Chen’s Female Collaborations Every EXO-L Should Hear
Chen’s voice is often associated with emotional solo ballads and EXO’s polished group harmonies, yet his collaborations with female artists reveal a wider range. Across Korean pop, Chinese-language music and television soundtracks, he has worked with singers who bring different colours to his clear, expressive tone.
For Australian EXO-Ls, these tracks are easy to revisit through major streaming services, official music videos and fan-curated playlists. Whether you are listening during a Melbourne tram ride, a quiet evening in Brisbane or a long drive outside Sydney, these duets offer a concise way to explore Chen’s work beyond EXO’s main discography.
A Small but Memorable Collaboration Catalogue
Chen’s officially released female-artist collaborations form a relatively compact list. That makes each track especially recognisable: there are no endless versions to sort through, and every partnership has a distinct musical identity.
Some songs are traditional duets, while others are soundtrack pairings or ensemble releases. This distinction matters when building a Chen playlist, because a song such as “Everytime” centres on the chemistry between two vocalists, whereas “Lil’ Something” has a broader collaborative arrangement involving Heize and Vibe.
The key tracks to begin with are:
- “Breath” with Zhang Liyin
- “Everytime” with Punch
- “Lil’ Something” with Heize and Vibe
- “One Dream One Korea” with a large ensemble of Korean artists
“Breath” is the clearest example of Chen sharing the spotlight in a cross-border vocal project. “Everytime” is his best-known female duet for many international listeners, while “Lil’ Something” highlights his ability to fit naturally into a groove-led R&B production.
Breath With Zhang Liyin
Released through SM The Ballad’s second album in 2014, “Breath” was presented in different language versions. The Chinese version paired Chen with Zhang Liyin, creating a particularly interesting entry in his early catalogue. Their voices meet in a restrained arrangement built around longing, distance and the difficulty of saying what one feels.
The song belongs to the polished SM ballad tradition: piano-led emotion, carefully controlled climaxes and a strong focus on vocal phrasing. Chen does not overpower the track. Instead, he leaves room for Zhang Liyin’s phrasing, allowing the duet to feel like a conversation rather than two separate solo performances.
For listeners discovering Chen through his later solo albums, “Breath” provides useful context. It shows that his interest in emotionally precise singing was already clear before “April, and a flower” and “Dear my dear.” The Chinese version also reflects the regional reach of SM Entertainment’s projects during that period.
Australian fans may find this track through older uploads, compilation playlists or digital music services rather than current K-pop release campaigns. Always favour official audio and video sources where available, since copyright owners and platforms can remove unauthorised reuploads under Australian copyright law.
Everytime With Punch
“Everytime,” released for the 2016 drama Descendants of the Sun, is Chen’s most recognisable female-vocal collaboration. Punch’s airy delivery contrasts with Chen’s fuller tone, giving the song a bright romantic lift that suits the drama’s central love story.
The arrangement combines acoustic guitar, light percussion and a smooth pop structure. Chen handles the emotional peaks with warmth, while Punch adds a softer edge to the verses and harmonies. Their contrast is the song’s defining feature: his voice feels open and direct, while hers creates a more floating atmosphere around the melody.
The soundtrack became a major international gateway into Korean drama music. It remains a natural choice for EXO-Ls who enjoy OSTs, romantic pop and songs that work equally well as background listening or focused vocal study.
In Australia, “Everytime” also fits the way many listeners consume Korean drama music: through streaming playlists, subtitled television platforms and social media clips. Fans in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth can easily encounter the track through K-drama communities, local fan events and Korean cultural festivals, where OSTs often attract listeners who do not regularly follow idol releases.
Lil’ Something With Heize And Vibe
“Lil’ Something” arrived through the SM Station project in 2016 and brought Chen together with Heize and Vibe. It is therefore better described as a collaborative track with a female vocal presence rather than a conventional two-person duet. Still, Heize’s contribution is central to the song’s character.
The track moves away from Chen’s familiar dramatic ballad style. Its relaxed R&B groove, understated rhythm and conversational delivery create a more casual mood. Heize’s tone adds a modern Korean hip-hop and soul influence, while Vibe’s involvement gives the production a strong vocal foundation.
This release is valuable because it demonstrates Chen’s flexibility. He can sing with a clean, sustained power-ballad approach, but he can also soften his delivery and settle into a laid-back arrangement. For fans making a playlist around his collaborations, “Lil’ Something” works well between “Everytime” and his solo songs.
Heize’s songwriting identity also gives the track extra appeal for listeners exploring Korean music beyond the idol mainstream. Australian audiences who follow R&B, indie-pop or Korean hip-hop may appreciate this collaboration as much as EXO-Ls looking for another Chen vocal performance.
Ensemble Projects And Female Vocal Connections
“One Dream One Korea” belongs in a broader discussion of Chen’s female-artist collaborations because it brought together a large cast of Korean singers and performers for a unifying pop project. It is not a conventional Chen-and-one-female-singer duet, but it places his voice within a collective arrangement rather than an EXO recording.
The song is useful for understanding how Chen approaches large ensemble performances. His tone remains recognisable, yet he adjusts his phrasing to support the group’s message and structure. Female voices add brightness and contrast across the recording, creating a communal atmosphere that differs from the intimacy of “Breath” or “Everytime.”
Fans should also distinguish official collaborations from stage covers, special performances and fan-made edits. Chen has shared stages with many artists throughout his career, but a performance pairing is not automatically a formal duet in his discography.
For an accurate EXO-L archive, record the release title, featured artist, year and source platform. That small habit helps prevent unofficial edits from being mistaken for new Chen collaborations.
How To Build A Chen Collaboration Playlist
A balanced listening order should move from the earliest cross-language ballad to the best-known drama OST, then into the more relaxed SM Station release. That sequence makes the development in Chen’s vocal approach easy to hear.
A simple playlist could include:
- “Breath” with Zhang Liyin for a classic vocal duet
- “Everytime” with Punch for soundtrack-driven romance
- “Lil’ Something” with Heize and Vibe for smooth R&B
- “One Dream One Korea” for an expansive ensemble sound
Australian streaming habits can shape the playlist as well. Many fans switch between Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube depending on whether they want audio, lyrics or an official music video. Checking the artist page and album credits is worthwhile because regional availability can vary, and some older releases may appear under project names rather than Chen’s solo profile.
The local market also has its own practical considerations. K-pop releases are commonly purchased through Australian retailers, imported stores and group orders, while chart activity may be tracked through ARIA in ways that differ from Korean music charts. A digital stream, a physical album and a video view each contribute through different systems, so fans should use official platforms when supporting a release.
Chen’s female collaborations deserve a place in EXO-L playlists because they show how adaptable his voice can be. Stream the official recordings, revisit the music videos and add these tracks to the EXO-focused rotation on your preferred Australian platform. Share the playlist through your local fan community and keep Chen’s collaborative catalogue easy for new listeners to discover.