When we think of the best vocalists in kpop, we usually don't think of nonkorean vocalists. Usually names like Park Hyoshin, Song Seungyeon, Ock Joohyun, Kim Yeonji, Bada and more.
In SM entertainment, a big3 agency that specializes in vocals, when people think of their best vocalists, they think of their kpop acts, from Bada from SES--Lina from CJSH--Taeyeon from SNSD--Luna from f(x)---Wendy from Red Velvet and more. There is one vocalist, on the same league as Taeyeon, Wendy and Bada that people forget.
That is Zhang Liyin.
I can confidently call Zhang Liyin the best Chinese vocalist in kpop.
She also had one of the best improvements in kpop.
She debuted with the biggest SM track in 2006
She is a mandu pop singer of Yi ethnicity, usually catering to the Chinese audience.
She has some of the best vocals in SM:
With Victoria and Tao bringing all shippers there
SM's R&B princess: No one can touch this
Chen is actually a big fan of Zhang liyin and Exo fans will remember this
While I like Taeyeon and Jonghyun's Korean version, I prefer the Chinese version the most, it's so emotional.
She's been in the SM dungeon for almost a decade and left SM in 2017. I hope she is doing well. One of the most memorable singers in SM for me.
She looks a little like Giselle to me hehe, but her riffs and runs remind me of Ningning.
