SHINee's Taemin Breaks K-Pop Barrier on Amazon Music's NBA Performance Series 'In the Paint'
K-pop has found its way courtside. Taemin, the SHINee member turned solo force, will appear on Amazon Music's In the Paint when the episode drops February 19 - the first K-pop artist ever invited to the series.
Big Planet Made Entertainment confirmed the news on February 18. The announcement is a notable moment: In the Paint has historically been the domain of American hip-hop and rap royalty. Clipse, Nas, and YG have all performed on the series, which Amazon Music produces through its NBA postgame programming. The format stages live courtside performances where artists reinterpret their catalog - think basketball culture meets concert hall.
Taemin's inclusion suggests the series is no longer just for one genre or one market.
What's Driving the Demand
The timing isn't accidental. Taemin has spent the past several months systematically expanding his footprint in the U.S. His single "Veil" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart after a November appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show set off a wave of American attention. When tickets for his subsequent Las Vegas solo show - TAEMIN Live [VEIL] in Las Vegas at Dolby Live at Park MGM on January 16 - went on sale, over 200,000 people tried to connect simultaneously, and every ticket was gone within 10 minutes.
He also performed at the Grammy Museum's Global Spin Live series in Los Angeles, a curated showcase the institution typically reserves for artists it considers culturally significant.
A Solo Career Built on His Own Terms
Now 32, Taemin has been performing professionally since 2008, when he debuted with SHINee at age 14. His solo discography stretches back to 2014 and includes multiple chart-topping albums in South Korea, Japan, and on U.S. Billboard world charts. After 16 years with SM Entertainment, he chose not to renew his solo contract in March 2024, signing with Big Planet Made Entertainment instead.
The move gave him creative control he hadn't previously had. His first self-produced project, the 2024 EP Eternal, debuted at No. 2 on the Gaon chart - and he handled the production himself.
Coachella Up Next
After In the Paint, the next major marker on Taemin's U.S. schedule is Coachella in April. He'll perform at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as the only male K-pop solo artist on the lineup - a distinction that would have seemed unlikely even three years ago, when he was finishing mandatory military service.
