The Electronic Dance Music world is filled with artists who are able to create fresh tracks from sounds on previously recorded tracks but if you want a unique EDM experience you should check out Yaeji. The 26-year-old Korean-American EDM performance artist stands out because of her ability to perform live while creating new music with a cultural flair. Yaeji’s unique style has made her sought out by fans from the U.S. and internationally no doubt because of her ability to keep her work fresh by incorporating hip-hop, dance and her own vocals (often in Korean) into her music while keeping fans engaged by her musical performances.
Born in Flushing, Queens and raised in Korea and Atlanta, Yaeji’s return to New York City not only set the perfect stage for her to thrive as an EDM artist but also to enjoy all that the NYC rave scene has to offer. These unique opportunities for an artist testing the rave scene found its holding for Yaeji as she hosted parties in her own home that would eventually lead to club performances. The club experience is sought after because attendees want to experience the performance with others and because they want to have a unique experience that they will remember.
Performance art in EDM productions is currently not the norm and not commonly associated with the genre, but newer artists seem to be moving in this direction. Original music productions created by Yaeji are reminiscent of the old school rap sessions and live DJ sets in their sense of expression, creativity, and acknowledgment. Playing beats live with ease and adding her unique vocals add even more dimension to her work. The inclusion of cultural symbols in Yaeji’s music is not only culturally significant for her as an artist but also significant for EDM culture in NYC and in doing so Yaeji gives you first-hand what it’s like to experience underground NYC EDM. Attendees grow to understand this by seeing a production that involves the creative process that feeds off the crowd’s responses but acknowledges their importance as participants. If you missed Yaeji’s performance at the boiler room, you can watch it below.
At the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2018 Yaeji stunned the crowd by sharing her smooth techniques and responding to their expectations during the demonstration of her music creation process. Playing music to industry insiders, researchers, and producers giving a watchful eye on your every move can be unnerving, but Yaeji provided an inside look at the importance of live performance in the EDM music scene.
Her music made the rounds in NYC events in 2018 culminating in an impressive show at the Knockdown Center in November that drew a diverse crowd and reaffirmed her role in the NYC club scene. 2019 proved to be an equally impressive touring year for Yaeji as her global influence is coming to fruition. Yaeji closed out the Red Bull Stage at Movement this year to loyal fans eagerly anticipating her performance. She moved to the beat with her fans as the music played and started to sing live to her music creating an impressive result that gave the track a sense of freshness; a remix not remixed but recreated.
If you want to experience NYC EDM culture with Yaeji then check out her upcoming show Elancia on September 6, 2019, at The 1896 in Brooklyn. It’s sure to be an unforgettable night as Yaeji will perform with her peers who are some of the most creative DJ’s in the NY club scene.
