South Korean artist B.I made his solo debut since leaving the music group, iKon. Following the release of the music video for the single “illa illa”, which now has 6 million views on YouTube. B.I’s debut album Waterfall comes in at #2 on the iTunes hip-hop/ rap charts, with only the late DMX’s album topping it.
Having performed on stage since the age of 13, under the guidance of Korean label YG and taking part in several Korean Survival shows, B.I has become unafraid to defy people’s expectations of him.
Now with the release of Waterfall, this 12 track album tells the story of B.I’s musical journey and is dedicated to everyone that has helped him in his career. Water is used as a metaphor throughout the album, representing the flow of life. The lyrics of the album are meant to take listeners from a waterfall, into a seaside that stretches as far as the eye can see.
It all started with B.I’s line “The waterfall that begins with falling down, that’s me”. He delivered the line that garnered him attention around the world at Show Me The Money in 2014, a South Korean rap competition. 7 years later, B.I has come full circle, now aware of the difficulties of pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.
Lead single “illa illa”, to its core, is about hope. B.I explained, “I wrote the song wishing that it could provide comfort to those that listen to it. Everyone has their own struggles whether it be with relationships, work, family, loneliness. As much as it can seem difficult at the time, there is a beach in the distance. To remember that every chapter that closes just means that a new chapter is about to begin.” Track “Daydream” is another stand out that features fellow K-Pop artist Lee Hi, the pair’s second collaboration. “I wrote this song as a reminder of the dreams I used to have and feel. The feeling of waking up from a deep sleep and a sweet dream that seemed so real, covering up a cloudy and unfamiliar universe where I felt lost. Watching beautiful stars fall from the sky daily is how quickly a beautiful daydream can pass,” B.I said. “Re-birth”, the album’s closing track, serves as a reminder to B.I and his fans that we all must start at the beginning. Nothing comes together without work.
Waterfall Track List:
“WATERFALL”
“illa illa”
“Daydream” (feat. Lee Hi)
“Numb”
“Illusion”
“Flow Away”
“Help me”
“Remember me”
“STAY” (feat. Tablo)
“GRAY”
“Then”
“Re-Birth”
A year into his solo journey, B.I has also launched his own label, 131Label, with the goal of helping Korean artists reach a global audience without sacrificing their authentic identity. With countless fans around the world and performances all across the globe. B.I has accumulated multiple hits to his name and over 400 million streams on Spotify alone.
Stream Waterfall today, on your favorite music platform.
