‘I’m Lovin’ Amy’. She released her English studio album ‘I’m Lovin’ Amy’ on 7 March 2022.
Achievements
Ailee, a successful American singer and songwriter, has captured the audience as a solo artist, featuring on television shows and concerts. She is notable for her successful career in the music industry, she is nominated diversely and won several awards. The soundtrack ‘I Will Go to You Like the First Snow’ has won many achievements, including Seoul International Drama Awards, the Mnet Asian Music Awards, the Melon Music Awards, the Seoul Music Awards and the Golden Disc Awards.
Her award credits include: ‘the Best New Artist Award’ at the ‘Seoul Music Awards’, ‘Melon Music Awards’, ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’, and ‘Golden Disk Awards’, as well as the ‘New Female Solo Artist Award’ at the ‘Gaon Chart Music Awards’. At the ‘pre-show of the 55th Grammy Awards’, Ailee was honoured by ‘Mnet America’ with the special ‘Mnet America Rising Star Award’ award. Here are some of her notable achievements:
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At the 2012 ‘Asia Song Festival’, she won the ‘Best New Artist Award’.
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In 2015, she won the ‘Artist Award’ at the ‘Cable TV Broadcasting Awards’.
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For the 2013 ‘Gaon Chart Music Awards’, she won the ‘New Female Solo Artist Award’. The same year at the ‘Golden Disc Awards’, she won the ‘Best New Artist Award’.
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In 2018, ‘Korea Best Star Awards’ she won ‘Korea’s Best Singer Award’.
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She won the ‘Grand Prize Award’ at the 2013 and 2014 ‘Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards’.
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She won the ‘Singer of the Year’ at the 2015 ‘Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards’.
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At the ‘Melon Music Awards’, she won the 2012 ‘Best New Artist Award’ and in 2013, the ‘Top 10 Artist Award’.
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At the 2012 ‘Mnet Asian Music Awards’, she won the ‘Best New Female Artist’.
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She won the 2013 ‘Mnet Rising Star Award’ at the ‘Mnet Pre-Grammy Awards’.
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In 2014 at the ‘SBS Awards Festival’, she won the ‘Best Female Solo Award’ and ‘Top 10 Artist Award’.
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She won the 2013 ‘New Artist Award’ at the ‘Seoul Success Awards’ and in 2016 ‘Best Female Dance Performance’.
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At the 2013 ‘Seoul Success Awards’, she won the ‘Artist Award’.
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At the ‘So-Loved Awards’, she won the 2012 ‘Best Female Rookie’, and 2013, and 2014 ‘Best Female Solo Artist’.
Credit: Pinterest
Personal Life
Amy Lee is a Korean-American singer and songwriter. She prefers to be known by her stage name Ailee. She grew up in New Jersey, USA. She has a younger brother and she bought her parents a large house in Northern Virginia in 2017.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
Ailee’s net worth is estimated to be around $1-2 million US dollars.
Awards
- Asia Song Festival (2012)
The Best New Artist Award (2012) - Cable TV Broadcasting Awards (2015)
The Artist Award (2015) - Gaon Chart Music Awards (2013)
The New Female Solo Artist Award (2013) - Golden Disc Awards (2013)
The Best New Artist Award (2013) - Korea Best Star Awards (2018)
Korea’s Best Singer Award (2018) - Korean Culture and Entertainment Award (2013, 2014)
The Grand Prize Award (2013, 2014) - Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards (2015)
The Singer of the Year (2015) - Melon Music Awards (2012, 2013)
Best New Artist Award (2012)
Top 10 Artist Award (2013) - Mnet Asian Music Awards (2012)
The Best New Female Artist (2012) - Mnet Pre-Grammy Awards (2013)
Mnet Rising Star Award (2013) - SBS Awards Festival (2014)
The Best Female Solo Award (2014)
Top 10 Artist Award (2014) - Seoul Success Awards (2013, 2016)
New Artist Award (2013)
Best Female Dance Performance (2016) - Seoul Sucess Awards (2013)
The Artist Award (2013) - So-Loved Awards (2012, 2013, 2014)
Best Female Rookie (2012)
Best Female Solo Artist (2013, 2014)
Interesting Facts about Ailee
- Her favourite colour is pink.
- Her biggest dream is to build an Ailee school.
- Heer fans are called Aileean (Aliens).
- She bought her parents a large custom home in Northern Virginia in 2017.
- She starred in the hip-hop reality music show ‘Good Girl’.
- She is known as the ‘Korean Beyoncé’.
FAQs
- When is Ailee’s birthday?
She celebrates her birthday on 30 May. - How old is Ailee?
As of 2023, she is 34 years old. - What is Ailee’s English name?
Her English name is Amy Lee. - What is Ailee’s Instagram ID?
‘@Aileeonline‘ is her Instagram ID with 1.5 million followers. - What happened to Ailee?
As per the information, in 2022, she parted ways with her former agency THE L1VE.
