State Champ Radio genre kpop
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Trending on Billboard SEVENTEEN member HOSHI dropped a surprise solo single on Tuesday (Nov. 11) the sad boy lament “Fallen Superstar.” The skittery ballad co-written by Andrew Goldstein (Maroon 5, Katy Perry) and singer-songwriter JXDN is the 29-year-old K-pop star’s first solo effort entirely in English following on the heels of March’s Beam EP, a […]
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GIRLSET wants you to know that nothing’s over until they say it is.
Ten months ago, news broke of the group’s shake-up: a lawsuit against its label, South Korea’s JYP Entertainment, from a former member, KG, followed by the exit of another, Kaylee, due to health concerns seven months later. But by the end of August, the now four-member girl group had already redebuted with new music and a new name.
Formerly known as VCHA, GIRLSET is a K-pop rarity: a group that didn’t crumble under pressure but rebuilt itself from within. It’s a story of optimism — and what follows a breaking point in the often unforgiving world of K-pop. GIRLSET’s hiatus would’ve been a death sentence for most groups. Instead, the resilient quartet returned with a renewed love for its craft.
In a plush, dimly lit Hollywood club on a recent Wednesday afternoon, GIRLSET’s members — Kendall, Lexi, Camila and Savanna — are bubbly and noticeably excited to chat about their latest era. There’s a light, airy energy among them.
“I had to keep reminding myself, ‘You’re doing this for you,’” Lexi, 19, says of her experience within the rigid K-pop training system. “Whatever happens, happens. I love what I do and that’s what kept me going.”
VCHA formed in 2023 through the competition show A2K (or America2Korea), a joint project by JYP Entertainment and Republic Records that followed American contestants through multiple rounds of evaluations in Los Angeles and Seoul that summer. Thousands of young girls auditioned, but only 11 trainees made it to the show’s final rounds. JYP Entertainment founder and CEO J.Y. Park envisioned a multicultural girl group that could represent the Western market while undergoing the famously rigorous training of the K-pop system. Having already secured his place among South Korea’s “Big Four” entertainment giants, Park, who this fall was named co-chairman of the Korean government’s presidential committee focused on cultural exchange, wanted to bridge the two pop worlds.
JYP wasn’t the only K-pop company with this goal. As A2K was holding auditions, HYBE and Geffen Records jointly launched The Debut: Dream Academy, another reality show with similar objectives to A2K. The competition yielded a new group, KATSEYE, whose formation was documented in the 2024 series Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE. Now, KATSEYE is dominating the pop world: The group received a Grammy nod for best new artist in early November, as well as a best pop duo/group performance nomination for its single “Gabriela,” released in June, which hits a new No. 33 high on the Billboard Hot 100 dated Nov. 15.
GIRLSET’s Camila, a 20-year-old Cuban Canadian, embraced the opportunity to get involved in the K-pop system. “For me, I always wanted to be a singer,” she says of her motivation to audition for A2K. “I loved K-pop and pop groups, but it felt like a faraway dream. So when the opportunity came, I told myself, ‘I’m getting it. I’m going to be in a girl group.’ ”
Camila
Munachi Osegbu
Kendall, a 19-year-old Vietnamese American who hails from Texas, says auditioning was more about blending her passions than choosing just one. “Back then, I was figuring out my future — college, career — and I loved both singing and dancing,” she says. “But I thought the only place I could do both was Broadway, and that wasn’t what I wanted. So I assumed I’d have to pick one, maybe go into production. Then A2K came along — it was perfect.”
As Kendall, who describes herself as “calm and collected,” explains, “We always say, ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ That’s something we all repeat a lot.”
The four members say they found strength in camaraderie when things got tough during training. Savanna, a 19-year-old Venezuelan Trinbagonian from Florida, recalls that the hardest part of the A2K audition process was “taking it day by day. Growth doesn’t happen overnight. Seeing everyone beside me working hard helped, too. We were all pushing each other.”
