Yaeji
Kathy Yaeji Lee (born August 6, 1993), known professionally as Yaeji, is an American singer, DJ, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her style blends elements of house music and hip hop with mellow, quiet vocals sung in both English and Korean.
Also recorded as Kathy Yaeji Lee · Yaeji Lee · Lee Ye-ji
Yaeji
- Name
- Yaeji
- Birth Name
- Kathy Yaeji Lee
- Born
- 6 August 1993
- Birthplace
- Queens, New York City, U.S.
- Occupation
- * DJ
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- electronic
- Education
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Languages
- English · Korean
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Documentary summary
Kathy Yaeji Lee (born August 6, 1993), known professionally as Yaeji, is an American singer, DJ, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her style blends elements of house music and hip hop with mellow, quiet vocals sung in both English and Korean.
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wikidata · Q44279160 · wikipedia · Yaeji
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Yaeji • Birth Name — Kathy Yaeji Lee • Born — 6 August 1993 • Birthplace — Queens, New York City, U.S. • Genre — * Electronic • house • Occupation — * DJ • singer • music producer • Years Active — 2016–present • Label — * Godmode • XL • Website — https: yaeji.com/
Early life
Early life
Kathy Yaeji Lee was born August 6, 1993, in Flushing, Queens, as a single child in a Korean family. She moved from New York to Atlanta, Georgia when she was 5, and then to South Korea in the third grade. While living in South Korea, Yaeji switched between different international schools on a yearly basis, leading her to find friends on the Internet, where she would first discover music. She also briefly attended school in Japan before moving back to Korea. Yaeji eventually moved back to the United States to study conceptual art, East Asian studies, and graphic design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She embraced DJing as a hobby while attending Carnegie Mellon, crediting the afterhours electronic music dance party Hot Mass with her "indoctrination into nightlife." Yaeji learned how to use Traktor and began DJing at house parties. She DJed for two years before learning Ableton, making her own music and debuting on Carnegie Mellon's college radio station WRCT. Yaeji graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2015.
Career
Career
After graduation, Yaeji moved back to New York City to get involved in the music scene and to DJ. Her first single, "New York '93", referring to her year of birth, was issued on the New York City label Godmode on February 29, 2016, followed by a cover of "Guap" by Australian DJ Mall Grab that May. She had previously uploaded songs to SoundCloud, although they were removed; this included "Areyouami", which was released when she was at college. Her debut eponymous EP, including both prior singles, was released by Godmode on March 31, 2017. She began to gain attention following her first Boiler Room session in May 2017, which involved a remix of Drake's single "Passionfruit". The song was later released officially on Godmode's SoundCloud page. The first of several stand-alone singles, "Therapy" was issued in July 2017, followed by a two-track digital single, Remixes, Vol. 1, on August 1 and the "Last Breath" single on August 28. The music video for the single "Drink I'm Sippin On" was released on 88rising's YouTube channel in October 2017, quickly gaining over one million views in two weeks. On November 3, 2017, Yaeji released her second EP, EP2, to positive reviews and moderate commercial success. The video for "Raingurl" was released on November 16. Yaeji was named to the BBC's Sound of 2018 longlist in November 2017. She also performed at the 2018 Coachella Festival. In 2021, "Raingurl" made it into New York Timess T magazine Spotify playlist, "Right Here: Asian Women Artists in the West." She also performed at BRIC's Celebrate Brooklyn! music festival, where she was rushed by fans. A year after her release of "What We Drew", and a year into the global COVID-19 pandemic, Yaeji released her first collaborative work with Korean Indie band front man Oh Hyuk of Hyukoh. The release consisted two tracks: "Year to Year" and "29". Despite being artists of different genres, both artists were able to rediscover the joy that they feel when creating music because of the collaboration. Her debut album, With a Hammer, was released in April 2023. The lead single, "For Granted", was released in January 2023. "Done (Let's Get It)" followed in February 2023. Yaeji performed at Coachella 2023.
Personal life
Personal life
As of 2017, Yaeji lives in Brooklyn.
