Eric Nam

Eric Nam, born Yoon-do Nam, specializes in meticulously crafted tracks that stretch from vulnerable, emotionally charged ballads to infectious mainstream pop laced with R&B hooks. Beyond music, he built substantial recognition through acting and television hosting, where his releases—including the 2019 debut album Before We Begin and its 2022 follow-up There and Back Again—drove both commercial success and creative evolution.

Raised in Atlanta after being born in the United States, Nam graduated from Boston College in 2011 with a major in international studies and a minor in Asian studies, then moved to India for nonprofit work. An impromptu audition for a Korean television singing competition while abroad landed him in the Top Five. Signing with B2M Entertainment in late 2012 led to the early 2013 arrival of his first EP, Cloud 9. Heartfelt ballads and gentle midtempo cuts quickly built a large audience across Asia and North America, opening doors to bilingual hosting gigs and celebrity interviews on screen.

Two pop singles followed in 2014—“Ooh Ooh” and “Melt My Heart”—then “I’m OK” and the Park Jimin duet “Dream” in 2015. A move to the CJ E&M label at the end of that year preceded the 2016 acoustic single “Spring Love” featuring Red Velvet’s Wendy. His second EP, Interview, dropped weeks afterward and charted just outside the Top Ten on Billboard’s World Albums tally. Additional 2016 output included his first English-language track, the EDM collaboration “Into You” with KOLAJ, and the tropical-tinged Timbaland-produced “Body.”

Joint projects defined 2017: “Cave Me In” with Gallant and Epik High’s Tablo, “You, Who?” alongside Jeon So-mi, “Idea of You” with Russian producer Arty, and “Like You” featuring AOBeats. That same year Forbes placed him on its “30 Under 30” list. A North American headline tour with duo Loote in 2018 sold out multiple dates. His third EP, Honestly, appeared in April and contained the single “Potion” with rapper Woodie Gochild.

Full-length debut Before We Begin arrived in November 2019 and peaked at number 23 on the Goan chart. Fourth EP The Other Side followed the next year, climbing to number 14. Preceded by singles “I Don’t Know You Anymore” and “Any Other Way,” second studio album There and Back Again was released in January 2022. Nam began 2023 with the title track single “House on a Hill” from his third studio LP.