VCHA’s initial run was promising. The original six-member act debuted in January 2024 with the single “Girls of the Year,” reached No. 5 on Billboard’s since-discontinued X-based Hot Trending Songs chart with “Y.O.Universe,” opened for JYP powerhouse girl group TWICE on select tour dates and quickly built an international following. However, following a canceled Lollapalooza 2024 debut due to unforeseen circumstances and the imminent departure of two members, things quickly turned — and left fans wondering if the act would continue. But GIRLSET’s drive, and the discipline forged through its members’ auditions and training, became a foundation as the quartet’s world threatened to fall apart.
On Dec. 7, 2024, a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by the guardian of then-17-year-old member KG Crown, alleging child neglect, labor exploitation and unfair business practices by JYP USA staff. Two days later, on Dec. 9, JYP USA issued a statement calling the claims “false and exaggerated” — but also suspended VCHA’s activities. The case ignited widespread debate among K-pop fans about the treatment of young artists within the idol system, a topic that continues to dominate social media as the once-niche genre expands globally.
Months later, the group suffered another blow. In July, JYP USA announced that 15-year-old member Kaylee had “mutually agreed to part ways” with the company. Now only four of VCHA’s original six members — Lexi, Camila, Savanna and Kendall — remained.
Many VCHA fans have wondered: Had the girls foreseen the hard times on the horizon? “Some things were unexpected; others weren’t new to us,” Kendall reflects. “We had a lot of intertwined feelings about everything: our journey, our relationships, the past members. But we had each other to rely on.”
Kendall
Munachi Osegbu
All four say they talked through the toughest moments and felt supported by their team at JYP USA and Republic. But they’re still processing the changes to VCHA and the turmoil that followed. “It’s impossible to sit down and explain everything,” Camila says softly before Savanna brightly adds, “But then we found a group in us. It felt right — like this was the moment to truly put ourselves out there as GIRLSET.”
Less than 30 days after Kaylee’s departure, on Aug. 7, VCHA redebuted as GIRLSET under JYP USA and Republic. Its first release as a rebranded act, “Commas,” signaled a confident reset. The fun, stand-alone pop single highlights where the group is heading next, with a girl-crush concept that says, “We’ve been here the whole time. Pay attention.”
While the highly publicized departure of two members might’ve rattled another group’s confidence — and its label’s faith in its future — GIRLSET is digging its heels in.
“When we’re in dance practice, I always have these moments,” says Sheboygan, Wis., native Lexi, her eyes bright. “I’ll stop, look in the mirror and think, ‘Wow — This. Is. Us.’ We’ve come so far. Hearing the sound, seeing how much we’ve evolved — it’s crazy. Every time I look in the mirror, I lock in for 10 seconds and say it out loud: ‘Guys, this is us.’ ”
Lexi
Munachi Osegbu
The rest of the girls smile as she speaks, for these optimistic, supportive moments have become Lexi’s calling card within the group. “It’s easy to forget change when it’s gradual,” Kendall adds. “But when we look back, we see how much we’ve grown.”
JYP Entertainment is confident about GIRLSET’s future as well. “They’ve walked a path no artist has taken before, and we hope this original journey leads them to a new level of success that no artist has achieved before,” the company says.
And in a 2025 pop world where global girl groups — and especially those hailing from the K-pop training system — are hot commodities, GIRLSET may have reemerged at the perfect time. The term “multicultural girl group” has recently become a fixture in industry conversations. Traditionally, K-pop groups comprised East Asian members. The newer multicultural model, however, seeks trainees from diverse national, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It’s a concept that Park pioneered through A2K — and GIRLSET embodies the promise of that experiment. It knows that “multicultural girl group” has become something of a buzzword, but for the members, it’s a lived reality. They’re deeply proud of representing their own cultures within K-pop.
“I always feel so happy being the representation for Latinas,” Camila says, glowing. “Growing up, seeing Fifth Harmony with Cuban members made me feel like maybe I could also make it. I know there are girls and boys seeing us now and seeing themselves in us. That’s really special.”
