Host Eric Nam hopes BTS will perform at upcoming HallyuPopFest 2018
Korean-American singer-songwriter Eric Nam, who hosts upcoming K-pop festival, wants to see his favourite band live here
With K-pop boy band BTS taking centre stage in the Korean and US music scene, it is no surprise that Korean-American singer-songwriter Eric Nam hopes to follow in the group's footsteps.
The Atlanta-born artist named the mega-popular seven-member outfit - which recently became the first K-pop group to top the Billboard 200 album chart - as one of the acts he wants to catch live at the upcoming K-pop festival HallyuPopFest 2018 in Singapore from Sept 7 to 9.
While local organiser H.A.H Entertainment has yet to reveal if BTS will perform here as the full line-up has not been released, Nam, 29, told The New Paper: "They are friends. I am a solo artist, and I am always lonely so if I have friends here, it is going to be a great time."
Nam, who rose to stardom after participating in Korean reality singing programme Birth Of A Great Star 2 in 2011, spoke to the media last month.
He will be hosting and performing during all three days of HallyuPopFest 2018, the largest K-pop festival in South-east Asia, featuring 100 Korean artists such as BtoB, Apink, Jeong Se Woon and Soyou.
He said: "I have not hosted in a while, but it is an amazing opportunity to be able to represent (K-pop) and connect both sides - the audience and artists onstage."
At the end of the day, the music will relate and speak to people around the world, and I think there is always that pressure, but I have to stay true to what I love and what I enjoy singing as an artist.Eric Nam on how his Korean fans were not used to his new sound
Nam also teased that he has more music to showcase to fans.
He said: "Some of these (projects) are really cool opportunities that have fallen into my lap, and some songs I wrote were picked up by other artists."
In April, Nam released his five-track mini-album Honestly - two of which are in English - after a two-year hiatus.
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He said the BTS members listened to the tracks and gave him feedback. It debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard World Album chart.
He said Honestly holds a special place in his heart, adding: "Up until now, I had done a lot of music influenced by the label that is Korean market-friendly. We took a lot of influence from other (Korean) artists whom I enjoy, but it was not exactly my sound...
"I really enjoy (Western Top 40) pop music(but) we had to shy away from it."
Describing Honestly as "feel-good, bright and energetic", Nam admitted his Korean fans were not used to his new sound.
He said: "At the end of the day, the music will relate and speak to people around the world, and I think there is always that pressure, but I have to stay true to what I love and what I enjoy singing as an artist.
"Once people get accustomed to that sound, they will... (start ) reacting positively to it. It is an album I personally love and am proud of."
Despite the challenge of appealing to both Korean and American audiences, Nam has a positive outlook, saying he sees this as an opportunity instead of a hurdle.
With a grin, he added: "I am excited to be able to mix K-pop and pop to present it to fans in Singapore in an interesting way."
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