A return to the stage after years away from releasing music has taken Lao artist Jojo Miracle to one of Southeast Asia’s major international music festivals, where he performed in front of thousands of fans in Manila this April.
Jojo represented Laos at the 2026 ROUND ASEAN-Korea Music Festival, held at the Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines from 18 to 19 April. The event brought together artists from ASEAN countries and South Korea as part of a regional cultural and music exchange program.

For Jojo, the opportunity came unexpectedly. After spending recent years focused more on behind-the-scenes work than releasing new songs, he said he did not expect to be selected alongside artists with major international followings.
“To be honest, I didn’t think I would be chosen, a lot of the artists are very popular now, but I still sent my profile anyway,” he said.
Jojo said he submitted his portfolio to the festival team in late 2025 without expecting a response. At the time, he had not released new music in nearly five years and largely focused on work behind the scenes of performing.
It came as a surprise, but he accepted the opportunity and began preparing for what would become one of the biggest international performances of his career.
Returning to the Stage
Jojo performed on the festival’s second day, which he described as one of the most challenging performance slots, as opening performers were expected to immediately energize the audience.
The pressure, he recalled, was intense.
“I felt like I had to go all in, I told myself I couldn’t just go up there and leave quietly. I had to give everything,” Jojo said.
He delivered a 28-minute set in front of an international audience, marking one of his largest performances in recent years.

Despite his long break from performing regularly, Jojo said the connection with the audience came back naturally once he stepped onto the stage.
“When I got on stage, I felt like I still had it, I knew how to connect with the crowd again,” he said. “I always try to make people feel included,” he said. “Even if we don’t speak the same language, people can still feel your energy.”
According to Jojo, he relied on stage presence, eye contact, gestures, and direct interaction with the audience to overcome language barriers during his performance in the Philippines.
As the performance continued, Jojo said his confidence grew stronger with each song. He recalled pushing himself throughout the set, including delivering 32 seconds of vocal runs with high notes that drew loud reactions from the audience.

The response from the crowd surprised him most.
“In the Philippines many people had never seen me before, so hearing people cheer for me, there was a very special feeling,” Jojo said.
The moment became emotional when he realized the audience was responding strongly despite not knowing his music beforehand.
He described that moment as “28 minutes of miracle.”
Writing Music Again

The performance also inspired Jojo back to music after several years away from songwriting.
Following the festival, he wrote two new songs inspired by that experience.
“For a long time I didn’t really have motivation to make music, but this event gave me inspiration again,” he said.
Jojo explained that he has always viewed music as something personal rather than something he should create constantly.
Representing Laos Abroad
Looking ahead, he hopes to continue building an international audience while helping create more opportunities for Lao artists abroad.
“I want to show that Lao people can be on the international stage too, I want people to feel proud when they see Laos represented internationally.”
Jojo said one of his long-term goals is to help more Lao artists and creative teams gain international exposure.
“If I can grow internationally, I can help support other Lao artists, so we can grow together.”
For Jojo, the Manila performance marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career.
“I want to come back as a new version of Jojo Miracle, I still want to keep going and help Lao artists go beyond Laos.”