Lexi, who is Hmong American, adds, “Being able to bring different communities together is such a great feeling. Everyone loving the same thing — that’s the best part.” As Camila explains, “We want people to see themselves in us. That’s the whole point.”
GIRLSET isn’t alone in that mission — but does the group feel any rivalry with its fellow L.A.-based K-pop-trained peers in KATSEYE? “We’re all just doing our own thing,” Kendall says matter-of-factly. The act is aware of the constant online comparisons between it and KATSEYE but isn’t phased by them. “It shouldn’t be about competition,” Camila says with a smile. “Let’s just slay together.
“It’s amazing seeing so many talented girls from different cultures coming together and making something great,” she adds. “I think what they’re doing is amazing — and they’re super sweet. It’s more about appreciating both [groups]. I think we’re both special in our own ways.”
When it comes to GIRLSET’s place within the larger multicultural group movement, JYP Entertainment says, “The members were born and raised in North America, but they were trained under JYP’s signature training that highlights discipline and artistry. The combination of their cultural diversity and K-pop artistry makes them truly distinctive. For us, GIRLSET isn’t just joining the movement; they’re helping to shape the next era of U.S. pop.
“The goal isn’t just success,” the label adds. “It’s endurance and legacy.”
GIRLSET feels a shared responsibility to represent authenticity in a world that prizes perfection. “We always want to be a group that speaks about real things and be raw and realistic,” Savanna says. “We’re just people with emotions, and I think that’s what we want to be remembered for.”
Savanna
Munachi Osegbu
Of course, being a K-pop act based in L.A. rather than Seoul presents logistical challenges. In Korea, JYP groups have access to fellow idols who can share tips and tricks of the trade, as well as state-of-the-art training facilities, built-in TikTok content buddies and consistent opportunities to sharpen their skills on Korean music shows. K-pop fans have come to love seeing their faves collaborate with other groups, and crossover TikTok dance challenges have become common.
“L.A. is different,” Kendall notes. “There aren’t weekly music shows where idols naturally meet. It’s less accessible, but if it happens, it happens.”
They’ve still found community within the JYP universe. GIRLSET’s members reflect on opening for TWICE in early 2024 with admiration. “Seeing TWICE’s show was inspiring,” Camila recalls. “Lily from NMIXX is really sweet. She’s given advice about this lifestyle and overcoming things.” Kendall adds, “We’ve also talked with [NiziU members] Nina and Rima. Speaking English makes it easier to connect. They’ve been supportive.”
As for their L.A. peers? “Maybe one day,” Kendall says of connecting with KATSEYE. “They’re super talented and sweet; the essence of their group is similar to us — global, representing your culture, bringing something new.”
For GIRLSET, just the opportunity to start fresh means everything. When asked what they want fans to remember most about this new era, the answers come quickly: survival, growth, empowerment.
“We’ve all pushed ourselves individually and become so much stronger as a group,” Savanna says. “Our versatility now — it feels like a power. Seeing our artistry come to life in sessions and performances, it hit me: We’re really transforming now. We’re becoming the artists we were meant to be.”
They’re proud of how far they’ve come — and ready to show it. “This new music era feels a lot like, really, the core of us. The vibe of this comeback is very much our vibe,” Kendall teases. “It’s bold, confident and full of personality. Definitely a new chapter.”
Munachi Osegbu
The group’s latest single, “Little Miss,” represents that new chapter. Due Nov. 14, the Y2K-flavored pop track with hip-hop edges and GIRLSET’s signature vocal prowess is the act’s second release since its redebut, and it cements its image as four young artists embracing their power. “The song feels like the core of us,” Kendall says. “It’s really our essence.”
“I think I really value that during this era, we just get to be truly who we are moving forward,” Savanna reflects confidently. “I think that’s something that I appreciate the most about being GIRLSET now.”
And when things get heavy, they lean on each other. “No one else could ever understand us like we do,” Camila says. “We’re living it together.”
This story appears in the Nov. 15, 2025, issue of Billboard.
