Jessi

With a career that pre-dates the majority of acts on line-up, Jessi arrives at the KPOPWORLD Festival as an icon. Over twenty years, she has built a recognisable and enduring brand as a confident, commanding soloist in the K-hip-hop space.

Born Jessica Hyunju Ho, Jessi is an American rapper and singer based in South Korea. Raised in New Jersey, she was inspired by Korean idols and moved to Seoul at 15 with the dream of debuting as an artist. Her career began with several different ventures, spanning two single albums in 2005 and 2009, a feature on hip-hop group Uptown’s album Testimony, and a second debut five years later as a member of hip-hop trio Lucky J.

Mainstream fame came with her participation in Korean female rapper survival program Unpretty Rapstar in 2015, a spin-off of Show Me the Money – a survival show famous for launching the careers of numerous prominent K-hip-hop names. Though she ultimately departed the show as a runner-up in second place, it gave her a great deal of visibility and a push towards mainstream popularity. After her appearance, she landed a feature on JYP’s “Who’s Your Mama?”, which topped all nine major music platforms in South Korea upon its release.

Jessi has continued to release charting music ever since. She was the first artist to sign with Psy’s record label P Nation in 2019, collaborated with multiple artists including fellow KPOPWORLD Festival performer Jay Park, and debuted for a third time as part of supergroup Refund Sisters alongside Lee Hyori, Uhm Junghwa, and Hwasa. Her single “Zoom” received particular attention, going viral on TikTok due to its catchy chorus and her signature raspy, textured vocal tone. All led to Jessi’s current position as one of the most recognisable soloists in the industry, under her own company UNNI.

Jessi’s choice to move to Seoul was led by the belief that she would not succeed in the U.S. as an Asian artist. Over twenty years later, it is only right that Jessi is involved in the first KPOPWORLD Festival; it exists as an event representative of the growth of Asian music in the U.S. market, and the potential for Asian artists to flourish in the country where they previously lacked opportunities.

In recent years, Jessi has foregone solo concert tours in favour of festival appearances, becoming a staple at events like WATERBOMB and annual university events. At each performance, she bridges the gap between artist and crowd with high-intensity tracks like “Nutty Nutty” and “Cold Blooded,” raising the roof. Her blending of gritty hip-hop and soulful R&B offers a varied setlist, while a bold, unfiltered stage presence drives momentum. For the first time since 2023, experience Jessi’s command of the stage live in the U.S. at the KPOPWORLD Festival.

For those needing a refresh on Jessi’s stand-out hits prior to the event, three songs fit the bill.

“NUNU NANA” cemented Jessi’s mainstream solo success, becoming an instant K-pop staple. It’s explosive, blending hip-hop and dance, and is guaranteed to energise the listener.

“Cold Blooded” was created for the dance survival show Street Woman Fighter, and its fierce, confident tone speaks for itself as to why Jessi was chosen for the opportunity.

“Girls Like Me,” Jessi’s most recent single, is a mantra for her entire career. Loud, aggressive, and set over an old-school funk/hip-hop beat, it summarises her persona and where she stands out amongst a hyper-polished industry.

A veteran and master of the Korean music industry, Jessi has seen its international rise in popularity from the inside. In October, she will return to the U.S. for the first time since 2023 to become part of that rise in person, representing the origins of K-hip-hop from her well-deserved place on the KPOPWORLD Festival line-up.