South Korean soul singer, Saay, made her US debut at Elsewhere on Friday, August 9, her first show in the US after twelve years in the industry, seven of which have been as a soloist. The Korean artist recently came back with a new single, Domino, a bouncy track with digitally harmonized synth vocals, a la Imogen Heap’s hit song “Hide and Seek.” Her contract with Universal Music Korea also expired last month, but when asked about physical releases of her music during the show, she said she is planning to release a new EP next year.
Saay debuted in Korea twelve years ago as part of the group EvoL but began her solo career seven years ago with the release of her single “Circle” in July of 2017. This was a one-off show in Brooklyn, followed by another at The Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles on August 15th. Before her Elsewhere show, she also sang “Domino” on Fox’s Good Day New York. Expect more great content from Saay this week on social media as she experiences LA and continues to share photos and videos from her show at Elsewhere.
Performance
Elsewhere Zone One provided the perfect venue for this kind of intimate, emotionally charged show full of fan interaction. As people started filtering into the venue, the room’s cumulative energy made for a shared cathartic moment. A small, low-set stage puts the artist up close with fans. The production at Elsewhere was low-key. Besides the LED panel covering the wall behind Saay, a contrasting pair of purple and blue lights lit the stage.
Korean artists are always skilled at creating meaningful interactions with their fans, but you could clearly tell how much this show meant to Saay, at times bringing her to tears. During the show, she wore a Lucky Dragon hat that a fan later recognized as one they had given Saay at a past concert. She ended her set with a song ironically titled “Encore,” which was then followed by the actual encore, her breakout hit (and a personal favorite) from 2019, “ZGZG.”
After the final song, she stayed on stage to speak candidly to the audience and to tell everyone to get home safely, stay healthy, and eat well. We look forward to seeing footage of Saay’s August 15th show at the Moroccan Lounge and wish her luck in her future endeavors. Keep an eye out for new music from Saay in the next year and, hopefully, a return to New York following her upcoming EP.
Saay – Elsewhere Zone One – August 9, 2024
Setlist: Talk 2 Me Nice, Overzone, Baad, Omega, Circle, Domino, Rocky, Sh*t Makerrrrrrrr, I’m Okay, Sweet as Hell, Encore
Encore: ZGZG