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GIRLSET is back! Formerly known as VCHA, GIRLSET makes their return to the music scene and sat down with Billboard to dive into it all. From going through the K-pop training system during A2K, to past member lawsuits and allegations, and those KATSEYE comparisons, GIRLSET doesn’t hold back
Brooke Morrison:
You guys are finally back in the spotlight. You know, back to the grind. How does it feel to kind of come out of a waiting period and finally be out again?
Camila:
I mean, I think it’s definitely like a shift, because for some time we weren’t like grinding as much as we’re doing now, so it’s kind of just getting back in the feeling and the vibes is very different now. It’s kind of just getting into this vibe again. But, I mean, we love it.
You guys have gone through a lot of change in two years than most groups see in five. And there’s a lot to be said, you know, and like, frankly, how did you guys feel whenever headlines hit about a lot of controversy, maybe KG’s lawsuit, Kaylee’s health hiatus, how did that hit you guys personally, and did it affect your confidence at all?
Kendall:
It definitely hit hard at some points. Some things were unexpected. Some others were not recent news to us, and I feel like we had a lot of deep, intertwined feelings about everything because obviously, of our journey where we came from, our relationships with people, with the past members, everything. But I feel like have like us to rely on, like, we just rely on each other, and we’re able to one, like, talk out how we were feeling with each other. And also, I feel like it’s so important that we were able to, like, put those into songs that we’ve written as well that’s become a big way for us to express ourselves, and is the way that we want to communicate with the world how we feel because, frankly, there is just so much to be said that we feel that it’s kind of, you can’t describe it.
Keep watching for more!
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For Riot Games’ goal to elevate women and marginalized genders in esports with its Game Changers initiative, few music-gaming collaborations would make a more natural fit than KATSEYE and Valorant.
The newly Grammy-nominated act’s song “M.I.A,” off their Billboard 200 top 10 EP Beautiful Chaos, is reimagined in a new “Valorant Game Changers Version,” out Tuesday (Nov. 11) ahead of the 2025 Valorant Game Changers Championship finals, taking place this month in Seoul. However, this collaboration carries extra resonance because one of KATSEYE’s six members is an avid gamer who appears to have manifested the team-up.
“I used to just say it on livestream before I even knew anything was gonna happen with KATSEYE and Valorant,” Megan shares, speaking to Billboard exclusively about the new partnership. “So when they presented this collaboration, I was literally so stoked. I’ve been playing this game since I was like 14 years old on my brother’s computer in COVID times; this is so nostalgic to me, honestly.”
Now 19, Megan’s enthusiasm — as well as KATSEYE’s larger message of inclusivity and empowerment — is threaded throughout the reworked anthem, with new lyrics drawing on themes of perseverance and community that stem from the connections in gaming when uplifting one another.
“We all stand behind that anyone can play any game and there shouldn’t be any weirdness,” the Honolulu native adds. “We really, really do think this aligns so much with KATSEYE and our brand. We’re so, so excited to do this collab.”
With several No. 1 Billboard chart hits to its name, Riot Games has leaned into music as a storytelling mechanism for gaming before. However, Valorant Game Changers shines the spotlight on new players in its first-person shooter game, with its global championship in Asia for the first time. The event will run Nov. 20-30 in Seoul, with finals scheduled from Nov. 28-30 at Riot’s LoL Park esports stadium in Seoul. Bringing in Korea-based HYBE and its global girl group KATSEYE positions the collaboration as a cultural handshake between two rapidly growing cultural communities.
“KATSEYE already had a ton of fans across Riot [Games] and in the Valorant community,” Jonny Altepeter, Riot Games’ senior manager of music supervision and A&R, tells Billboard. “When we found out Megan was a VAL player and they were excited to collab, it just made sense.”
