AILSA CHANG, HOST:
A band that began off 2025 as an entire unknown was one of many 12 months’s largest pop sensations.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GOLDEN”)
EJAE, AUDREY NUNA AND REI AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) I used to be a ghost. I used to be alone, ah. (Singing in non-English language), ah. (Singing in non-English language).
CHANG: I am speaking, after all, about HUNTR/X, the singing trio of Rumi, Mira and Zoey, from the Netflix animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” They’ve already received a Grammy for his or her hit music, “Golden.” And final night time on the Academy Awards, “Golden” received greatest unique music, making it the primary KPop music ever to win an Oscar.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “GOLDEN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) We’re goin’ up, up, up. It is our second. You recognize collectively we’re glowin’. Gonna be, gonna be golden.
CHANG: Now, a number of months in the past, earlier than award season, I met up with the three very actual people behind HUNTR/X, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami. We had been at a recording studio in LA.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
EJAE: Good to satisfy you. How’s it going?
CHANG: You guys look beautiful – superb. You recognize, that is radio, proper?
EJAE: Oh, thanks.
(LAUGHTER)
REI AMI: We wakened like this, no.
CHANG: They may sound like they’ve recognized one another for years. However really, the three of them first met up in actual life on the movie’s premiere. Rei Ami, aka Zoey, pulls out somewhat present for Audrey Nuna, who sings for Mira.
(SOUNDBITE OF COOING)
AMI: It is a Mira keychain.
AUDREY NUNA: Take a look at the brows.
AMI: I do know.
NUNA: On fleek. Oh, my God. That is so epic. Thanks. I will sleep at night time with this on my pillow.
CHANG: Along with your little doppleganger.
AMI: It is your – what’s it – dream catcher?
NUNA: Yeah. My dream catcher.
AMI: Demon catcher.
NUNA: Demon dream catcher.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HOW IT’S DONE”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X) You got here at a nasty time, however you simply crossed the road. You wish to get wild? OK, I am going to present you wild.
(As HUNTR/X, singing) Higher come proper, higher luck tryin’, gettin’ to our stage.
CHANG: I requested them why they thought “KPop Demon Hunters” has resonated so deeply. Here is Rei Ami. And a be aware – this story discusses suicide.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
AMI: I feel the world, the universe was – they had been craving for one thing new and refreshing, new faces, new methods to point out Asian ladies which might be multifaceted, that aren’t only one character, like, that nerdy schoolgirl, , that is quiet and submissive.
CHANG: Yeah.
AMI: Like, you take a look at Mira, and she or he’s so cool, and she or he’s not wanting to please. However Zoey, she’s very wanting to please, and she or he’s very loud. After which we have now Rumi who’s simply very like…
EJAE: A workaholic – I am kidding (ph).
AMI: Proper.
CHANG: Not that that is ever an Asian stereotype.
(LAUGHTER)
EJAE: But in addition, like, we’re tremendous foolish. We now have, like, humorous jokes, and, like, we make humorous faces. And we’re not all the time good.
CHANG: And also you guys like to eat.
EJAE: Yeah.
CHANG: It is so good seeing Asian ladies in a film like to eat.
NUNA: And, like, we do not eat like – we eat like (growling).
CHANG: Yeah. You stuff your mouth on this movie (laughter).
EJAE: Precisely.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HOW IT’S DONE”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) Making concern afraid to breathe until the darkish meets the sunshine.
CHANG: I imply, EJAE, you have been a songwriter for a very very long time – proper? – and a producer. You had been one of many most important songwriters for this soundtrack, together with for the hit single, “Golden.”
EJAE: Sure.
CHANG: What does it really feel like for you as an artist to get this stage of recognition now at this level in your profession?
EJAE: It feels very serendipitous. I am glad it occurred now than once I’m in my 20s, figuring life out.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FREE”)
EJAE: (As Rumi, singing) I attempt to conceal, however one thing broke. I attempted to sing, could not hit the notes. The phrases saved catching in my throat.
CHANG: You are glad it occurred later in life.
EJAE: I am actually glad it occurred now.
CHANG: Inform me why.
EJAE: As a result of I feel once I was a Okay-pop trainee, the rationale why I selected – I bought dropped, initially. However I additionally actually deliberately selected to not go that route as a result of I do not assume I might – it is type of darkish, however, like, I do not know if I might be right here.
CHANG: You imply alive?
EJAE: Effectively, yeah, like, it was arduous.
CHANG: Yeah.
EJAE: Like, , the trade will not be simple. In order darkish as that may sound, like, it simply type of was the reality at that second, and I do not assume I used to be mentally ready for that.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FREE”)
EJAE: (As Rumi, singing) Preserve me chains and all of the injury that may make me harmful. You bought a darkish facet. Guess you are not the one one. What if we each tried preventing what we’re working from?
