Breaking News: The 'KPop Demon Hunters' Soundtrack Shines with 3 Grammy Nominations!
Yes, you read that right! The sensational soundtrack from "KPop Demon Hunters" is making waves, securing an impressive three Grammy nominations. This includes a coveted nod for Song of the Year. The track, titled "Golden," performed by Huntr/x (Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami) and penned by Ejae and Mark Sonnenblick, is also recognized in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media categories.
Ejae, Nuna, and Ami shared their excitement with Variety shortly after the nominations were announced. Ejae, clearly moved, expressed, "I’m not able to digest this time. I’m still in shock.” Ami admitted to being tearful, saying, "It this feels out of this world.”
Nuna emphasized the significance of the nominations, especially the representation it brings: “You’re going to see three Korean faces. To think about the kids who are going to see that, and hopefully for that to shape their understanding of what they can do in this world, is the stuff that is giving me chills up my spine.”
Ejae, who made history as the first Korean-American female songwriter nominated for Song of the Year, admitted to feeling some "imposter syndrome." Ami added, "As Korean women, we were often told we have to work twice as hard, we have to show up earlier, we have to show out more than our average counterparts in order for us to receive the same accolade or even recognition.”
But here's where it gets controversial... "Golden" faces stiff competition in the Song of the Year category, going up against major hits like Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra," Doechii's "Anxiety," Rosé and Bruno Mars' "APT.," Bad Bunny's "DtMF," Kendrick Lamar with SZA's "Luther," Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild," and Billie Eilish's "Wildflower."
In the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, "Golden" will compete with tracks like "Defying Gravity" (Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande), "Gabriela" (Katseye), "Apt." (Rosé, Bruno Mars), and "30 For 30" (SZA with Kendrick Lamar). For Best Song Written for Visual Media, it's up against "As Alive As You Need Me To Be" (Nine Inch Nails), "I Lied to You" (Miles Caton), "Never Too Late" (Elton John, Brandi Carlile), "Pale, Pale Moon" (Jayme Lawson), and "Sinners" (Leonard Denisenko, Rodarius Green, Travis).
When asked who they're looking forward to seeing at the show, Huntr/x enthusiastically replied, "all of the above," referencing their fellow nominees, with Ami adding, "And Sabrina Carpenter. I love Sabrina Carpenter.”
And this is the part most people miss... Despite the buzz and industry expectations, "Golden" didn't receive a nomination for Record of the Year, a category many believed it would secure. A nomination there would have been historic, marking Huntr/x as the first K-pop group ever recognized in that field.
Since its debut on Netflix in June, the film became the streamer’s most popular movie of all time. Meanwhile, three of its original songs — “Golden,” “Your Idol,” and “Soda Pop” — have been mainstays on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
The success of "KPop Demon Hunters" was so phenomenal that Netflix decided to bring a sing-along version of the film to theaters for fan events in August and October. During the first run, the film topped the box office with approximately $18 million over two days. Around Halloween, it collected $5 million to $6 million, impressive considering its widespread streaming availability.
What do you think about the nominations? Do you agree with the choices, or were there other songs you hoped would be recognized? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