For Altepeter, the appeal of reworking “M.I.A” resonated both musically and to the culture within the gaming community: “Sonically, it has that high-energy, bold confidence that works so well in our world. And thematically, it lined up perfectly with the moment we were trying to capture…our artist collaborations are everything. We’re always looking for voices that feel exactly right for a specific moment in our universe. We’re really intentional — and honestly, pretty precious — about VAL music, because we know how much it means to our community. Every artist we bring in is chosen for a reason. They bring something unique that helps elevate the story we’re telling, both in-game and beyond. That level of care and specificity is what sets us apart. We’re not just trying to find good songs… we’re building meaningful creative partnerships that help shape the emotional core of our world. And we’re so grateful to the artists who trust us and bring their full selves to that process.”
Anna Donlon, head of Valorant Studios and the architect behind Game Changers, frames the partnership as precisely the kind of crossover Riot Games built the program to foster.
“When we started Game Changers, the goal was always bigger than just competition,” Donlon shares. “It was about creating a space for players who hadn’t always seen themselves represented in esports. This year’s anthem and music video captures that same spirit, bringing people together, no matter where they come from. Across all our global events, music has been a powerful way to connect players, celebrate them and deepen their bond with Valorant. At the Game Changers Championship finals, you’ll see all of that come to life: the energy, the pride, the love for the game. And having South Korea’s own Ninetails, the first all-Korean team to qualify for the championship, take the stage on home turf? That’s going to make it even more special.”
Altepeter calls collaborations with actual players “hands down our favorite types of collaborations” because players-turned-artists speed up creative chemistry. “When someone already understands our world, everything just flows better…you can always feel that real connection in the final result.”
Check out the results for yourself with KATSEYE’s new video for “M.I.A. (Game Changers Version)” here and read on for more with Megan below.
KATSEYE X VALORANT Game Changers – “M.I.A. (Game Changers Version)”
Riot Games Music
How does it feel remixing “M.I.A” for the Valorant Game Changers initiative?
Megan: “M.I.A” is such a hard-hitting, strong, confident song. Especially with Valorant, since it’s such a cool, fun, very fierce game, I feel like going with “M.I.A” was just the perfect song. Especially [how] it tells a story with determination and perseverance, so I think going with this new reimagined version of “M.I.A” for Valorant was just like a no-brainer decision for all of us.
How did KATSEYE get involved in the program and what did it mean to you also to be here as a player?
Megan: Especially with me being a player myself, I used to just say on livestream before I even knew anything was gonna happen with KATSEYE and Valorant. I was like, “Oh yeah, I play Valorant.” It was just something that I said because it’s something I used to do in my free time. When they presented this collaboration, I was literally so stoked. I’ve been playing this game since I was, like, 14 years old on my brother’s computer in COVID times; this is so nostalgic to me, honestly. So, when we were presented this, I was literally jumping for joy. This is literally my game; I love this game. So it really does mean a lot to me and especially with the Game Changers, with what it represents — it’s just so cool. We’re just all so excited for this collaboration and we’re just so grateful that we’re able to do it.”
What’s your history with gaming and Valorant?
Megan: I grew up with a brother, so a lot of the games that I would play, my brother would introduce them to me. When I was little, I would always want to play dolls with him, but obviously he wasn’t going to play with dolls. So then he would introduce me to computer games like Valorant, Minecraft and those kind of games. And then he was really into Valorant and I was like, “OK, like let me get into this.” And I did. It was just so addictive. Especially during COVID and everything, like that was my sh–. That’s all, really, I could do because no one was going outside and it was a fun way to play with your friends. I feel like it was just a cool thing to do on my free time and it felt so much fun. There’s nothing really more to it than just saying that it was really, really fun and I really am such a competitive person that loves games like these — I thrive in it. [Laughs]
Do you have a go-to agent you play with in Valorant?
Megan: I usually play as Sage, the healer. There’s like this little term for Valorant players that you say they’re the “pocket Sage,” so I would usually be a pocket Sage when I would play with my friends. I would be their support to heal them when they’re dying.
Do you ever play Valorant with any of your KATSEYE members?
