Los Angeles, CA (April 2, 2026) – The IDL today announced that multi-platinum recording artist Saweetie will perform at the league’s inaugural live event on May 2 at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. 

Saweetie, whose music has generated billions of global streams and inspired viral choreography across social platforms, will deliver a special halftime performance during the event, bringing together music, dance, and competition as the world’s top professional dance teams face off. 

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"Dancers have been choreographing to Saweetie's music for years. There's a reason for that, the music moves.” said Connor Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of IDL. “Having her halftime our first event in New York felt like a natural fit, the music and the moment line up perfectly."

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Founded in 2025, IDL is the first global professional league dedicated to dance, bringing together elite teams from around the world to compete in a structured season format, culminating in a championship event. The league was created to provide dancers with the structure, visibility, and economic opportunity traditionally found in professional sports leagues. Saweetie’s appearance at the season opener reflects the league’s focus on celebrating the deep connection between music and movement that drives global dance culture.

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“Movement is alchemy. You take something you feel, something you can't even name, and you turn it into something people can see and feel across the world,” said Saweetie. “That's what these dancers do. That's what I try to do with music. IDL is putting both of those things on the same stage and I'm here for it.”

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The inaugural event will feature matchups between the league’s six founding professional teams: Brotherhood (Vancouver), Quick Style (Oslo), Jam Republic (Singapore), GRV (Los Angeles), Royal Family (Auckland), and 1Million (Seoul). Collectively, these teams represent some of the most influential dance organizations in the world, with billions of views and millions of fans across global platforms. 

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Beyond competition, IDL events are designed as full live entertainment experiences that bring together competition, live performance, and community all on one stage. Saweetie’s halftime performance at the New York series brings that vision to life: the same artists whose music moves through dance studios and TikTok feeds, sharing the night with the dancers who've made that music their own. The inaugural event in New York City marks the first stop in IDL’s first global season, which will continue with events in Vancouver, Sydney, Seoul, and Los Angeles.

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About IDL

IDL international dance league is the world’s first global professional dance league, created to give dance the structure, visibility, and economic support of a professional sport. Founded in 2025, IDL brings together elite teams, international competition, cultural connection, and modern sports infrastructure to redefine what is possible for dancers worldwide. 

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About Saweetie

Saweetie, As a dynamic powerhouse, Saweetie continues to solidify herself as a multifaceted artist with her chart-topping songs, successful collaborations, philanthropic endeavors, and captivating on-screen performances. Born Diamonté Harper in Northern California, Saweetie was raised in a multi-ethnic household with her father being of African-American descent and her mother being of Filipino-Chinese descent. Saweetie was exposed to a wide range of music genres, which would later influence her own sound and identity as a trailblazer for young, culturally diverse individuals around the world. After attending USC and earning a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Saweetie began to focus on her music career. Since then, Saweetie has accumulated over 6 billion career streams from her chart-topping hits such as the RIAA certified platinum “Tap In” and 4x platinum “My Type” and "Best Friend," featuring Doja Cat, which also earned two GRAMMY® Award nominations. In addition to numerous awards and accolades in the music space, Saweetie has also solidified herself as a global brand through her brand partnerships and campaigns with companies such as McDonald's, MAC, Revlon, Champion, True Religion and Postmates to name a few. With a comprehensive portfolio spanning so many different avenues, Saweetie’s global influence continues to grow with each subsequent project.