[SINGAPORE] Dean & Tabber Electrify at First Sold-Out Asia Concert

Time away from the spotlight hasn’t dulled Dean‘s knife – he’s as sharp a performer as ever, hypnotising the crowd with his voice and easily commanding the stage. 

He and fellow singer-songwriter Tabber performed at the Singapore Expo on March 9, 2024 to a sold-out crowd – the first stop of their multi-city Asia tour Dean with Tabber Live. 

Dean last visited Singapore in September 2016 for a public performance and fan sign event. Since then, he’s founded you.will.knovv, which houses artists such as Tabber and Rad Museum, and has collaborated with IU and Lee Hi. 

Tabber rose to prominence in 2021 as a participant in the rap survival competition Show Me The Money 10, where he ranked 11th. Since then, Tabber has caught the attention of Korean hip hop and R&B listeners with his distinct vocal tone and trendy sing-rap style. 

While Tabber might not be a familiar name to mainstream K-pop listeners, his musical style has a far reach; he has secured the hearts of Singapore fans who fervently sang along to every song he performed. 

The crowd went wild as Tabber opened the show with Healing Killing, a synth-heavy track with haunting falsettos. 

His showmanship for his performance of Devil May Cry stood out, feelings of despair accentuated by a wailing electric guitar and thumping beat. The production was like a Labrinth meets Skrillex track, and with gothic imagery playing on screen, it felt as if we were transported to a rock concert. 

He remarked that it was his first time in Singapore, and he loved the city. “The energy is so crazy! I’m so honored to be here,” he added. 

Tabber occupies a unique space in the Korean R&B scene. Although he started on a rap survival show, he’s popular for his mellow vocals and melodies, reminiscent of artists like Crush and Zion T. 

What’s certain is that Tabber is just getting started, and he’s ready to bring something new to the table.

Dean then took the stage. He didn’t need to say a single word. The crowd went wild and fans welcomed him with excited screams.

He opened the set with Howlin’ 404, his last single before hiatus. Throughout the night, Dean showed off his versatility and ability to genre-blend as he sang his hip hop hits like Bermuda Triangle and Pour Up, and quickly followed it with more sentimental tracks like And July and Instagram.

Unlike other performers who relish the spotlight, Dean was often shrouded in darkness during the set, as if preferring to relay his music and message straight to the ears and heart. 

Although most of the songs on the setlist are at least four years old, they withstand the test of time and still sound as fresh as they did when they were first released. It seemed as if Singapore fans couldn’t get his music out of their heads either, as the entire audience sang along fervently. 

Singapore fans showed special love for Dean’s latest single DIE 4 YOU, released in November 2023, loudly reciting the heart-wrenching lyrics. 

Tabber also joined Dean on stage for the first-ever live performance of his latest single CHI-KA. The song’s groovy bass and harmonies push the boundaries of what Korean R&B has been, and shows what the genre can be. 

Even after Dean closed the concert with I’m Not Sorry, the crowd couldn’t get enough, endlessly requesting for encore after encore. 

Dean said that he hadn’t prepared any other songs, but happily accepted fans’ requests for acapella renditions of his tracks. He then did a verse from What 2 Do, and even did his classic “Different R&B” verse from his Show Me The Money 6 collaboration with Zico, Fanxy Child.

“I love you Singapore, we’ll be back soon with a new song,” he promised into the microphone with a smile. 

While we hope it doesn’t take seven years for Dean to return to the Lion City, we definitely know that he’s worth the wait. 

Thank you to CK Star Entertainment for the media invite! 

Written by: Nicole Descalsota
Photos by: Agnes

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