Megan: No, I actually haven’t got the chance to yet. I feel like right now we’re like so busy with our schedule, but I really specifically want to see how Yoonchae will play with me. [Laughs] I have to teach her how to be a pocket Sage — I feel like she’d be a really good pocket Sage. Yeah, we really do need one sit-down gaming session, all six of us, to play Valorant and see who’s naturally gifted. I think that Lara would be Jett. I feel like Sophia could maybe be Neon since Neon is Filipino…
This Game Changers program is meant to empower people from different backgrounds and marginalized genders. Have you ever experienced pushback as a girl gamer? Are things changing?
Megan: Honestly, I think it’s better now, but there were times in games where you would turn your microphone on and play with random people who were online, trying to find a group member. It was such a big thing for a second where if a girl turned their mic on, they would start bullying the girl — it happened to me a few times. It was pretty crazy, but then the funniest thing is when you’re really good, as a girl, and they get so mad. [Laughs] But I just don’t understand that, it was a big thing but I don’t think it’s as big of a thing now. It’s just them thinking that I was going to drag them behind and I ended up being the last one standing, pulling through and carrying the team. It’s the funniest thing ever, honestly, I just laugh.
Do you notice any direct link between music and gaming? Does music enhance the experience?
Megan: Music and games are such a big thing and I feel like people don’t really realize how much music is incorporated and how much it like really affects the gameplay. I mean, when you’re in combat mode, you want some good hype-up music and when you’re in more of a chill vibe, you would want like some [chill music], you know what I mean? It really does affect the whole overall vibe. I think Fortnite would play concerts in their games, which was so insane and so, so cool. I love how like they incorporated that in such a fun way. I would honestly love to do a virtual concert one day. I’d love to see how that works — it’s so intriguing.
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HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” from Netflix’s record-breaking animated movie KPop Demon Hunters, tops the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts for a 15th week each. In July, the song became the first No. 1 on each survey for the act, whose music is voiced by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI.
The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.
Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.
“Golden” glows atop the Global 200 with 117.4 million streams (down 3% week-over-week) and 14,000 sold (up 7%) worldwide in the week ending Nov. 6.
The song ties for the third-longest command since the Global 200 began in September 2020. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has ruled for 19 weeks since that December and Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” dominated for 18 weeks starting in September 2024. “Golden” matches Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” which led for 15 weeks in 2022.
(It’s ti-ime: “All I Want for Christmas Is You” reenters the latest Global 200 at No. 43, with 22.7 million streams, up 172%, and 2,000 sold, up 217%, worldwide.)
Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” holds at No. 2 on the Global 200, after two weeks at No. 1 in October; Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” rises 4-3, following 10 weeks on top beginning in May; Swift’s “Opalite” slips 3-4, after hitting No. 2; and Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” keeps at No. 5, after reaching No. 4.
“Golden” leads Global Excl. U.S. with 89.4 million streams (down 4%) and 7,000 sold (up 1%) beyond the U.S.
As on the Global 200, “Golden” claims the third-longest No. 1 run on Global Excl. U.S., trailing only ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” and “Die With a Smile,” which reigned for 19 and 17 weeks respectively in 2024 into this year.
“The Fate of Ophelia” repeats at No. 2 on Global Excl. U.S. after two weeks at the summit in October; Kenshi Yonezu’s “Iris Out” climbs 6-3, after reaching No. 2; LE SSERAFIM and j-hope’s “Spaghetti” drops 3-4 in its second week; and “Ordinary” falls 4-5 after eight weeks at No. 1 starting in May.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Nov. 15, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Nov. 11. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
Trending on Billboard Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” surges to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” moves up. Will Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” or HUNTR/X’s “Golden” be able to make No. 1 this week? Tetris Kelly: Michael Jackson makes a holiday return to the charts as Taylor Swift still battles with KPop Demon […]
Trending on Billboard K-pop music giant HYBE said on Monday that concerts by BTS member Jin, SEVENTEEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER helped drive its third quarter revenues up 38%, but lagging album sales contributed to an overall unprofitable quarter. Operating profit, which measures a company’s total core business earnings after interest and tax are taken out, […]
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KPop Demon Hunters may very well be taking home some golden gramophones soon, and Lizzo is celebrating with a “Golden” cover of the film’s biggest hit — flute style, of course.
