By Amanda Moses
In a crisp white suit, Eric Nam slowly descended a staircase on The Rooftop stage at Pier 17 on October 11th amidst the sparkle of New York City’s skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge as his backdrop. The scene was almost biblical, as a sea of screaming fans looked up at the renowned American Korean singer with outstretched hands.
With a clear night sky and the sound of the East River’s waves crashing against the South Street Seaport’s pier, the concert proved to be an experience of a lifetime for his North American House on a Hill tour.
“What a beautiful night, what a beautiful crowd,” Eric Nam exclaimed as he took in the view of the thousands of attendees.
Special guest Alexander Stewart kicked off the show singing “I Wish You Cheated,” “House of Cards,” “Blame’s on Me,” and a breathtaking cover of Rhianna’s hit “Stay.” Holding up heart gestures and waving to fans, Stewart also shared his gratitude to Eric Nam for the opportunity to be his opening act as he introduced the man of the hour much to the adoration of the roaring crowd.
After Stewart warmed the crowd up with his ballads, Eric Nam appeared on the stage like an ethereal being glowing in white with pyro sparkles shooting up from the ground and a fog machine to add to the mystique. Known for his melodic voice, Eric Nam showed off his precise dance moves and comedic personality on stage.
Swaying his hips with several background dancers, the first track he sung was “Sink or Swim” followed by “Undefined.” While many of the songs on House on a Hill are indicative of what Eric Nam calls his “existential crisis,” the concert was filled with dancing and upbeat rhythms that kept the crowd on their toes especially with his classic hits.
Eric Nam wears many hats, a singer, songwriter, television personality and a philanthropist advocating for mental health in America and Korea. So for his concert, it was implied that he would showcase these skills with conversational intermissions, gauging the audience.
“We have a lot of songs to get into tonight, but before we dive into them, I like to get to know my audience a little bit. So, I’m going to ask you some questions. So, we are going to have a little bit of an Eric Nam, Ted Talk orientation,” Nam said.
From being dubbed GQ’s Korea’s Man of the Year in 2016 to earning TIME 100 Impact Award with his brothers Eddie and Brian Nam for their work in mental wellness, Eric Nam has proven that he is a global force to be reckoned with.
Since 2021, the Nam brothers have cultivated Mindset through their company, Dive Studios as a premier destination for artists and fans to discuss mental health a digital application. A portion of the proceeds from the Mindset app subscriptions goes to the JED Foundation, a nonprofit that works to safeguard emotional health and prevent suicide for teens and young adults.
Eric Nam’s endearing personality, talent for song deep writing, and ability to entrance with his vocal range had fans both jumping up and down to the music cheering for hours leaving the arena hoarse. But, most of all, the singer had them calling the event a “phenomenal experience.”
Photos by Amanda Moses
