MAMA 2021 First Performance Lineup: TXT, Stray Kids, aespa, ITZY and more

On November 25, MAMA 2021 (Mnet Asian Music Awards) revealed its first lineup of performances. The lineup includes top fourth-generation groups such as aespa, Stray Kids, TXT and others.

As the artist lineup doesn’t reveal any second or third-generation groups, it’s a safe bet that they will be announced later. Here's a complete breakdown of all the groups performing at MAMA 2021.

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Top fourth-generation K-pop groups lined up for performance at MAMA 2021

Mnet Asian Music Awards is one of the most revered year-end music awards shows in South Korea. Extraordinary performances, grand stage setups, never-seen-before stunts and a whole lot more are shown every year at MAMA. For MAMA 2021, Mnet has announced its artist lineup. Check them out below:

For boy groups, ATEEZ, ENHYPEN, INI, JO1, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, Stray Kids and TXT will show their power and skills on the MAMA 2021 stage. As for girl groups, aespa, Brave Girls, ITZY and Kep1er will grace the stage.

While the lineup consists of only fourth-generation groups for now, the one group whose participation is creating more buzz is Kep1er. Formed recently through the survival show Girls Planet 999, Kep1er has not even debuted yet. The group’s variety show will be released before the awards ceremony, but the group’s debut date is set after the event.

Meanwhile, MAMA 2021 will also hold special performances from multiple A-listers in both the South Korean music industry and Hollywood. It will contain performances by Ed Sheeran, Wanna One reunion (11 out of 12 members uniting on stage) and the Street Woman Fighter dance crews.

Fans can also expect some incredible collaboration stages between the fourth generation groups. MAMA has given K-pop stans multiple never-imagined, iconic collaborations before, such as SUNMI and SHINee Taemin’s sensual Gashina performance in 2017, Red Velvet Seulgi and NCT 127 Taeyong’s I Just X AROUND (Hitchhiker Remix) performance in the same year. GFRIEND and SEVENTEEN joined hands in 2016 while Dynamic Duo collaborated with GOT7’s Jackson, NCT’s Mark, MONSTA X’s Jooheon and SEVENTEEN’s Vernon in 2015.

Out of the four grand prizes, Album of the Year (AlOTY), Song of the Year (SOTY), Artist of the Year (AOTY) and Worldwide Icon of the Year, only one will be based on fan voting as opposed to all of them requiring fan votes in previous iterations.

The final vote for Worldwide Icon of the Year has begun. Fans can vote on the MAMA website here.

Hosted by iconic K-pop artist Lee Hyori, MAMA 2021 will take place on December 11 at 6 PM KST.