Studio albums
Studio albums
• Title — Album details — Peak chart positions • US World • With a Hammer — * Released: April 7, 2023 * Label: XL * Formats: CD, digital download, LP — 13
Mixtapes
Mixtapes
• Title — Album details — Peak chart positions • US World — UK Breakers • What We Drew 우리가 그려왔던 — * Released: April 2, 2020 * Label: XL * Formats: CD, digital download, LP — 12 — 15
Extended plays
Extended plays
List of extended plays, with selected chart positions • Title — EP details — Peak positions • US Elec. Sales • Yaeji — * Released: March 31, 2017 * Label: Godmode * Formats: Digital download — — • EP2 — * Released: November 3, 2017 * Label: Godmode * Formats: Digital download — 5
Singles
Singles
List of singles • Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Album • JPN Over. • "New York '93" — 2016 — — — Yaeji • "Guap" — — • "Noonside" — 2017 — — • "Feel It Out" — — • "Therapy" — — • "Passionfruit" — — — EP2 • "Drink I'm Sippin On" — — • "Raingurl" — — • "One More" — 2018 — — • "Waking Up Down" — 2020 — — — What We Drew 우리가 그려왔던 • "What We Drew 우리가 그려왔던" — — • "Pac-tive" — 2021 — — — rowspan="2" • "Year to Year / 29" — — • "For Granted" — 2023 — — — With a Hammer • "Done (Let's Get It)" — — • "Passed Me By" — — • "Easy Breezy" — — — rowspan="7" • "Booboo" — 2024 — — • "Pink Ponies" (with Teddy Geiger) — — • "Believe in Ya" (with T-Pain and Girl Talk) — 2025 — — • "Pondeggi" (with E Wata) — — • "Booboo2" (with Underscores and Aliyah's Interlude) — — • "Wo Ai Ni" (with Balming Tiger) — 12
As featured artist
As featured artist
• Title — Year — Album • "Swim Me" (Ellie Herring featuring Yaeji) — 2016 — What a Joy • "Drink Redux" (DJ OG Uncle Skip featuring Yaeji) — 2018 — East vs. West • "February 2017" (Charli XCX featuring Clairo and Yaeji) — 2019 — Charli • "Mirror" (Bambii featuring Jessy Lanza and Yaeji) — 2025 — Infinity Club II
Remixes
Remixes
• Title — Year — Remixed Artist(s) • "Leave Me Alone (Yaeji Remix)" — 2017 — Calypso Rose feat. Manu Chao • "Betty Than I Would (Yaeji Remix)" — 2017 — Tomas Barfod • "With You (Yaeji Remix)" — 2017 — The Range & Jim-E Stack • "Focus (Yaeji Remix)" — 2018 — Charli XCX • "Beach 2K20 (Yaeji Remix)" — 2019 — Robyn • "Don't Start Now (Yaeji Remix)" — 2020 — Dua Lipa
Videos
Videos
• "New York '93" (2016) • "Guap" (2016) • "Noonside" (2017) • "Feel It Out" (2017) • "Therapy" (2017) • "Last Breath" (2017) • "Drink I'm Sippin On" (2017) • "Raingurl" (2017) • "One More" (2018) • "Waking Up Down" (2020) • "What We Drew 우리가 그려왔던" (2020) • "For Granted" (2023) • "Done (Let's Get It)" (2023) • "Passed Me By" (2023)
Identity
Identity
Yaeji is recorded with the occupation singer-songwriter. Recorded with the occupation film director. Recorded with the occupation disc jockey. Classed in the genre electronic music. Recorded as singer-songwriter, disc jockey and film director.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Yaeji”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q44279160: Yaeji
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Pollard, Alexandra. Singer/rapper Yaeji: 'I was pretty shy about using my voice'. The Guardian. December 8, 2017.
- 2.Lozano, Kevin. Meet Yaeji, House Music's Most Exciting New Voice. Pitchfork. October 24, 2017.
- 3.Yaeji – A visual artist and house musician finally finds a home in New York City – Loud And Quiet. Loud And Quiet.
