Eric Nam’s career story might as well be the stuff of legend.

He recounts his origins every now and then: how he once took a leap of faith from his steady job at multinational firm Deloitte to striking gold as a K-pop star and television personality in South Korea.

Almost half a decade ago, he and his brothers Eddie and Brian built DIVE Studios, a pioneering venture and an ever-growing multi-platform powerhouse. There, he still hosts the podcast The Daebak Show, among others.

Eric Nam builds his House On A Hill: "It's like the album of my life."

His sophomore effort as an independent artist, House on a Hill, is only the latest in quite a prodigious streak. Sans the backing of a label, it’s not without its challenges, but he’s convinced that it’s still all worthwhile.

“When it comes to overseeing my own work, it's like, it is a lot of work,” he tells Bandwagon. “I don't think it ever gets easier. I don't think it ever gets better. You just get used to it.”

“It’s a lot, but it's a challenge I take on happily,” he adds.

In this edition of On the Record, we scour his music library together. We unearth some pop gems from his time growing up in Atlanta, throw some turn-of-the-century favourites in the mix, and lastly, handpick the one album that he can put on 600% volume to annoy the hell out of his neighbours from his house on a hill.

The first album you bought with your own money

*NSYNC - ‘N Sync (1997) OR Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack (1998)

“I could be wrong, but I wanna say it’s ‘N Sync or it’s the Mulan soundtrack from Disney.”

The album that reminds you of your teenage years

Usher - Confessions (2004)

“My teenage years – when was that? I’m going to say… Oh, Usher. Confessions.”

The album that inspired you to pursue music

John Legend - Get Lifted (2004)

“So hard. I think I’m gonna go with John Legend. The ‘Ordinary People’ one.”

The album that you and all your brothers like

Backstreet Boys - Millennium (1999)

The album that gets you through tough times and puts you in a better mindset

John Mayer - Where the Light Is (Live at the Nokia Theater, Los Angeles) (2008)

The album that you feel would ease anyone’s woes

Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour (2014)

“I don’t know if this would ease anyone’s woes, but it would help them commiserate. It’s probably Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour.”

The album you'd blast from his house on a hill (even if the neighbours complain!)

Bruno Mars - Unorthodox Jukebox (2012) Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010)

“Uhm, I would probably blast... Bruno Mars’s Unorthodox Jukebox. No actually, let’s do Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Because every single song on that album is a hit! ‘Grenade,’ ‘Just the Way You Are,’ ‘Runaway Baby,’ ‘The Lazy Song,’ ‘Marry You,’ ‘Talking to the Moon.’ Like, so many hits on that album!”

The album that feels like the soundtrack of your life

Eric Nam - House on a Hill (2023)