Off the Heels of Lollapalooza Debut Featuring Surprise Ty Dolla $ign Appearance, aespa Drops "Switchblade" Music Video
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| Lollapalooza Debut Featured Fan Favorites and New LEMONADE Tracks Brought to Life With Live Band, DJ, and Dancers
Global K-pop powerhouse aespa (SM Entertainment/Capitol) made its Lollapalooza debut on August 2 with a standout performance at the Allianz Stage in Chicago’s Grant Park. One of the night’s biggest moments came when Ty Dolla $ign, who is featured on “Switchblade,” joined the group on stage for a surprise performance. The official music video for the track is out now
YouTube SMTOWN, aespa, Ty Dolla $ign
KARINA, GISELLE, WINTER and NINGNING took the stage for one of the festival’s major Sunday evening sets, delivering a 14-song performance backed by a live band, DJ and dancers. Blending some of the group's biggest global hits with the live debuts of new tracks from its second studio album, LEMONADE, the performance showcased aespa's signature blend of powerful vocals, dynamic choreography and immersive stage production. The set was livestreamed on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in international markets, with Weverse also streaming it in select regions, including South Korea.
Following a live band introduction, aespa emerged to loud cheers from the crowd, opening with its debut single “Black Mamba” before moving into “Next Level” and “Rich Man.” The explosive opening immediately set the tone for the night, highlighting the group’s commanding stage presence and high-energy performance.
The set continued with global favorites including “Armageddon,” “Supernova” and “Whiplash,” alongside new tracks from LEMONADE. In addition to the album’s double title tracks, “WDA” and “LEMONADE,” aespa delivered the first live performances of several fan-favorite B-sides, including “Can’t Help Myself,” “Switchblade (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)” and “SHAKIN’.”
One of the night’s biggest moments came during “Switchblade,” when Ty Dolla $ign, who featured on the song, made a surprise appearance to a roaring crowd. Marking the pair’s first live performance of the track together, aespa and Ty Dolla $ign brought a playful chemistry and dynamic energy to the stage.
“It was an incredible experience to be back on stage at Lollapalooza—this time alongside aespa. So proud of how far they’ve come. Watching their journey and seeing them own a stage like this is truly inspiring. Congratulations on another unforgettable show!” Ty Dolla $ign said of the collaboration. aespa closed the set with “LEMONADE,” bringing its first-ever Lollapalooza performance to an electrifying finish.
“This was our first time performing at Lollapalooza, and it was such an honor to take the stage in Chicago. Hearing the crowd sing along and cheer throughout the set gave us so much energy, and we had an incredible time performing. We’re so grateful to everyone who came out to support us. We hope to carry all of that energy with us as we head into our upcoming world tour,” aespa said following the show.
The official music video for “Switchblade,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, is also out now, giving fans another look at the dynamic chemistry between the artists.
Following Lollapalooza, aespa will kick off its fourth world tour, 2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR - SYNK : COMPLæXITY, with two shows in Seoul on August 7 and 8. The tour will continue across Asia, Latin America, North America, the U.K. and Europe. Tickets are on sale now at aespaworldtour.com.
2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR - SYNK : COMPLæXITY tour dates:
August 7 & 8 — Seoul — Gocheok Sky Dome*
August 11 — Taipei — Taipei Dome*
September 4 — São Paulo — Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu
September 6 — Santiago — Movistar Arena
September 9 — Lima — Costa 21
September 11 — Mexico City — Palacio de los Deportes
September 15 — Hamilton, ON — TD Coliseum
September 18 — Belmont Park, NY — UBS Arena
September 22 — Washington, DC — Capital One Arena
September 24 — Atlanta, GA — State Farm Arena
September 26 — Miami, FL — Kaseya Center
September 29 — Dallas, TX — American Airlines Center
October 3 — Los Angeles, CA — Intuit Dome
October 6 — Oakland, CA — Oakland Arena
October 9 — Seattle, WA — Climate Pledge Arena
October 11 — Vancouver, BC — Rogers Arena
January 14 — Manchester — AO Arena
January 16 — London — The O2
January 19 — Amsterdam — Ziggo Dome
January 22 — Stockholm — Avicii Arena
January 24 — Copenhagen — Royal Arena
January 26 — Berlin — Uber Arena
January 29 — Milan — Unipol Dome
January 31 — Barcelona — Palau Sant Jordi
February 2 — Paris — Accor Arena
About aespa
aespa is a global K-pop force renowned for their distinctive concept and powerful performances. The four members—KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE, and NINGNING—engage in a wide range of activities rooted in a unique multiverse that transcends the real and digital worlds, and the slogan “Only I can define myself.”
Since their breakout debut with “Black Mamba” in 2020, aespa has continued to break records. Their 2022 EP Girls topped the Billboard Top Album Sales chart and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3, marking their highest chart performance at the time. Their third EP MY WORLD also claimed No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart.
These achievements were followed by the EP Drama, their first full-length album Armageddon, their fifth mini album Whiplash, the physical single “Dirty Work,” and sixth mini album Rich Man, with aespa achieving million-seller status for seven consecutive releases, further solidifying their powerful presence. Most recently, aespa joined forces with Anderson .Paak on “Keychain (FROM THE FILM K-POPS!),” representing K-pop as a leading act on the original soundtrack while highlighting their distinctive global sound. In May 2026, aespa released their second full-length album, which topped the iTunes Top Albums chart in 25 regions worldwide.
aespa’s growing international impact has been recognized across music and design. The group was named Group of the Year at Billboard Women in Music 2025 and nominated for Best Female K-Pop Artist at the 2026 American Music Awards. The “Dirty Case Ver.” of their single “Dirty Work” also received a 2026 Red Dot Design Award in the Product Design category.
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