- 4.School of Art Carnegie Mellon University Kathy Lee BHA '15 (aka Yaeji) Profiled by Interview Magazine. Art.cmu.edu. November 6, 2017.
- 5.Dazed. Yaeji's contemplative club music is bringing people together. November 1, 2017.
- 6.Kim, Michelle. How Yaeji Found Her Voice. Mixmag Asia. October 14, 2020.
- 7.Posner, Nina. Yaeji: All Together Now. Crack Magazine. October 1, 2020.
- 8.Shut Up and Listen.
- 9.Korean-American producer Yaeji brings whispers to the dancefloor – Interview Magazine. Interview Magazine. November 6, 2017.
- 10.Video: Yaeji – "New York 93". +Recommended Listen.
- 11."New York '93" by Yaeji Review – Pitchfork. pitchfork.com.
- 12.Yaeji – New York 93 (Single Version) [GODMODE].
- 13.Video: Yaeji – "Guap" (Mall Grab Cover). +Recommended Listen.
- 14.Yaeji – Yaeji. Discogs. March 31, 2017.
- 15.2 Chainz shares new video for "Proud". The FADER.
- 16.Yaeji – Passionfruit. GORILLA VS. BEAR. May 22, 2017.
- 17.Yaeji – Passionfruit Top New Chill We Are The Guard. October 2, 2017.
- 18.Listen: Yaeji – Passionfruit (Drake Cover). Huhmagazine.co.uk.
- 19."Therapy" by Yaeji Review – Pitchfork. pitchfork.com.
- 20.Yaeji – Remixes, Vol. 1. Discogs. August 2017.
- 21.yaeji – last breath. August 28, 2017.
- 22.Yaeji Breaks Down "Drink I'm Sippin On" For Genius' Video Series 'Verified'. Genius.
- 23.Geffen, Sasha. Yaeji: EP2. Pitchfork. November 7, 2017.
- 24.Yaeji – EP2. Resident Advisor.
- 25.Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts: Ookay & Fox Stevenson, Lauren Taveras & Yaeji. Billboard.
- 26.the video for yaeji's raingurl is a study on introspection in the club. watch it here!. I-d. November 16, 2017.
- 27.BBC Music. Sound of 2018: The Longlist.
- 28.BBC reveals its Sound of 2018 longlist. The Guardian. November 27, 2017.
- 29.Tietjen, Alexa. 10 Emerging Acts to See This Weekend at Coachella. Wwd.com. April 12, 2018.
- 30.Right Here: Asian Women Artists in the West. Spotify.
- 31.YAEJI, San Fermin, and Broadway's Best bring in Week 5 of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. BRIC. August 31, 2021.
- 32.Yaeji and Oh Hyuk Share New Songs "Year to Year" and "29". Pitchfork. 2021-10-27.
- 33.Torres, Eric. Yaeji Announces Debut Album With a Hammer. Pitchfork. January 11, 2023.
- 34.Hong, Michael. Yaeji: For Granted (Review). Pitchfork. Condé Nast.
- 35.Ismael Ruiz, Matthew. Yaeji Shares Video for New Song "Done (Let's Get It)": Watch. Pitchfork. Condé Nast. February 23, 2023.
- 36.Coachella 2023 Weekend 2 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know. Pitchfork. 2023-04-21.
- 37.World Albums: Week of April 22, 2023. Billboard.
- 38.Billboard. World Albums: Week of April 18, 2020. January 2, 2013.
- 39.Official Independent Album Breakers Chart Top 20. OfficialCharts.com.
- 40.Murray, Gordon (November 16, 2017). "Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts: Ookay & Fox Stevenson, Lauren Taveras & Yaeji" . Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- 41.Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of November 12, 2025. Billboard Japan.
- 42.Monroe, Jazz. Yaeji Enlists Underscores and Aliyah's Interlude for New Song "Booboo2". Pitchfork. 2025-09-23.
- 43.Yaeji Remixes Charli XCX's "Focus": Her first release since last year's EP2. Pitchfork. September 21, 2018.
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