2NE1’s CL To Make Her English Stateside Debut in 2015

Huge news for K-pop lovers this week.

CL, lead vocalist/rapper of the wildly popular and fashionable quintet 2NE1, is undoubtedly one of the biggest break-out stars on the South Korean pop scene, having already made a splash with her sassy 2013 smash, “The Baddest Female.” The song and video even made some ripples stateside…an early sign of things to come.

According to a new report, CL — guided by super-manager Scooter Braun, whose roster includes Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Psy — now has her sights set on the US, with a solo debut planned for next year.

From Billboard:

YG Entertainment, the Korean record label CL is signed to, has confirmed to Billboard that the 23-year-old is prepping a full-fledged solo effort intended to cross over to America next year. The superstar exec behind Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and PSY’s U.S. breakout, will work with her.

As a member of 2NE1 since 2009, CL and her band mates have made great strides stateside despite no official debut. Chart-wise, 2NE1’s Crush album holds the U.S. record for highest-charting K-pop album ever with the best first week sales for a Korean album, plus 2NE1 is the only non-PSY K-pop artist to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart. The quartet was also the first female Korean act to hold solo concerts in American arenas.

The singing-dancing-rapping superstar has already made friends in high places within the fashion industry, including Nicola Formichetti and Jeremy Scott. And while a crossover into the American market is an intensely difficult, if not nearly impossible move for any pop star from the East, there’s no telling what the talented starlet could potentially achieve — and what barriers she might break — next year. Here’s hoping she wins!

What do you think about CL’s upcoming US debut? Sound off in the comments below.