CHANG: You guys are enormous globally, very enormous in South Korea. Your music has its personal life there. Has this movie, has this entire expertise made you wish to reconnect much more deeply together with your Korean tradition, your Korean heritage, your Korean id?
AMI: Completely.
EJAE: Effectively, I went just lately. I am going there twice a 12 months ‘trigger I work in Okay-pop, as properly, so I am used to listening to my songs, like, within the comfort retailer or one thing, however listening to my voice, like…
NUNA: Such a flex (ph).
EJAE: You recognize the tteok-bokki stands?
NUNA: Sure, from, like, the (inaudible).
EJAE: It is like, you eat tteok-bokki and also you hear my voice blasting. Like…
AMI: (Laughter).
NUNA: Yeah.
EJAE: It is so trippy.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) We broke into 1,000,000 items and we will not return. However now we’re seeing all the wonder within the damaged glass.
NUNA: I really feel prefer it’s deepening roots for certain. I imply, I went to Korea. I performed Pentaport Pageant about a number of weeks after this movie got here out. And this was type of once I did not notice how massive the movie was really going to be. However I noticed a Korean grandpa road performing “Golden” on this conventional Korean instrument outdoors of the Tom Demon Station. I used to be like, OK, that is loopy. After which once I performed Pentaport a number of days later, I bear in mind simply trying into the gang and getting – this was one of many few moments in my life the place I actually felt so emotional. Like, I virtually cried on stage as a result of simply staring right into a sea of Korean faces, and I can simply see, like, the uncooked coronary heart and soul. And it simply rocked me to my core. I used to be similar to, what a resilient tradition, ?
CHANG: Oh, that is for certain.
AMI: We’re very resilient individuals.
EJAE: Korea’s resilient.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) My voice with out the lies, that is what it feels like. Why did we cowl up the colours caught inside our head?
AMI: I feel this film type of validated my expressiveness ‘trigger I am very expressive now. I refuse to dim, water down any colour as a result of all my life, I spent doing that. And so I simply refuse now. Probably the most validating factor is seeing different Korean ladies, like, take a look at me and be like, thanks. Thanks for, like, instructing me that it is OK to be expressive and to point out…
CHANG: Sure.
AMI: …Myself and be emotional as a result of as a tradition, particularly as Korean ladies, if we’re not submissive, quiet or docile, we – or if we’re taking over an excessive amount of area, we’re punished for that.
CHANG: Sure. Hiya Asian lady.
NUNA: I do know.
CHANG: I so relate to what you are saying.
AMI: You recognize.
EJAE: Yeah.
AMI: Like, I simply was so impressed to possibly, like, break these generational curses and encourage this new era of people who it is OK to really feel. It is OK to precise.
CHANG: I like that.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TAKEDOWN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) Takedown, takedown, takedown, down, down, down. HUNTR/X ladies to the world. Takedown, takedown, down, down, down. It is a takedown. So candy, really easy on the eyes…
CHANG: So “KPop Demon Hunters” is about to have a sequel in 2029, I consider it’s. What are your hopes for this sequel?
NUNA: I feel it might be cool to see us or see the characters in several cities and type of discover the lore of various demon historical past all through totally different cultures and type of go – I feel HUNTR/X ought to go international for this.
AMI: Sure, world tour.
NUNA: Yeah, world tour.
CHANG: Multicultural demons.
AMI: Yeah, preventing Chinese language demons…
CHANG: Yeah.
AMI: …Brazilian demons…
CHANG: Let’s get it out.
NUNA: European demons.
AMI: …Mexican demons ‘trigger there – I imply, there’s demonology in every single place, and so they’re all very distinctive.
CHANG: Precisely.
AMI: Combating Bigfoot – is he a demon? I do not know. I do not care. We’re preventing him.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TAKEDOWN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) I’ma gear up and take you down. (Vocalizing).
CHANG: Audrey Nuna, EJAE and Rei Ami, congratulations – fairly superb.
EJAE: Thanks.
AMI: Thanks.
NUNA: Thanks, NPR.
EJAE: (Non-English language spoken).
AMI: (Non-English language spoken).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TAKEDOWN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing in Korean).
CHANG: That was my dialog with the singers behind the fictional band HUNTR/X from the Netflix animated movie, “KPop Demon Hunters.” Their music, “Golden,” received greatest unique music on the Oscars final night time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TAKEDOWN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing in Korean).
(As HUNTR/X, singing) Yeah, it is a takedown.
CHANG: And in the event you or somebody is in disaster, name or textual content 988 to succeed in the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TAKEDOWN”)
EJAE, NUNA AND AMI: (As HUNTR/X, singing) I’ma gear up and take you down. (Vocalizing).
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