LISA brought her Thai heritage to the forefront at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, Sept. 27, delivering the first televised performance of her latest single, “SaWaDiKa.” The BLACKPINK star took the stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater shortly after winning the night’s Best Pop award for “Dream” featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.
The performance opened with LISA in a dark red, sporty outfit as a large group of dancers joined her for intense choreography. The staging incorporated boxing and martial-arts-inspired movements, echoing the visual style of the “SaWaDiKa” music video and highlighting the song’s hip-hop-driven sound.
LISA also incorporated a Thai tuk-tuk into the performance, riding the three-wheeled vehicle across the stage before climbing on top of it during the closing moments. The staging served as a visual reference to Thailand, while the choreography included acrobatic moves and energetic partner work from the dancers.
“SaWaDiKa,” a variation of the Thai greeting “sawatdee ka,” was released in September and serves as the lead single from LISA’s upcoming six-track Press Play EP. The project is scheduled for release Oct. 23 through LLOUD and RCA Records.
The song and its accompanying video have continued to draw attention to LISA’s Thai identity. The music video was filmed in Bangkok and incorporates locations, tuk-tuks, Muay Thai imagery and other elements connected to the city and Thai culture. The track also marked a return to a rap-focused sound for LISA.
Before the VMAs, “SaWaDiKa” had already made an impact on the charts. The song debuted at No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 7 on Digital Song Sales, giving LISA another top 10 entry on that sales chart.
The VMAs performance came after LISA earned four nominations for “Dream,” including Best Pop, Best K-Pop, Best Cinematography and Best Editing. Her Best Pop victory was her first award of the 2026 ceremony.
With “SaWaDiKa,” LISA used the VMAs stage to introduce the song to a global television audience while placing Thai cultural references at the center of her latest solo era.
