Lenka, Wouter Hamel to Hold Shows in December
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Rising pop singer Lenka will return to Seoul next month for her first solo concert.
Lenka, who performed at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival last summer, will perform on Dec. 22 at Hongdae V-Hall.
The Australian singer-songwriter is making waves with her self-titled debut album filled with cheerful pop and love songs featured on U.S. shows like ``Ugly Betty,'' ``90210'' and ``Grey's Anatomy.'' She co-wrote the single ``The Show" with American singer-songwriter Jason Reeves. ``The Show" became a hit not just for its catchy melody but its whimsical music video, which she co-directed with James Gulliver Hancock.
Lenka was a teen actress, and trained under Cate Blanchett in Australia. She appeared in several TV dramas and films, and was also the host of a children's morning program.
But music was her passion. Lenka joined electronic-rock band Decoder Ring, appearing on two albums and touring with them. In 2007, Lenka decided to leave Sydney and move to Los Angeles to start a music career. Also a songwriter, she says her songs reflect her personal experiences.
Meanwhile, Dutch jazz sensation Wouter Hamel will be holding a series of concerts Dec. 29 to 31 to help Korean fans usher in the New Year. The ``New Year's Eve Live In Seoul" concerts will be held at the Hongdae V-Hall.
Hamel has attracted a loyal fan base in Korea after impressive performances at the Seoul Jazz Festival in May and two solo concerts in August.
The Dutch singer-songwriter is known for music with up-tempo swing beats and an effortless blend of pop and jazz. He won the Dutch Jazz Vocalist Competition in 2005, and released his debut album ``Hamel'' to critical acclaim and commercial success in 2007.
This year, he released his sophomore effort, ``Nobody's Tune,'' produced by Benny Sings, a sought-after producer in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Japan.
For his year-end concerts, Hamel is expected to sing pop-jazz tunes from his two albums, including ``Breezy,'' ``Details,'' ``In Between'' and ``March, April, May.''
Lenka and Hamel's concerts are part of Private Curve's ``Music Likes Me!" concert series that runs Dec. 18 to 31. Other performers include D'Sound (Dec. 19), Eric Benet (Dec. 19) and Korean rock group Sister's Barbershop (Dec. 26 to 27).
Tickets to Lenka's concert are 77,000 won, while tickets to Hamel's concert are 88,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. For reservations in English, call (02)563-0595 or e-mail info@privatecurve.com.