The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival to be Held in May... Lineup Announced Featuring Herbie Hancock and Janelle Monáe

Grammy Award-winning jazz master Herbie Hancock will meet with Korean fans for the first time in 11 years at the Seoul Jazz Festival this May.

On the 24th, concert planning company Private Curve announced that a total of 37 teams, including Herbie Hancock, Janelle Monáe, and FKJ (French Kiwi Juice), will perform at the 18th Seoul Jazz Festival, which will be held from May 22 to 24 at Olympic Park in Seoul.

Herbie Hancock, who debuted in 1962 and has built a career spanning over 60 years, was a key member of the Miles Davis Quintet in the 1960s. After transitioning to a solo career, he has been recognized for his bold experiments that introduced funk, rock, and electronic music into jazz, expanding the boundaries of the genre. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 and has won a total of 14 Grammy Awards.

American singer-songwriter and actress Janelle Monáe will hold her first performance in Korea at this festival. Over the past 20 years, she has established a unique position in the music world by combining various genres such as soul, funk, and hip-hop with a distinctive science fiction concept.

FKJ, recognized as a pioneer of the 'New French House' genre that combines electronic music, jazz, and R&B, has confirmed his appearance at the Seoul Jazz Festival for the first time in two years.

Additionally, overseas artists such as British jazz keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, British singer-songwriter Ella Mai, and Mongolian jazz singer-songwriter Enji have also been included in the lineup.

Domestically, the unit of Seventeen's DK and Seungkwan, the band CNBLUE, Silica Gel, singer-songwriter Choi Yuri and Hanro, violinist Danny Gu, and jazz musician Yoon Seok-cheol will present a variety of performances.

Previously announced performers include Grammy-winning artist Jon Batiste, New Zealand band Leisure, and singer-songwriter Genevieve. However, the British jazz band Ezra Collective, which was on the lineup, canceled their performance due to personal reasons.