When Lee Jin-ah came on singing audition program “K-pop Star” two years ago, the panel, consisting of famed music producers Yang Hyun-seok, Park Jin-young and Yoo Hee-yeol, unanimously praised the squeaky-voiced, piano-playing contestant as a “genius” so far not seen in the K-pop world.

While many viewers agreed, others were baffled: What was so special about the then-23-year-old girl whose self-written tunes resembled children’s songs and whose vocals sounded infantile?

Producer Yoo, who heads the music label Antenna Music, addressed the queries at a press showcase for the release of Lee’s first EP, “Appetizer,” in Seoul on Thursday.

“(Lee’s) imagination and voice are like those of a little girl, which is why the melodies she makes are like children’s songs,” said Lee. “But underneath that, the way her hands move on the piano is unbelievable. ... I defy you to find any artist who can play and sing like this at once.”

Yoo described Lee as still “afraid” to escape her comfort zone, which is why the music on this new album -- the self-written pop-jazz main track “I’m Full” and “Like & Love” -- largely resemble her past songs.

“I told her, if I could play like you, I would want to become the biggest musician in the world and try everything I wanted to, from film music to fusion music,” said Yoo. “I told her, you’re someone who could do anything you wanted to. Why do you keep yourself trapped in that world? She’s like Alice from Wonderland.”

One of the main tasks during her training for the past two years was to try and break those boundaries, but as of yet, Lee is content to remain inside her fairy tale universe.

“I love Disney animated movies,” said Lee, sitting behind the piano after giving a spirited live performance of her two new songs. “The end results of Disney movies are fun, happy stories, but it takes so much effort and technique to make them.”

The musical color she aims for -- “songs that are like toys” -- has not really changed for the moment, said Lee.

“The direction I’m going in has stayed the same. But now, I’m learning more technical things, like how to record at a recording studio and how to direct the arrangement.”

A number of Antenna Music’s talents have participated in the album, including electronic band Peppertones’ Shin Jae-pyung and producer Yoo himself. The music video for “I’m Full” features Kwon Jin-ah, Jung Seung-hwan and Lee Soo-jung -- fellow musicians who opted for Antenna Music after their “K-pop Star” appearances.  

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)