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The headliners of 88rising's festival consisted of K-pop bigwigs like Jackson Wang, CHUNG HA, and Jay Park. The American music company's Head in the Clouds (HITC) festival took place at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. 88rising is a company that has been associated with always creating a platform for Asian and Asian-American voices.
After performing a set (titled Head in the Clouds Forever) that was the talk of the town at Coachella this year, 88rising's own festival was expected to be amazing as well. Apart from the well-known faces of K-pop, HITC 2022 also featured iconic artists like Rich Brian, Stephanie Poetri, and Joji, who made the event memorable.
Five K-pop stars who rocked the HITC stage at the 88rising festival: Jackson Wang, BIBI, and 3 others
Dubbed the "Asian Coachella," this year HITC was held on August 20 and 21. The festival witnessed a huge number of enthusiastic fans who had turned up to see some legendary performers. Here are five K-pop celebrities who performed incredible sets at the Head in the Clouds music festival.
1) Jackson Wang
GOT7's rapper and global star Jackson Wang closed the festival on Day 2, showcasing all the flourish, stage presence, and incredible dancing that defines him.
Including fan-favorites like Cruel and Blow, Jackson's setlist was also full of new, unreleased songs from his upcoming album, Magic Man, that gave the attendees a peek into what can be expected from the September release.
The 100 Ways singer united with Milli, ATARASHII GAKKO!, Rich Brian, and Teriyaki Boyz, and Warren Hue with Chasu on stage before closing Head in the Clouds with a grand performance. Crazy Rich Asians actress Michelle Yeon also made a special appearance as Jackson danced alongside her.
2) BIBI
South Korean singer and songwriter BIBI brought in a fresh and infectious energy to 88rising's festival, leaving the audience in awe with her stunning visuals and unique sound.
The 23-year-old star's 30 minute set consisted of songs like Best Lover, but also had a few unreleased gems like Bumpa and City Love. Fans enjoyed her performance, and their energy did not seem to dip even as the singer neared the end of her time. BIBI definitely proved herself to be someone to watch out for with her HITC show.
3) Jay Park ft. Sik-K and pH-1
Fans of Korean hip-hop and rap will recognize Jay Park as one of the most talented musicians in the industry. His years of experience in rap music along with his powerful stage presence ensured a performance that will be on attendees' minds for a while.
Jay Park performed hits like GANADARA, MOMMAE, and Solo, and was joined by fellow rappers Sik-K and pH-1 for iffy and TELÉFONO, among others. The moment the three rappers came together on stage was explosive, and the audience's cheers were deafening.
4) CHUNG HA
Former I.O.I. member and solo K-pop artist CHUNG HA put up an incredible performance at HITC. Known for her phenomenal dancing skills, the singer performed hit numbers like Killing Me, Rollercoaster, and Sparkling.
The 26-year-old singer also signed albums between songs, surprising fans who were not expecting their favorite singer to approach them from the stage. She ended her half-hour long set with a selfie with audience members, showing her dedication to both her craft and fans.
5) eaJ
A former member of K-pop band Day6, eaJ (earlier known as Jae), was also part of the 88rising music festival. After disagreements with JYP Entertainment, the singer left the company and now releases music as a solo artist.
His set included songs like Go Away, LA Stars, and Traveler. Traveler is a special song for the artist, who has mentioned how important it is to him,
"one of my favorite songs I've written here so far!"
The singer concluded his performance with a rendition of his solo single Car crash, which happens to be the first song he released under his new stage name.
More about this year's HITC and what to expect in the future
Despite this year's Head in the Clouds festival consisting of brilliant performances and fresh music, the presence of K-pop celebrities Tiger JK and Yoonmirae who performed in past iterations was missed.
HITC 2022 will have more shows as part of its international editions in Indonesia (Jakarta) and the Philippines (Manila) in December of this year. The list of performers has not been released yet, but considering the lineup for the California edition, one can expect big names among the Asian diaspora and K-pop to show up.
