Today, Korean-American musician Eric Nam released his highly anticipated album House on A Hill. Including some of Nam’s previously released hit singles, “Don’t Leave Yet”, and the title track from the album, “House on a Hill”, the album gives listeners a touching perspective on the concept of happiness and the melodic formula that can provide it. An album filled with ten years of Nam’s experiences and knowledge gained over the course of his career, House on A Hill marks his third studio album and the commencement of his fourth world tour beginning September 21st.

Ahead of the album’s release and upcoming tour, VMAN got the chance to speak to Eric about his newest body of work and get a behind-the-scenes look into his “Don’t Leave Yet” and “Only For A Moment” music videos.

VMAN: With the new album launching today, talk to us a bit about the creative process for this album—what is it about this album that you think differentiates itself from your previous works?

ERIC NAM: This album marks my tenth anniversary as a musician and so I wanted it to be a very ambitious project that forced me to create and think not only outside of the box, but by pulling from all aspects of my creative experiences over the past decade. In order to do so, I tried to create a robust storyline and universe that the songs on this album could live in. My team and I tried to achieve this by creating four music videos that are all tied together through a short film. It was a very ambitious and challenging process but one that has been incredibly rewarding and one that I hope listeners, viewers, and fans will love. I think the other thing that differentiates this album from others is that it comes from a place of confidence, not arrogance, but just being confident in myself as an artist and as a musician to empower myself to wholly create in ways that I believe were correct.

VMAN: What were some of your initial ideas about the songs and the overall direction that you had at the beginning stages of making the album?

EN: The biggest overarching theme is probably finding happiness and existential crisis. I think I set out to directly or indirectly prod what makes me happy as a creative, a musician, an entrepreneur, and a human. To get there, I threw my life and everything that I do into my spiraling, overthinking brain and it was that overthinking that made me come face to face with difficult questions on happiness, success, sadness, loneliness, love, etc.

VMAN: From your first album “Before We Begin” in 2019 to now your third album and latest world tour, what do you think has been the biggest lesson you learned about yourself since then (both musically, and personally)?

EN: That nobody has the answers to anything in the world of art and creativity. There is no one way. There is no right way. All to say that I think I have learned to be as thoughtful and patient with myself and my thoughts as possible, and that when making creative decisions, I should go with what my gut and my heart lead. I have also learned that nothing is ever finished, but they can be good enough, and sometimes, good enough is all we need.

VMAN: How do you think your sound has evolved since putting out that first body of work? Are you going into this new era of music with more confidence?

EN: I think that the musicality and the complexity of the songs and sounds have leveled up. Lyrically, I think they have gotten more nuanced and poignant as well. This I think comes with more years and time spent writing and pondering themes and subjects and naturally builds more confidence. However, there is always doubt and fear and anxiety, but again, just knowing that I’m putting my best foot forward sometimes is all I need to reassure myself.

VMAN: Now with the upcoming world tour in support of the third album, what are you most excited about with being back on the road? Are there any favorite or soon-to-be favorite spots you are excited to check out?

EN: I’m excited to get back into the pattern of being on the road and on a bus. There is something very calming about getting up every day and doing something I love. I also truly enjoy finding a new coffee shop and a great meal in every city and my focus for the day is to put on a great show, which is truly a blessing.

VMAN: With this being your fourth world tour, how are you getting yourself involved with the creative behind the visuals and sounds, but also the fashion you’ll be wearing throughout the tour? What are some styles and trends that you’re hoping to incorporate into the tour looks?

EN: I’ve always been incredibly hands-on with every aspect of the tour, from set design, colors, choreography, song arrangements, and obviously the fashion. Honestly, I’m still a bit torn on what to wear this time around, but I think it will be a mix of classic “Eric Nam” stage fits, including some satin and silk flowing shirts, but also incorporating my current go-to’s which include a lot of denim and leather—it’s gonna get hot dancing in them, but I think it’ll look and feel good.

Tickets for Eric Nam’s North American, Latin America, UK, and Europe concerts are on sale now.

See below for the official full dates of the “House on A Hill” tour.

NORTH AMERICA

09.21.23 Orlando, FL House of Blues

09.23.23 Tampa, FL The Ritz Ybor

09.24.23 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution (Outdoors)

09.26.23 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy

09.27.23 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works

09.29.23 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore

09.30.23 Raleigh, NC The Ritz

10.01.23 Norfolk, VA The NorVa

10.03.23 Baltimore, MD Ram’s Head Live

10.04.23 Washington, DC Echostage

10.06.23 Pittsburgh, PA Roxian Theatre

10.07.23 Philadelphia, PA The Fillmore

10.10.23 New Haven, CT College Street Music Hall

10.11.23 New York, NY Rooftop at Pier 17

10.13.23 Boston, MA Roadrunner

10.14.23 Montreal, QC MTELUS

10.16.23 Toronto, ON Rebel

10.18.23 Detroit, MI The Fillmore

10.19.23 Columbus, OH Kemba Live

10.21.23 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre

10.22.23 St. Louis, MO The Pageant

10.24.23 Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre

10.25.23 Minneapolis, MN The Fillmore

10.27.23 Denver, CO The Ogden

10.28.23 Salt Lake City, UT Union Event Center

10.30.23 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall

11.01.23 Vancouver, BC PNE Forum

11.03.23 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo

11.04.23 Portland, OR Roseland Theater

11.06.23 Oakland, CA Fox Theater

11.07.23 Wheatland, CA Hard Rock Live

11.10.23 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl

11.11.23 Los Angeles, CA Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall

11.13.23 Anaheim, CA, USA House of Blues

11.14.23 San Diego, CA, USA SOMA

11.15.23 Phoenix, AZ, USA Van Buren

11.30.23 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom

12.02.23 Austin, TX Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater

12.03.23 Houston, TX Bayou Music Center

LATIN AMERICA

11.20.23 Sao Paolo, Brazil Cine Joia

11.22.23 Buenos Aires, Argentina GROOVE

11.23.23 Santiago, Chile Teatro Cariola

11.25.23 Lima, Peru Scencia

11.28.23 Mexico City, MX Auditorio BB

UK & EUROPE

02.29.24 Oslo, Norway Sentrum Scene

03.02.24 Stockholm, Sweden Annexet

03.03.24 Copenhagen, Denmark Vega

03.05.24 Frankfurt, Germany Zoom

03.06.24 Berlin, Germany Columbiahalle

03.08.24 Munich, Germany Tonhalle

03.09.24 Prague, Czech Republic Sasazu

03.11.24 Milan, Italy Fabrique

03.12.24 Zurich, Switzerland Halle 622

03.13.24 Brussels, Belgium Ancienne Belgique

03.15.24 Paris, France Bataclan

03.16.24 Paris, France Bataclan

03.18.24 Cologne, Germany Palladium

03.19.24 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg

03.20.24 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg

03.22.24 Glasgow, UK O2 Academy

03.24.24 Dublin, Ireland Olympia

03.25.24 Manchester, UK Academy

03.26.24 London, UK Eventim Apollo

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

3.30.24 Melbourne, Australia Palais Theatre

4.2.23 Sydney, Australia Roundhouse

4.3.23 Brisbane, Australia Fortitude Music Hall

4.5.23 Auckland, New Zealand Auckland Town Hall