CORTIS kicked off NBA All-Star 2026 Opening Night on 12 February, taking centre stage at the NBA Crossover Concert Series in Los Angeles — and in doing so, became the first K-pop act to headline the event.
Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the performance marked a major moment for MARTIN, JAMES, JUHOON, SEONGHYEON, and KEONHO. Earlier this year, the group were named “Friends of the NBA,” signalling their growing global footprint across both music and sport.
Opening with ‘What You Want’, CORTIS wasted no time setting the tone. The set rolled into fan favourites including ‘FaSHioN’, ‘GO!’ — featuring a remix produced by MARTIN and included on the official soundtrack for NBA 2K26 Season 4 — and ‘JoyRide’, each track showcasing their sharp choreography and commanding stage presence.
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In a heartwarming moment, fans waved banners for each member as the group led the crowd in singing an early birthday song for KEONHO, whose birthday falls on 14 February. The energy inside the packed venue stayed sky-high, with chants and cheers echoing throughout the night.
One of the biggest surprises came during the encore. Without prior announcement, CORTIS unveiled ‘YOUNGCREATORCREW’, an unreleased track from their upcoming second EP. The group shared that the song was created on the night of their debut, 18 August, making the live debut even more meaningful. They teased that fans will get to experience the track in a new way this March, building anticipation for the forthcoming EP.
The night also saw the first-ever live performance of ‘Mention Me’, an insert song from Sony Pictures Animation’s upcoming sports comedy GOAT, co-produced by and starring NBA legend Stephen Curry. The performance brought the track from screen to stage for the very first time.
CORTIS perform unreleased song “YCC (Young Creator Crew)” at the NBA Crossover concert during All-Star Weekend pic.twitter.com/hu7dcNqryw
— billboard (@billboard) February 13, 2026
CORTIS’ NBA All-Star run continues on 13 February, where they are set to appear at the NBA All-Star Game halftime show — extending their presence across one of basketball’s biggest weekends.
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