SAAY Comes Full Circle with an Intimate Concert in New York City
For Korean singer-songwriter SAAY, her Saturday night concert was a long time coming. Having lived in New York herself as a child, she was finally able to perform on home turf for dedicated fans, who had been awaiting this moment for years.
Elsewhere’s Zone One is a tight, intimate venue in Brooklyn, but that didn’t mean the atmosphere was subdued. Fans were eagerly waiting, chatting amongst themselves about how they discovered SAAY and taking photos of their new signed posters from the earlier meet & greet sessions.
It’s SAAY’s World
SAAY’s music is sultry and smooth, R&B heavy with a pop stars sensibilities. From the opening drum beats of “Talk 2 Me Nice,” she has the crowd wrapped around her finger.
The setlist weaves through a variety of genres and influences, and took fans along for a ride through SAAY’s discography, making for a comprehensive and succinct concert. The chosen songs were an effective selection to showcase her talents, but make the hour-long show feel all-too short. Before the set has even ended, fans are already begging for her to return to the states, calling out “Next time come to Philadelphia!” “And D.C!” “Florida!”
Tracks like the R&B “Overzone” and “DOMINO” have a sexier feel, with lighting turned down low, where others like “ZGZG” and “OMEGA” take a more uptempo approach that has fans bopping along. “ENCORE” even treats the crowd to a dance break. Up until that point SAAY had been gleefully flitting from end to end of the stage, happy to spend each song interacting with fans. But choreography adds another layer to her performance, proving she’s as much an artist as she is a performer.
“I’m Okay” is a sunnier, brighter take on ending a relationship, but it’s the bombastic “Sh*t Makerrrrrrrr” that really gets the crowd amped up. Fans echoed the chorus even after the song ended.
EvoL-ution of an Artist
“I’ve loved you since EvoL!” one fan shouts over the crowd. – EvoL was the K-pop group SAAY was active from before going solo.
SAAY’s career has been a fruitful one. Debuting in EvoL in 2013, SAAY (then going by the stage name Say), served as the group’s leader. She also wrote songs for the group before lending her pen and composition skills to other K-pop heavyweights including Henry, BAEKHYUN, aespa, and TWICE. On top, she’s written and put out her own solo music since 2017, garnering millions of YouTube views and streams in that time.
It’s as a soloist on stage where she really shines. On top of her writing skills and discography, she has the natural ease and charisma of a pop star. While many musicians play into being friends with their fans, with SAAY, it feels genuine.
Sweet as Hell
Although it’s the name of one of her songs, it’s also an apt description of SAAY herself. The majority of the show is spent with fans in some capacity – answering their questions, taking videos on their phones during songs, recording messages to friends who couldn’t attend. She holds hands, returns their finger hearts, and even dons a hat that was given as a gift.
It’s clear why – as SAAY’s first show in the U.S., she spends a lot of time thanking fans for coming to the show, and gushing about how happy she is that people have come to see her perform. At one point, right at the end of “Sweet as Hell,” she tears up. Before she can apologize, a fan has run over from the bar to pass a stack of napkins up to the front so she can dry her eyes. It’s an endearing moment between SAAY and the crowd, but also a testament to the kind of dedication she inspires.
Watching an artist’s first performance to a certain crowd – in this case, SAAY’s first ever U.S. concert – always feels special. It’s like being in on a secret before everyone else, having a little peek into something you know is going to grow even bigger and better.
This show feels like it’s just the beginning for SAAY, and one can only imagine it’s up from here.
Want more exclusive photos and concert recaps? Read about our time with Yoasobi at Radio City Music Hall here!
