On Sunday, Feb. 8, fans lined up around the block at The Paramount waiting to be included in the Next World experience, a live music performance combining the forces of Asian female artists, Nicole Han, Chiabiee, Hyejin and An Tran Sax.
The Next World Collective is a music community that puts on both free and ticketed concerts in the L.A. area. All proceeds from this event were donated to the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum in support of Asian American women creatives.
“We try to provide a platform for these creatives because a lot of people’s works aren’t heard as much as they should be,” Kai Tano, the founder of Next World, said.
The Next World Collective has been Tano’s passion project for three years. Even as a recent transfer student to USC, he still plans on maintaining the community he has created.
“I’m trying to just have a good experience and create a good experience for people to enjoy. I think that’s something in my morals that I want to stay for the next five to 10 years,” Tano said.
The show began with singer and songwriter Nicole Han, who created an intimate listening environment with her indie pieces and acoustic backing tracks. Han was followed by Chiabiee, a regular artist at Next World events.
“I was surprised with the turnout, honestly, in a great way,” Han said.“The people who are part of the Next World team are so welcoming. It was such a positive experience.”
During her set, Han performed a new song, “Living For It All,” which is set to release Feb. 27.
“I had literally never shared the demo with anybody. I feel like it was just fun to do something that nobody had ever heard before,” Han said.
The demo was well received by the audience, with fans expressing their excitement after the performance.
“I’m ready to see her again. We really liked her new song. It was really good. We are waiting for the drop at the end of the month,” fan Addah Hines said.
Chiabiee stepped up to the stage next and opened with the song “cherri” from her album “crash,” which was released in November of 2025. In addition to these new songs, Chiabiee performed a variety of other pieces, from covers to untitled, unreleased tracks.
“I feel like since I perform pretty frequently in LA, I don’t want people just to listen to the same thing over and over again. So I always try to add something new,” Chiabiee said.
Chiabiee has been involved in Next World events before, and for this show, she helped Tano recruit artists to perform.
“I really love the community that Kai’s created. I feel like the kind of community he curated is one that you don’t really see a lot in LA, where people are just really there for the love of the game,” Chiabiee said.“They’re really passionate, super kind, amazing people who love music, love what they do and genuinely just want to give back to the community and have a good time.”
Hyejin, who performed next, and An Tran, who closed out the night, are used to performing on the East Coast. This concert was an opportunity to interact with their fans from L.A.
“It’s been almost three years since my last performance in L.A.,” Hyejin, who recently moved to L.A. from New York, said, “I was so surprised that people knew the words to a lot of the songs. I’ve never really had that experience with people singing back at me, so that was really special.”
Hyejin, whose music encapsulates a chill vibe, performed some of her classics like “Sabotage” and ”Seeing Pink,” but also debuted unreleased tracks, which are planned to appear on her upcoming album.
“That was really fun and really nerve-racking at the same time. I’m excited to put out new music. It’s been a really long time,” Hyejin said.
Tran, an artist and producer from Berklee College of Music, closed out the night. Her performance combined some of her new songs as well as freestyle jazz performances on the saxophone.
“It was such a cool show. It’s my first time playing it in L.A., so I was really surprised when I looked down, and people were singing the song. I thought, ‘wow, you guys know the lyrics, that’s awesome.’” Tran said when talking about her new song “THE ONE.”
Tran, who adds a unique element to her performances by playing the saxophone, said she strives to make each show worthwhile.
“Whenever I develop a set list, I want it to be an experience. The saxophone will add to the story that I’m telling,” Tran said.
Since Next World is a joint concert, the artists not only got to see their fans, but also people who were there to watch other performances.
“It’s always been super special being a part of and getting to know other artists’ fans. That’s how we expand our reach,” Hyejin said.
In July, Next World plans to host one of its signature, free boba shop events where people can watch artists perform and support the boba shop.
“Next World is attached to the core values of creating a safe space for independent artists and musicians, as well as the community members like the staff,” Tano said, “I just want to create intimate experiences for these people, because these are the memories these artists and even the audience will cherish forever.”