On Saturday (Nov. 8), the hitmaker shared an Instagram video of herself playing a lively classical rendition of eight-week Billboard Hot 100-topper “Golden” on her signature instrument, the trilling melody soaring over a lush string accompaniment provided by the Australian Pop Quartet. “‘GOLDEN’ (Sasha’s version),” Lizzo wrote in her caption, referencing the Beyoncé-inspired name she gave her trusty woodwind long ago (Sasha Flute).
She added, “congrats to @kpopdemonhuntersnetflix on all ur Grammy noms!”
The post came just one day after the Recording Academy unveiled nominations for next year’s awards, revealing that KPop Demon Hunters is up for a total of four prizes. “Golden” accounts for three of those nods, earning recognition in the song of the year, best pop duo/group performance and best song written for visual media categories.
In an interview with Billboard shortly after the nominations went live, Audrey Nuna — one of three women who provided the singing voices for fictional KPop Demon Hunters girl group HUNTR/X — said that she and her costars’ “hearts [were] being pulled in so many different directions.”
“Above all, I think we’re just very, very, very grateful to be a part of what feels like a very cultural and historic moment, and something that, as kids, we would have we craved so bad to see,” she shared. “Being a part of it is just really surreal.”
Lizzo herself is a decorated Grammy veteran, earning her first three wins in 2019 — including for best pop solo performance for breakthrough hit “Truth Hurts.” In 2023, she took home record of the year for No. 1 Hot 100 hit “About Damn Time.”
The Yitty founder is now on her way to a new music era, dropping rap mixtape My Face Hurts From Smiling in June. She’d originally been planning to release an album called Love in Real Life, but recently explained why she’s since shelved the project. “I’ve changed, the world has changed so much, and so much has happened,” she told New York magazine in September. “It just wasn’t what I was feeling right now. I was like, ‘I need to do s–t differently and I don’t know what it is, but I’m going to just start following my instincts.’”
Check out Lizzo and Sasha Flute’s cover of “Golden” below.
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She did it! After generating Grammy buzz for months with smash hit single “APT.” featuring Bruno Mars, ROSÉ has now secured nods for both song and record of the year, as well as best pop duo/group performance.
In a video posted by one of the BLACKPINK star’s friends, which ROSÉ reposted on her Instagram Story, we get to see how she reacted to the news — as well as the tense few moments that led up to it. In the clip, she and her pals watch the Friday (Nov. 7) nominations ceremony while on a group FaceTime call. As the names are listed off for record of the year recognition, ROSÉ says nervously, “Are we not going to get it?”
“Aw, maybe we’re not going to get it,” she adds, hiding behind her fists clenched with anticipation.
When ROSÉ and Mars’ names come on screen, the K-pop star and her friends absolutely lose it. Letting out loud, wordless cheers, she says in disbelief, “Oh my god!”
The reaction clip comes shortly after the full list of 2026 Grammy nominations was unveiled Friday morning, revealing Kendrick Lamar as the frontrunner with nine nods and Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Cirkut as having the second-most with seven apiece. ROSÉ’s song and record of the year honors are particularly special, however, as they mean she’s made history as the first K-pop musician to ever score one, much less two, Big Four nominations as a lead artist.
“It’s still a dream for me,” the New Zealand native recently told The Hollywood Reporter of winning a Grammy someday. “It’s still a fantasy — a moment that proves to myself so many things.”
Grammy-wise, this year was huge for K-pop in general. In addition to ROSÉ’s triumphs, KPop Demon Hunters earned nominations for song of the year, best song written for visual media and best pop group performance for Billboard Hot 100 topper “Golden,” as well as best compilation soundtrack for visual media.
