The World Championship Opening Ceremony Presented by Mastercard™ will take place on November 19 at 12:00am PT (17:00 KST) at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The Opening Ceremony will kick off the biggest esports event of the year and the grand finale of the League of Legends World Championship. Riot and LoL Esports will be assembling an impressive array of musical artists and exceptional performances to bring the modern myth of the League of Legends player to life.
**HEARTSTEEL**
HEARTSTEEL is Riot’s new virtual pop group featuring reimagined versions of League of Legends champions Kayn, Ezreal, Sett, Yone, K’Sante, and Aphelios. BAEKHYUN of EXO, Cal Scruby, Tobi Lou, and ØZI, the artists making up Riot's newest virtual collective HEARTSTEEL, will grace the stage to perform the group's first single "PARANOIA." HEARTSTEEL’s debut will be an action-packed, high octane performance that blends reality and League of Legends fantasy. The artists will be performing live onstage alongside their Champion counterparts in a seamless blend of performance and technology.
BAEKHYUN is a member of the K-pop group EXO and SuperM, and is recognized as one of the top vocalists in K-pop. His previous credits include three successful mini-albums (City Lights, Delight, and Bambi) as a soloist, as well as various standalone singles and OSTs. Particularly noteworthy is his global popularity, marked by achieving his 9th million-seller record, encompassing both group and solo albums.
Cal Scruby is a Los Angeles based rapper best-known for his clever lyrics and quirky visuals. His music touches on relatable topics with an array of sports references and self-deprecating humor. In addition to Riot, he has previously partnered with top brands including the NFL, EA Sports, and Ciroc Vodka.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Taipei, ØZI rose to stardom through his illustrious career in the Mandarin music scene. His versatility as a singer-songwriter, music producer, performer, and creative director has earned him countless accolades in the industry. His debut album ØZI: The Album was recognized with six nominations at the prestigious Golden Melody Awards, the highest honors in Mandarin music, and he was also awarded "Best New Artist."
Tobi Lou is a multi-talented artist who has made a significant impact on the contemporary music scene. Born in Nigeria but raised in Chicago, Lou has carved out a unique lane for himself, where he fuses elements of hip-hop, R&B and pop with undeniable melodies. His breakout single, "Buff Baby," garnered him significant attention and positioned Lou as an artist to watch.
**NewJeans**
The rising K-pop sensation, NewJeans, will perform the 2023 League of Legends World Championship anthem, “GODS.” The performance of GODS will debut original NewJeans choreography designed specifically for the song and the World Final stage. Elements of the music video will be brought to life onstage during the performance, alongside an exciting arrow of practical and technical effects.
NewJeans (MINJI, HANNI, DANIELLE, HAERIN, and HYEIN) made their debut on July 22, 2022 as the first group to debut from ADOR, an independent label under HYBE led by Hee Jin Min. The quintet aspires to push the limits of K-pop with honest and authentic music that exudes youth. Just like a pair of jeans that has been a staple of every wardrobe for generations, NewJeans aims to allure the listeners with timeless music to be kept in your daily music playlist. The act released New Jeans on August 1, 2022, instantly captivating the global audience and becoming the first K-pop band to achieve the million-seller milestone with their debut album. One of the title tracks “Hype Boy” charted on Billboard Global 200 for 37 consecutive weeks - the longest record from any K-pop female act. NewJeans continue to amaze the world with groundbreaking records while staying true to their musical flair and intrinsic charm, charting on Billboard Hot 100 within less than half a year of their debut with global smash hits “Ditto” and “OMG,” peaking at 74 and 82, respectively. NewJeans also broke the Guinness World Record as the fastest K-pop act to reach one billion streams on Spotify, further demonstrating their widespread global presence. In August 2023, NewJeans made history as the first K-pop female act to perform at Lollapalooza in Chicago, winning over 70,000 spectators gathered to watch their debut live performance stateside.
Tune in to watch the opening ceremony and the 2023 World Final on Lolesports.com.
