Cortis became the first K-pop group to headline an NBA All-Star event when they headlined the NBA Crossover concert series at the Los Angeles Convention Center during NBA All-Star 2026.
The rookie boy band took to the main stage on Thursday, Feb. 12, as the opening headliner of the multi-night Crossover concert lineup tied to All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The show is part of the league’s official entertainment schedule and takes place alongside the All-Star Celebrity Game, skills events and the All-Star Game itself.
Their set placed them in the same general lineup as hip-hop star Ludacris and genre-blending artist Shaboozey, highlighting how the NBA will feature different musical genres over the weekend, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
According to BigHit Music, Cortis performed their debut single “What You Want,” fan favorites “FaSHioN” and “JoyRide,” and “Mention Me,” a song tied to Sony Pictures Animation’s upcoming sports comedy “GOAT.”
The group also included “YOUNGCREATORCREW” as an encore, a new track scheduled for release next month that the members helped write and compose. Audience response during the convention center show was reported to be particularly strong during the encore, with notable audience engagement surrounding the unreleased song.
The NBA named Cortis a “Friend of the NBA” in January to support the league’s reach in the Asia-Pacific region, formalizing a partnership between the group and the All-Star platform, the NBA reported.
League representatives described the booking as part of a broader effort to connect basketball programming with international pop acts and social media-driven fan bases. For Cortis, who debuted in August 2025 with BigHit Music, the All-Star slot adds a major live appearance in the United States less than a year after the official launch.
The five-member group – James, Juhoon, Martin, Seonghyeon and Keonho – is BigHit Music’s latest boy band and the first such group the label has introduced in six years. The name Cortis is based on the phrase “Color Outside the Lines”, which the group and the agency cited as a reference point for the team’s concept and branding.
Following the All-Star performance, BigHit Music stated that Cortis is working on a new album that will include “YOUNGCREATORCREW”, positioning the Los Angeles event as part of the launch of their next release, as per KProfiles.
