EJAE, the singer-songwriter behind Golden, the breakout track from Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters, has expressed his desire to collaborate with BTS member Jungkook.
Appearing on South Korean broadcaster JTBC’s Newsroom on Sunday, EJAE was asked which artist he would most like to produce for. Without hesitation, he chose Jungkook.
“In K-pop, it has to be BTS — especially Jungkook,” he said, looking into the camera and adding, “Jungkook, please let’s collaborate. Thank you.”
EJAE praised the BTS vocalist’s artistry, saying, “He sings so well, and I’d love to write a melody just for him. Singing well is important, but delivering the lyrics — that emotional expression — is what matters most. He does that beautifully.”
Written and composed by EJAE, Golden is performed in the film by Huntrix member Lumi. The song achieved unprecedented success, topping both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart for eight nonconsecutive weeks.
Riding its global popularity, Golden has been submitted for multiple categories at the 68th Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Reflecting on the song’s success, EJAE said, “It still doesn’t feel real. I cried a lot while recording Golden because I was going through a hard time. I put my own story into the song and found a deep emotional connection with Lumi’s character.”
He added, “That song really lifted me up. Singing it gave me confidence and hope.”
By Byung-yeon Yoo
yooby@hankyung.com
