The songs we know and love today all began as demos, rough cuts waiting to be fully produced and released for the world to enjoy. In some cases, these tracks were originally intended for other artists before eventually finding their true home. And the world of K-pop is no exception.
Did you know that some of your favourite and most iconic K-pop songs were originally sung, or even written, by Western artists? Many of these demo versions have leaked online over the years (and no, we can’t share them here), but we can share with you which Western artists were behind the original versions before your favourite idols made them their own.
1. Kesha – “Run Devil Run” (Girls’ Generation)
Before Kesha rose to fame as a pop star in her own right, she wrote and recorded numerous songs for other artists. One notable example is the demo version of Girls’ Generation (소녀시대)’s hit “Run Devil Run”, which features Kesha’s vocals. Although the track received mixed reviews from critics at the time, it quickly became a fan favourite and is now considered one of the group’s most iconic releases.
2. Zara Larsson – “More & More” (TWICE)
TWICE (트와이스)’s “More & More” originally had a different title. When it was still in demo form, it was called “Back & Forth” and was sung by Swedish pop star Zara Larsson. Not only did she record the original version, but she was also credited as one of the songwriters before the track was handed over to the K-pop group. “More & More” was later released as TWICE’s comeback single for their mini album of the same name, earning positive reviews from both fans and critics alike.
3. Bebe Rexha – “Lucifer” (SHINee)
@beberexha Wrote this demo when I was 17 and it got turned into a big kpop song, Lucifer by SHINee!
Possibly one of the most iconic K-pop tracks ever – but who would’ve thought Bebe Rexha had a hand in it? Back in 2020, the singer shared a snippet of the demo version of SHINee (샤이니)’s “Lucifer”, featuring her own vocals, before playing the group’s official release. Fans were stunned to learn that Bebe Rexha had been part of the song’s early production, further cementing her unexpected influence in K-pop history.
4. Bebe Rexha – “Tally” (BLACKPINK)
Although she didn’t write the song, Bebe Rexha recorded the demo vocals for BLACKPINK (블랙핑)’s “Tally.” The track was originally intended for her 2021 album, “Better Mistakes”, but composer Brian Lee later played it for YG Entertainment producer Teddy, who saw its potential as a BLACKPINK song. The rest, as they say, is history.
5. Raye – “Better Things” (aespa)
Not only was Raye one of the original vocalists and co-writers of Lisa’s “Born Again,” she was also the artist behind aespa (에스파)’s “Better Things” in 2023 — the group’s first English-language single. The group later released a remix version, which had Raye as the featured artist. The British singer also once performed a portion of the song live on stage during her show in Oakland the same year.
6. Shaylen – “Ko Ko Bop” (EXO)
Possibly the only officially released demo on this list, the original version of EXO (엑소)’s “Ko Ko Bop” was shared by American singer Shaylen in celebration of the song reaching over 100 million streams and its third anniversary. The demo, released on her YouTube channel, was co-written by Shaylen and Tay Jasper and produced by Styalz Fuego.
What K-pop songs would you like to hear in the early demo version?
