Pink Sweat$ counts on ‘big energy’ at first performance in Korea as Seoul Jazz Festival’s headliner

American R&B singer-songwriter Pink Sweat$, who is set to meet his fans in Korea for the first time, said that he expects to see some “big energy” from the audience.

In a press conference held on Wednesday at InterContinental Seoul Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, the artist expressed his excitement for the upcoming Seoul Jazz Festival, which is set to run Friday to Sunday.

The first thing the musician said as soon as he walked into the venue was “thank you” in Korean. The musician, dressed in a set of bright pink hoodie and sweatpants, made a heart shape with his hands while posing for photos.

“(I expect) big energy at the festival. It’s gonna be so fun!” he said, while hinting that he is going to be a “spontaneous” performer onstage to present memorable performances for local festivalgoers.

Pink Sweat$ -- whose real name is David Bowden -- is loved by listeners both at home and abroad for his music, which delivers a message of love and hope. One of his songs that went viral was “At My Worst,” which has recorded almost 150 million views on YouTube since its release on Sep. 25, 2020. Backed by his popularity, the artist was invited as the headliner for the first day of the Seoul Jazz Festival.

“I’ve realized my popularity in Korea as K-pop artists reached out to me through social media and told me, ‘Your song is everywhere,’” the singer-songwriter said. “I think I’ve been loved by Korean fans crossing the language barrier, because my music is about love and happiness that everyone can relate to. That’s a beautiful thing.”

Pink Sweat$ also pointed out that he likes K-pop due to its clear and bright sound. The rapper added he gets a lot of inspiration from the music he likes.

Meanwhile, he picked boy band P1Harmony as his favorite K-pop act, and expressed his hope to collaborate with GOT7’s BamBam and Blackpink’s Lisa. 

The singer-songwriter also described Seoul as the “most beautiful city ever.”

“Everything is very aesthetically pleasing,” he said. 

During his first visit, he said he is also planning on enjoying Korean barbeque and shopping. Although cautious about giving details, Pink Sweat$ hinted that he is set to make his second visit to Korea sometime this year.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)