Lexie Liu, also known as Liu Boxin (Chinese: 刘柏辛; pinyin: Liú Bóxīn; born December 21, 1998), is a Chinese singer, rapper and songwriter.
![]() | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. (April 2019) |
Lexie Liu | |||||||
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刘柏辛 | |||||||
![]() Liu in 2018 | |||||||
Born | Liu Yuyu (刘昱妤) (1998-12-21) 21 December 1998 (age 23) Changsha, Hunan, China | ||||||
Occupation | Singer, rapper, songwriter | ||||||
Years active | 2016–present | ||||||
Chinese name | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 劉柏辛 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 刘柏辛 | ||||||
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Alternative Chinese name | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 劉昱妤 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 刘昱妤 | ||||||
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Musical career | |||||||
Genres | Mandopop, hip hop, R&B | ||||||
Instrument(s) | Vocal, piano | ||||||
Musical artist |
In 2015, she participated in K-pop Star 5, a South Korean reality TV competition series where her group came in fourth place. In July 2018, she participated in The Rap of China and won fourth place, which launched her career as a solo artist.[1] In February 2019, Liu released her debut EP 2030 in the United States with eight singles including "Outta Time" featuring Killy, "Love and Run", "Hat Trick", and "Nada".[2] She also featured as Seraphine in the K/DA song "MORE".[3]
Liu was born and raised in Changsha, Hunan.[4] She has been interested in music since she was young; she started to dance when she was four years old and learned to play the piano starting at six years old. When Liu was in grade eleven, she transferred to an international high school. However, she took a gap year when she was in grade twelve to make music. She went to Korea and participated in the reality TV competition series, K-pop Star 5, under her birth name Liu Yuyu, as a member of a 4-person girl group named "Mazinga S" which won fourth place.
While shooting the TV show, K-pop Star 5, Liu applied and was accepted to Fordham University to study global business. However, she later left to pursue her music career.[5]
In January 2017, Liu's first original single "Coco Made Me Do It" was released and achieved more than 5 million views. In February 2017, she performed at SXSW music festival, one of the largest music festivals in the world, bringing Chinese Pop music to the US audience.
In January 2018, she composed a song called "Role" for Li Yifeng, a Chinese popular idol, singer, and actor.[6]
In July 2018, Liu participated in The Rap of China, entered the final round with a song "Mulan," and eventually won fourth place.[1] While competing in The Rap of China, Liu signed with American label 88rising.[7]
In November, she released her new song "Sleep Away" from her upcoming debut EP 2030 which was previously released in China.[8] The Fader named the track as one of “10 Songs You Need in Your Life”,[9] Nylon listed it as the “Best Music Releases Of The Week",[10] and Refinery29 said “their ears are very into Lexie.”[11]
On 18 December 2018, Liu released her new cyberpunk-influenced single "Nada", complete with futuristic-themed music video.[12] The Line of Best Fit described "Nada" as it "sees Lexie Liu's fierce, cross-cultural grit thrust into a science fiction dimension where language barriers don't exist, She fuses Mandopop with grimy beats against the visuals of her accompanying Tron-esque video, directed by mamesjao, in a retro-futuristic digital world."[13] "Nada" also made its appearance on "Best Of the Week" by Apple Music once it came out.
In February 2019, Liu released her debut EP 2030 in the United States, which included two new singles "Outta Time" featuring Killy and "Love and Run".[14][15]
In September 2019 her single "Ok, Ok, Ok" was released.[16]
On December 27, 2019, her album Meta Ego was released.[17]
On October 28, 2020, Liu voiced the champion Seraphine in Riot Games' virtual K-pop group, K/DA, in their new song "More" from their extended play All Out.[18] Liu also performed on stage at the 2020 League of Legends World Championship in Shanghai.[19]
On January 28, 2021, Liu released her second EP GONE GOLD internationally (released as Online 上线了 in China), featuring her then-newest single "ALGTR" which was self-written and self-produced alongside the rest of the EP.[20] It marked yet another change in sound direction, with the EP taking in significantly more electro-pop influences compared to previous efforts. The project's contemporary theme, reflected in the title track's music videos and the rest of the track list's visualisers which were directed by frequent collaborator Jeremy Z. Qin, revolves around the idea of living in an online game as a character. It was inspired by the unrest experienced throughout 2020 as a result of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, where Liu's only source of understanding the world was solely through a screen - leading her to imagine what life would be like without this source.
