Photos Curtesy of EDAM Entertainment ; Written by Bella Lee
IU’s voice has always resonated deeply with fans, but now, it’s echoing across continents. Her debut world tour is not just a performance, it’s a testament to her global influence. IU is proving that her talent knows no borders.
IU has been a household name in the Korean music scene for some time. She first debuted at age fifteen as a soloist, a feat few can claim to make. She quickly rose to fame in the next three years, and received the title “Korea’s Little Sister” from her girl-next-door personality. Her national stardom reached international waters around 2012-2013, with songs such as “Palette” (featuring G-Dragon) and “BBIBBI.”
Every soul in the Kia Forum anxiously waited for IU to enter the stage. This stage set up was very different from most. A circular stage held several platforms which would rise and fall with the different song choices. It created an intimate atmosphere; any attendee would feel immediately closer to the performance. A live band accompanied IU featuring two percussionists, two guitarists, and one keyboardist. On top of the live band, there was a group of several dancers who would accompany IU on stage for the bigger songs.
“Holssi” was the opening song, which is from the latest album The Winning. Joining IU on stage were her main dancers, but also several young dancers who were local to L.A. These young creatives are from the Debut Dance District studio. The crowd cheered with excitement and IU delivered crystal clear vocals and a stage presence that held everyone’s breath. She continued with “Jam Jam,” “Ah Puh,” “BBIBBI,” and “Obliviate.” Each song presented a chill vibe that welcomed the audience.
IU took a moment to interact with fans during the entirety of her concert. In between the different acts of the setlist, she would take time to point out fans who were dancing along with her. She mentioned that “L.A. makes me feel super pumped, and I love your energy.” She even shared a new phrase with her fans after hearing them sing along with her. “You guys slayed that.” More fan interactions with her final encore involved her singing song requests via signs. She sang “Good Day,” “Lullaby,” and “Ending Scene.”
The fans of IU were so passionate during performances and in between the chapters of the setlist. For the majority of the concert, lyrics were shown on the big screens in both Hangul and romanized Hangul. That way, all fans could read and sing along with IU. The sound of the audience singing along was overpowering, and sometimes overtook the instruments. It was a beautiful harmony of dedication to IU.
IU’s dreamy voice carried the fans through the night with “Above the Time,” “Strawberry Moon,” and the heavily anticipated “Love Wins All.” She was able to deliver strong but delicate melodies, all the while showcasing her incredible range as IU crossed genres between ballads and bossa nova.
In true IU fashion, she commanded the stage with her presence and calming voice. All eyes were on her as the night went on. To a sold out concert, she ended the night with “Palette,” and bid farewell to her L.A. fans. Every seat held a sign to bid her goodbye. It read, “In a city of stars, you’re our celebrity.”
