Eric Nam is coming back to the Philippines for a night full of fun with Filipino Nam Nation!

The multi-talented Eric Nam will make his way back to the Philippine concert stage on November 10 at the Samsung Hall, kicking off the Asia leg of his There and Back Again tour in the country.

The multi-hyphenate promises a fun-filled concert — with a lot of singing and dancing — that will show a performance he is confident in and happy with for his Filipino Nam Nation. “That type of positive energy I have doing the show, it connects with the people who are watching and they walk away having had a good time,” he told Philippine Concerts in an exclusive interview. He will perform his best hits, including tracks from his latest album, There and Back Again, particularly “I Don’t Know You Anymore”, “Wildfire”, and “Any Other Way”, which he is most excited to bring to the stage for his local fans.

The upcoming Manila stop of There and Back Again marks Eric Nam’s first concert in the country after almost three years since his concert in 2020. The singer-songwriter recounted roaming around the Metro and having good food. He also expressed admiration for Filipinos, lauding their love for the arts. “I feel like the people in the Philippines are so warm and so kind. More than anything, they love music. That’s what I really respect and love about Filipino people — You have a deep understanding and love for the arts,” he remarked.

READ: Eric Nam is Back Again in Manila this November

In addition to reuniting with his Filipino fans, the tour, together with the album, marked a significant milestone in his career. The There and Back Again album served as his first release as an independent artist, following the end of his contract under his former agency. He admitted that going independent offers both pros and cons. “Being an independent artist is at times great and at times very difficult,” he said.

Still despite everything, he is happy and grateful to be an independent artist and be in control of his own career. “I think it’s really great that I am able to put music out, to tour the world, act in things, and take part in really cool projects as an independent musician. For that, I’m really grateful,” he added.

Moreover, the seven-track album signified his journey coming to South Korea to professionally pursue music and returning to the United States to continue what he started overseas and pursue his lifelong dream to be a singer in the US. And the journey there and back again was daunting, said Eric Nam. “Taking that journey, which almost took me ten years in Korea, and coming back to the States and reimagining and reengineering my career here was a daunting and very scary task,” he remarked. But the shift was also something he believes he had and wanted to do. It was a big shift — not only in terms of his career, but life in general.

Eric Nam came to South Korea in 2011 to compete in the second season of Star Audition: Birth of a Great Star. The following year, he officially signed under a label to debut as a solo artist, and the rest, as often said, is history. The singer-songwriter considered that period a “very momentous, important period” in his life. “It still is,” he said.

The year 2022 also marked ten years since he officially started his professional music career in South Korea. It was a decade of figuring things out about himself, what he wants to do, what he wants to create with his time on Earth. According to him, he spent those years figuring and experimenting various things in the entertainment world which he was happy and grateful to have the chance to do.

Despite the ups and downs of the past ten years, the multi-talented star lives without regrets. I try not to have regrets because you tend to dwell on the past and not think about how you can improve for the future, ” he remarked. He admitted that there were instances he wanted to quit or wished he never started, but he considers those moments as significant to his journey.” I take it as a pat on the back like ‘Hey, you got through it. Now, do whatever uou you want to do,” he said.

Aside from music, Eric Nam is known for the many hats he wears and different projects he undertakes, including MINDSET by DIVE Studios, a wellness platform that creates a space where people will feel safe to be seen and heard. “We created MINDSET because we believe that, sometimes, you just need to hear that you are not alone in whatever struggle or hardship you are going through,” he said. MINDSET has featured artists from various countries and genres who share their stories, including members of SEVENTEEN, GOT7, (G)I-DLE, iKON, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, and more. Given the chance, he also wish to have members of BTS and BLACKPINK on the platform. “They give us incredible performances and music, but at the same time, I’m sure they go through a lot of things that we all go through. To hear those conversations — not necessarily negative stuff — but to hear about the struggles they have, just very normal struggles, and for us to feel seen and to feel heard and to feel connected in that way. I think it will be incredible,” he said.

Eric Nam hopes that the platform become an avenue for mental health awareness. “It’s not always the easiest because we are very sensitive in terms of how we tell stories — important stories. I hope people are being positively affected by it and are enjoying and appreciating the content,” he added.

With everything he is already doing, Eric Nam promises that there is more to look forward to in the future. He will make his acting debut with Transplant that he hopes will open more actinh projects for him.

The singer-songwriter is also back in the studio, working on a new album for next year. A secret new music project is in the works and will be out in January 2023. He also teased new contents for DIVE Studios and MINDSET are coming. In addition, he revealed that he started to write and produce for TV shows and movies.

“It’s a lot of things, but for me, I’ve found that having a lot of things encourages my curiosity and creativity, so they kind of work together and I’m able to pull from different sides. That’s what I’ve enjoyed about my creative process,” he shared.

And Eric Nam hopes that with all the things to come, his Nam Nation will be there for it and like it. Before all the big treats for next year, the multi-talented star will treat his fans to more concerts as he brings There and Back Again tour to Asia, starting with the Philippines.

“All my Filipino Nam Nation, thank you so much for waiting for three years to see me. I’ve been so excited about going back to the Philippines and I can’t wait to see you. We’re gonna have a great time. The show, I promise you, is a lot of fun. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen. It’s gonna be a blast. Come on with comfortable shoes on and be ready to sing. I can’t wait to see you. Thank you so much for the love,” expressed the singer-songwriter.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE:

Eric Nam will be performing live and bringing a live band along for a fun-filled evening at the Samsung Hall on November 10. Tickets to the show are available via SM Tickets outlets and online.

Words by: Danica Lacson