Okay everybody, cease the presses — HUNTR/X are formally Grammy nominees and I’m screaming. The songs behind Netflix’s blockbuster animated hit KPop Demon Hunters picked up 5 nominations for the 2026 Grammys, together with the large one: Tune of the Yr for “Golden,” plus Finest Compilation Soundtrack for Visible Media. That is such a validation second for the singing voices behind the fictional idol group — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — and their reactions had been all the things.
In a Collider interview the trio shared what it felt like to listen to their names known as. EJAE mentioned she was “immediately feeling validated” after years of onerous work (she began as an SM Leisure trainee and has songwriting credit for teams like EXID and Purple Velvet). Rei Ami admitted she cried and “blacked out,” whereas Audrey Nuna mentioned it made her really feel like she was going to throw up from how overwhelming it was. You’ll be able to actually really feel how a lot this implies to artists who’ve been grinding for years.
Fast recap of why that is enormous: KPop Demon Hunters has been a cultural tidal wave since its June launch. The movie turned the most-watched film on Netflix — beating Purple Discover by almost 100 million views — and its soundtrack stormed the charts. It made historical past as the primary movie to have 4 songs within the high ten of the Billboard Scorching 100: “Golden,” “Your Idol,” “Soda Pop,” and “How It’s Accomplished.” The soundtrack additionally stayed within the high ten of the Billboard 200 for a number of weeks.
Even when the movie doesn’t take residence any Grammys, this second issues. The popularity highlights the actual singers behind the characters and the years of songwriting, recording, and hustle that went into these tracks. Plus, there’s already sequel buzz: Netflix and Sony Photos Animation have a deal for one more movie presently anticipated round 2029, so fingers crossed the HUNTR/X voices return.
- Reality: HUNTR/X’s “Golden” is nominated for Tune of the Yr for the 2026 Grammys.
- Reality: KPop Demon Hunters turned the most-watched film on Netflix and had 4 songs concurrently within the Scorching 100 high 10 — a primary for any movie.
- Reality: EJAE sang as Rumi within the movie, co-wrote “Golden,” and beforehand educated at SM Leisure with songwriting credit for EXID and Purple Velvet.
- Reality: The 2026 Grammy Awards air on February 1, 2026.
For followers, this appears like a vindication — the music labored, the world observed, and the artists behind the characters are lastly getting mainstream recognition. I’ll be glued to the Grammys to cheer them on. What did you guys suppose once you heard the nominations? Drop your reactions within the feedback (and hold it sort!).
Supply: Collider