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A ripped piece of paper floats in front of EJAE’s face as she giggles with her castmates Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna over a video call. “My manager gave me a list of adjectives to use,” she says over Zoom, unable to stop herself from cackling.
Nuna immediately smirks. “Read them for us,” she shouts. The catalog includes gems like “incredible,” “humble,” “privileged,” and “accomplished,” but all three women immediately lock onto the inclusion of “breathtaking” on this list. “‘Breathtaking’ is good,” Ami laughs.
They’re all accurate words to describe exactly how the three members of the semi-fictional girl group HUNTR/X feel on Friday (Nov. 7), considering that EJAE, Ami and Nuna have just earned four Grammy nominations for their work together on the breakout hit Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters.
Alongside two standard nominations related to music for film — “Golden” earned a nod for best song written for visual media while the movie’s soundtrack notched a nomination for best compilation soundtrack for visual media — HUNTR/X also received two major category nominations, for best pop duo/group performance, and for song of the year, both for “Golden.”
So yes, “breathtaking” feels like a good word to describe the trio’s feelings. “The breaths have been snatched from our bodies,” Nuna says. “Our hearts are being pulled in so many different directions. But above all, I think we’re just very, very, very grateful to be a part of what feels like a very cultural and historic moment, and something that as kids we would have we craved so bad to see. Being a part of it is just really surreal.”
The nominations are just the latest piece of what has been a cultural takeover for KPop Demon Hunters. Not only has the film become Netflix’s most-watched movie in the platform’s history, but the music from the soundtrack — written primarily by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick and a host of other well-established K-pop songwriters — has dominated the charts. “Golden” spent a whopping eight weeks at the summit of the Hot 100 and remains steady at No. 2 this week. The entirety of the soundtrack, meanwhile, earned two weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, and remains at No. 2 today.
For EJAE, who spent the last decade writing hit songs for K-pop acts like aespa, Twice and others, earning a Grammy nod specifically for her songwriting in the song of the year category is a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
“It means so much, because I [was asked] in an interview once, ‘What’s a goal that you have?’ And mine was to get an award as a songwriter,” she says. “I don’t see many Asian women or Korean women in this industry, it’s hard to find, songwriter-wise. And so I hope that this can inspire others to keep going, because it felt impossible.”
The group’s nominations don’t only make history as a film-music crossover — they also make history for K-pop as a genre. With their four nominations, HUNTR/X becomes the first K-pop girl group to earn Grammy nominations, and one of two acts (alongside ROSÉ of Blackpink) to earn nominations in the same year, another first for the genre. Previously, only BTS had scored major nominations at the annual ceremony.
That lack of representation in the past is part of why many in the industry have begun asking whether or not K-pop should be represented with its own categories at the annual ceremony. For their part, all three members of HUNTR/X agree that K-pop does deserve to have space created for it at the Grammys. “It’s been proven that this is a genre that can really stand its own in the U.S. space, so it would make sense for this genre to be represented alongside so many other genres that are important to culture,” Nuna says.
With a soundtrack that has dominated music spaces around the globe for the past four months, KPop Demon Hunters has repeatedly defied expectations — which is in no small part why Ami feels particularly proud to be representing her community at the biggest music awards in the world. “As Korean women, from a very young age, we are taught to be quiet, to not be seen,” she says. “That really causes some weird cognitive dissonance early on, as Korean women who we are pursuing the art self expression where we have to be seen. We have to be loud and bold.”
But the singer makes it abundantly clear that while she, EJAE and Nuna remain incredibly grateful for their success, all three of them worked incredibly hard to earn these four nominations. “[KPop Demon Hunters] took nine years to create, there were endless demos, we have a legendary songwriter who has gone through the work of the industry, we have Audrey Nuna out on her own being an independent artist, we have the struggle that comes with being a solo Asian artist in America,” she says, her voice slowly rising. “We’ve had every door shut. We’ve been told, ‘You’re not good enough. You need to do more. You’re too Korean. You’re not American enough.’ So we deserve this. We worked very hard for this, and we are honored to have earned it.”
