More proof that the American pop industry is trying to get the attention of K-Pop's huge fan base: John Legend will be one of the many performers at this year's Mnet Asian Music Awards (better known as MAMA), an event that Billboard accurately summarizes as the Asian equivalent to the MTV Video Music Awards. This year's ceremony will take place in Hong Kong on December 3.
Those who'll be covering the event in Asian music media are already taking guesses as to what performer Legend will share a duet with. No one has explicitly stated that he'll be performing with anyone but last year featured Stevie Wonder, who sang with Hyloyn (of SISTAR) and singer/actor Aaron Kwok. Billboard points out that ballads are all the rage this year in the Asian pop scene, including "Eyes, Nose, Lips" by Taeyang (of Big Bang fame) and Hyolyn's "Goodbye." And Legend has proved his own competence with the style in the form of his best-selling "All of Me."
Other acts scheduled to perform during the night include two Big Bang members—Taeyang and G-Dragon—not to mention other Korean acts such as SISTAR, EXO, IU and other acts that prefer to capitalize every letter.
The MAMAs operate much like the VMAs in that the results are steered to some extent by fan voting. This year's biggest nominees are Ailee, who gathered six nominations for her 2014 release Magazine, while iconic performer Seo Taiji earned five noms for his first album in five years, Seotaiji 9th Quiet Night.
Mnet America will broadcast the awards on Wednesday.
