On December 5, singer-songwriter hannah bahng treated New Yorkers to an unforgettable performance at Mercury Lounge. Despite the cold, fans lined up in front of the venue for her first-ever headlining show.
hannah’s passion for music started at an early age, ultimately leading her to form her independent record label, Bahng Entertainment. From then on, she worked on creating new music and released her debut project, The Abysmal EP. In support of her EP, she announced The Abysmal Tour, which took place in six cities across the U.S. Due to popular demand, her first tour fully sold out.
At promptly 7PM, hannah entered through the crowd, waving to her fans (whom she affectionately calls “blues”) as she made her way on stage. Joined by guitarist and co-producer Andrew Luce, she started the show off with “OLeander,” bringing forth her rich vocals. She followed up with “tonight’s the night i die to a frank ocean song” as the crowd showered her with love.
After receiving compliments about her Pokémon jacket, she mentioned it was designed by her friend Vandy, who was in the audience. Regarding Mercury Lounge, hannah recounted the time she visited the venue for a Lyn Lapid gig, so being back there for her headlining show felt like a full circle moment. Moving on to the next song, she mentioned it was a special one she wrote while she was on a trip in New York, “I sat down at the piano and started playing this song. I cried a bit, which is why I think it’s extremely special that I’m going to be singing it here tonight for you guys. You guys kind of helped me birth this song,” she concluded before hitting the first few notes on the piano. The song was “hannah interlude,” a soft ballad that featured a loving voicemail from her mother in Korean.
hannah not only displayed her singing talents but her Rubik’s Cube skills as well. She brought up a lucky fan from the crowd and challenged them to a Rubik’s Cube race. After what seemed like a close race, hannah remained victorious, although the fan won a signed cube and a hug from her.
The setlist included a few cover songs; the first was “Church” from her favorite Australian band, Chase Atlantic, and the other was an oldie for the parents called “Livin’ on a Prayer” from Bon Jovi. She teased two unreleased songs called “ribs” and “what never lived.” Just from hearing those songs live, many blues anticipate their official release.
With the show reaching its conclusion, hannah thanked the audience and her guitarist Andrew as it was his last performance for the tour. Strumming her blue guitar, she performed “POMEGRANATE,” a mystical alt-R&B track inspired by Greek mythology. After blues shouted for an encore, she ended the set with her debut single “perfect blues” while taking selfies with fans’ phones.
“I hope you guys had the worst night of your night,” hannah cheekily remarked before her goodbyes. The show was short and sweet, leaving blues questioning when she’ll return. With her first tour being a success, many await her future endeavors.
Quotations have been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Photos and words by Angela Leung
