Small Girl On The Big Stage: Young Ji’s “All Or Nothing” Interview and Concert

Welcome to L.A.! We are so excited to have you here. Congratulations on your first U.S. tour, it is great to meet you. Who is your biggest inspiration for your music style today?

YOUNG JI: There’s so many artists I was inspired by! My inspiration changes. Like, yesterday, I was inspired by Doja Cat.

Of all the songs you perform, which has the most surprising response from your audience?

YOUNG JI: The most famous of my career is “Not Sorry”. And these days, it’s “Small Girl.” I hope these two songs today will surprise my fans, as well.

What do you want to share with your fans around the world?

YOUNG JI: Compared to Asia, I am not that well known in the U.S., and thankfully through this U.S. tour, I get a chance to meet my fans. So, today, hopefully our energies match and I get to see everyone more often and I get to come back soon.

Young Ji has been a powerhouse since a young age. She has successfully won two survival shows (“High School Rapper 3” and “Show Me The Money 11”), and has become a household name in the South Korean Hip-Hop world. She has recently finished her first tour, All or Nothing, in North America with amazing reception.

At the start of her career, Young Ji initially gained attention in the South Korean music scene with her work as a rapper. Her talent and distinct style helped her carve out a niche in the competitive industry. Her appearance on "Show Me the Money 11" was a major turning point. The show, which is a popular hip-hop competition, allowed her to showcase her rapping skills and significantly raised her profile in the hip-hop community. Her work often features a blend of rap and pop, reflecting her versatility as an artist.

Back in Los Angeles, Young Ji enters the stage to waiting fans. She enters with a full band and incredible stage presence. Her fans scream and she roars, “Are you ready, L.A.?” If the audience did not know her name, Young Ji’s first song made it explicitly clear. She performed “I Am Lee Youngji,” a song she wrote and produced on the show “Good Girl.” Much of her set contained songs from her latest E.P., 16 Fantasy, including “16 (Intro),” “My Cat,” and “ADHD (feat. Jambino).”

A big part of Young Ji’s concert was audience participation. Singing along was heavily encouraged, and she led the fans to follow along with lyrics from “Blue Check” and “DNA Remix.” In addition, Young Ji invited several fans up on stage to perform with her. For a K-Pop concert, this is a rarity. She invited four fans to come up and dance with her for one song, and chose one fan to rap the PH-1 portion of the song “NOT SORRY.” Throughout the night, the fans became more excited and bolder, as they lived vicariously through the on-stage performers.

The whole night was full of energy and style. Young Ji commanded the stage with her band and she dominated the night. Fans left the venue with a liveliness into the cool night air. It is easy to say that everyone is ready for Young Ji to return to L.A. as soon as possible.