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PHOTOS: Yaeji transcends all at the Novo

Korean-American musician Yaeji performed in LA last Thursday on her “With a Hammer Tour.”

By Marissa Ding
Photo of a woman dancing in front of a microphone

Yaeji begins her performance with “For Granted,” the first track released from “With A Hammer.” She sets the tone for the night with an upbeat energy coupled with mellow vocals, dancing among flashing pink and purple lights as the spunky beats of the track play. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Since quitting her graphic design job in 2017 to become a full-time musician, DJ and producer Yaeji has never looked back on creating her signature fluid, introspective tracks. Having moved frequently between New York City, Seoul and Atlanta as a young girl, she touches on themes of temporality and disconnection in her music, blending Korean and English to instill the same feelings of self-exploration in listeners beyond the blurred, rhythmic sound of her songs. She initially gained traction with upbeat house songs and continues to explore electronic styles such as the dance music consistent in her first album “With a Hammer,” released earlier this month.

Yaeji began her tour of the same name the day before “With a Hammer” dropped. Her concert in Los Angeles was highly anticipated, as her original tour list indicated both weekends of Coachella as her only Southern California stops. When Yaeji announced her additional show at The Novo, fans knew they were in for a night of good vibes and letting it all out on the dance floor.

Photo of a woman on a rolling chair with a microphone. Another person is pushing the chair behind her

A backup dancer wheels Yaeji out onto the stage. The singer commanded the venue with a relaxed confidence, and her performance incorporated strong choreography that accentuated the climaxes and plateaus of her songs. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Photo of a woman dancing in front of a bright green LED screen

Yaeji and her backup dancers perform “Waking Up Down” from her 2020 mixtape WHAT WE DREW 우리가 그려왔던. The atmospheric beats of the song were intensified in the live version, and the performers’ fluid movements amplified the ephemeral mood of the track. In the past, Yaeji used Korean to conceal the meaning of her lyrics, but in her recent releases, she emphasizes the textures of the language and cultural solidarity. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Photo of a woman in front of a spotlight leaning back on a rolling chair

Yaeji continues her set with “Fever,” also from “With A Hammer.” In an interview with the music publication Pitchfork, she described the process of creating the album as being fueled by fury as she began to unpack repressed childhood memories in the midst of ongoing racism towards Asian Americans at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The album contains themes of resistance against the societal norms that limit Asian Americans and features Yaeji’s most bold, introspective work yet. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Photo of a woman dancing in front of a bright yellow screen

Yaeji twirls on stage. The concert featured dazzling visual displays and fast-paced flashes of light that appeared to slow down her movements, potentially harkening to her early days being immersed in the New York DJ scene. She mentions going to shows nightly and taking in all details of the experiences, from the lighting design to the structure of the DJ sets themselves. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Photo of a woman walking in front of a red light

Yaeji smiles as she performs. Her introduction to music came during childhood, when she discovered it on online communities. Later, she studied conceptual art and painting at Carnegie Mellon University and learned to DJ during her time as an undergraduate. It is clear that Yaeji brings an interdisciplinary eye to her creative direction beyond music and dance, including producing animations for her visualizers. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Photo of a woman in front of scattered white lights singing

Yaeji ends her performance with “Raingurl” and “Drink I’m Sipping On,” two songs that propelled her to recognition at the beginning of her career. The crowd cheered upon hearing “Raingurl’s” characteristic warped introduction and swayed as Yaeji and her dancers finished the set. (Photo by Marissa Ding)

Before Yaeji left the stage, she thanked the L.A. crowd for re-energizing her as she continues her longest tour yet. She mentioned that L.A. had some of the best energy of the cities she has performed in and made a heart with her arms as she said goodbye to fans. Yaeji exited to the continuous cheers of the audience, marking the end of a moving and healing night of music.