Lexie Liu's distinct appearance caught the attention of the fashion industry where she landed placements in Paris Fashion Week 2019 as the brand ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent eyewear in the Asia Pacific Region,[21] Louis Vuitton Show 2018 in China,Puma's Suede 50 campaign and Levi's New Years TVC campaign.
Lexie Liu has also been featured on the print pages of East Asia's most prominent fashion publications, including Vogue me (China), BAZAAR China, Nylon Japan, and Nylon China.
The American fashion magazine V described her as "the face of a generation of new Chinese artists breaking into the American mainstream with a uniquely, cross-cultural sound."[22]
"Lexie Liu proves her status as China’s next global superstar with the futuristic 'Nada'," described by The Line of Best Fit, "born and raised in Changsha, China, 19-year-old Lexie Liu's "Nada' is her third single release after signing to 88rising." "Lexie Liu is spearheading the new generation of East Asian artists making waves in the global music industry. She became the youngest Chinese artist to ever perform at SXSW last year after rising to fame on South Korean TV show 'K-pop Star' and finishing fourth on the heavily male-dominated rap talent show 'The Rap of China'".[13]
After the release of her single "Like A Mercedes", the cyberpunk-inspired music video of the song was Lexie Liu's first introduction to a global audience, showing off how "her provocative sound is transcending language barriers."[23]
Her debut EP released in February 2019 was highly recommended, "with a feature from Killy on Outta Time, plus new singles Sleep Away, Hat Trick and Nada, the eight-tracker is an impressive bilingual project showcasing the Changsha born and raised artist’s skills across rap, R&B vocals and production."[24]
American fashion and culture magazine Flaunt also made a praising comment on Lexie's debut EP 2030, which is said to "narrates her life and journey within music; manifesting her inner-psyche through dream-like vocals and vibrant musical films. Dynamic in all aspects, Lexie holds a promising trajectory in the years to come."[25]
Year | English title | Original title | Network | Role | Notes |
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2018 | The Rap of China | 中国新说唱 | iQiyi | Contestant | |
2020 | Singer 2020 | 歌手.當打之年 | Human TV | Challenge Contestant | |
2021 | Stage Boom | 爆裂舞台 | iQiyi | Contestant |
Title | Year | Album |
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As lead artist | ||
"Sleep Away" | 2018 | Non-album single |
"OK, OK, OK" (好吗, 好啦, 好吧) | 2019 | |
”Manta" | ||
"Deep Down" | 2021 | |
Soundtrack appearances | ||
“The Soaring Egret" (白鹭思一骋) | 2017 | The Forbidden City Documentary |
Promotional singles | ||
"Peacock Dance" (瞳·雀) | 2020 | QQ Dance Anniversary Song |
"More" (as Seraphine) |
League of Legends K/DA second single | |
"818" | 2021 | Zhejiang Television 818 Gala Theme Song |
Title | Details |
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2030 |
Track listing
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Gone Gold (上线了) |
Track listing
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Title | Details |
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2029 |
Track listing
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Meta Ego (无限意识) |
Track listing
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Year | Nominated work | Event | Award | Result | Ref. |
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2021 | "More" | Game Audio Network Guild Awards | Best Original Song | Won | [27] |
K-pop Star | |
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Seasons |
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Hosts |
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Judges | |
Winners | |
Runners-up | |
Notable contestants |
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Related articles |
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Singer / I Am a Singer (歌手 / 我是歌手) | |
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Seasons |
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Contestants | |
Versions outside China |
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Related topics | |
Names in Bold indicate the winning singer, while Italics indicate the runner-up singer. Singers are listed based on their original season appearances, returning singers (who participated in seasons 5 or 8) are not repeated.
Singers participated in groups are listed in parenthesis. Initial singers first listed in order of official announcement, followed by Substitute/Challenge Singers in order of appearance. ∆ Substitute Singer ∇ Challenger/National's Recommended Singer/Surprise Challenger ƒ Finalist singer н Hosting singer † Withdrew (but have performed Return Performance) ‡ Withdrew § Non-contestant (Eliminated without ever performing Breakouts) |
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