A top K-Pop star, a rising global star, CL of Korean pop group 2NE1 performed at the Vogue Theatre on November 1 as a part of her North American “Hello Bitches Tour 2016.” The singer, dubbed “Baddest Female,” has been jet-setting through the US and Canada on her debut solo tour creating history as the first female solo act in Korean pop to hold a series of concerts in North America.
A rapper, singer, dancer and lyricist, CL is a multifaceted entertainer. She is also the fashion muse of Jeremy Scott and both are often seen together at fashion events. In 2014, she teamed up with Scooter Braun to advance her musical career in the American market. Her first single, “Lifted,” appeared on the Top 30 iTunes’ Hip-Hop/Rap chart within 3 hours of the release, solidifying her path to stardom.
At 8 PM on the night of the concert, fans who had been lining down the block (some since 4:30 PM) were allowed to enter the venue. At 8:30 sharp, CL rose up to the stage. In a quick succession, she performed several 2NE1 hit songs, paying homage to the group she has been working with since 2009. Among the concert’s opening numbers are 2NE1’s debut songs “Fire,” “Do You Love Me” and the song that launched them to super stardom, “I am The Best.” The first act served as a nostalgia for the fans, considering the group is now no longer complete since member Gong Minzy departed last April.
The second act had CL performing 2NE1’s slower, ballad-style songs demonstrating her versatility as both rapper and singer. Devoid of any choreography, CL stood with a microphone to deliver the songs in her token raspy, powerful voice. She proved her growth as a singer by tackling other members’ parts despite her role as the lead rapper of the group. In spite of her sore throat that day, she was able to belt the difficult notes of the songs “If I were You,” “Lonely” and “I Love You.”
The last part of the concert highlighted her works as a solo artist, both before and after her American debut. The fans went wild, the music turned up, the lighting vivid, as CL confidently rapped and danced her way through the fierce “MTBD,” sassy “The Baddest Female” and the all powerful “Dirty Vibe.” Her song “Hello Bitches” had fans jumping and singing along harder than ever, proving her power and charisma is a force to be reckoned with.
Despite the pouring rain, chilly weather and hours of waiting, nobody in the crowd left unsatisfied. In fact, the only complaint was that the concert ended. Her next Canadian stop will be in Toronto on November 14.
In the short documentary shown during the concert, she said, “I have a lot of worries about this, will I do well?”
Well, you did CL. You definitely did.