After completing a successful tour run in Europe, R&B singer-songwriter GSoul embarked on his highly anticipated North America tour. In partnership with KOHAI, the tour took him across eight other cities before arriving at The Regent Theater in Los Angeles, CA on July 21. While it may be his first tour in the States, GSoul attracted a huge crowd of dedicated fans that showed up and showed out for his debut stage in the City of Angels.
Growing up in South Korea and The United States, Korean singer-songwriter GSoul naturally developed his love for music after immersing himself in genres such as R&B, soul, and Motown. Throughout the years, the soulful crooner signed with major Korean labels JYP Entertainment and H1GHR MUSIC before landing in Warner Music Korea. His innate vocal talent has led to the Korean R&B singer-songwriter singing background vocals for Mariah Carey in New York and winning first place on Voice Korea 2020. With a distinct, multifaceted voice, he accumulated an unwavering loyal fanbase and respect from fellow musicians in the industry.
GSoul shared the night with two opening acts. Born in Korea and raised in LA, Late opened the show with a set of mixed hip-hop and alternative R&B tunes. He performed fan favorites such as “Ey’” and teased the crowd with unreleased music from his upcoming EP. From making beats at home to now opening up a show for a well-respected global artist, Late radiated pure vibes and basked in his full-circle moment on stage.
Next was Phe R.E.D.S, a Cambodian-Chinese American singer-songwriter who is set on pursuing his dreams and living life at his own pace. He eased his way into everyone’s hearts with his endearing songs such as “Smile,” “Your Hands,” and “Swing My Way.” His set embodied the feelings of falling in love and left the audience with newfound music to add to their playlists.
Entering the stage sporting a summer-appropriate palm tree button-up, GSoul kicked off his set with the laid back summer track, “Tequila,” followed by “Bad Habit” and “Selfish.” Soft-spoken and ever-humble, GSoul happily greeted the audience and shared his excitement to finally be performing in LA.
The R&B crooner then pulled up a stool and showcased his vocal riffs and prowess with his renditions of Aretha Franklin’s “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” and Daniel Caesar’s “Best Part.” Highlighting the beauty of classic and modern R&B, he had the audience swaying and singing along with him.
GSoul, born Kim Ji-hyun, has been gracing the music scene with his soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics that carry beautiful messages. He performed his latest single, “Everytime,” that sings of comfort and consolation when faced with moments of hardships in a relationship. Following up with the honest and heartbreaking “Natural,” GSoul eased the crowd into a set dedicated to Natural, his 2021 all-English EP dedicated to his fans for their unwavering support even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Following with the EP’s B-sides “By My Side,” “Free (I’m Gonna Be),” and “Another Day,” GSoul and the audience sang through the different stages of falling in love, heartbreak, and moving on to better days.
In between sets, GSoul spent time interacting with the audience – waving to concertgoers, responding back to their “I love yous” and even giving his signature to a few lucky fans. A couple audience members with birthday sashes and banners received the ultimate birthday gift of all – a “Happy Birthday” serenade from the R&B singer himself.
The highlight of the night came when GSoul performed his 2019 breakout hit, “Hate Everything.” The heartbreaking track mourns the end of a relationship, a feeling that isn’t bound by language and resonates with listeners everywhere. The song is inarguably his most popular track with over 30 million streams across all music platforms to date. Its popularity was reflected at the concert as GSoul and the audience became one as they sang the solemn ballad together in unison. GSoul brightened the mood with the funky “Broken Record” that returned smiles to the audience’s faces as they passionately sang along, clapped and vibed to the upbeat rhythm.
As he began winding down the night, GSoul thanked KOHAI for arranging the tour, his opening acts that warmed up the crowd at each show, and the fans who came out and showed out for every step of the way. He closed out the night with “Need You,” “Can’t,” “Found You,” and “Love Me Again.” Throughout the night, his soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics enamored the audience and pulled at their heartstrings, especially those who found solace in the messages behind his lyrics. Until the next time GSoul graces the States with his innate talent, be sure to follow him on his social media and stream his music on all streaming platforms!