With the success of Netflix’s “K-pop Demon Hunters” and its official soundtrack, which recently went platinum, fans have been wondering whether the singers from the film will be releasing any new music of their own soon, particularly EJAE (김은재), who co-wrote the soundtrack and provided the vocals for the main character, Rumi.
For those who may not know, Rei Ami (Zoey) and Audrey Nuna (Mira) are already established performers in their own right before the animated film, whereas EJAE had mainly worked behind the scenes as a composer and producer for other artists. Having finally achieved her lifelong dream, she is finally ready to release her first solo project.
Before achieving her incredible milestone with “K-pop Demon Hunters”, EJAE was once a trainee under SM Entertainment. She trained for many years, but her debut kept being delayed until, eventually, the agency decided to let her go because she had passed the typical debut age. As a result, her dream of becoming a K-pop idol was shattered.
She then turned to songwriting and composing for other K-pop artists, contributing to hits such as Red Velvet’s “Psycho” and aespa’s “Drama”. Now, with newfound confidence after working on the record-breaking animated film, the 33-year-old is ready to release her own original material. In one of her interviews, EJAE revealed that she was working on new music, and earlier this week, she shared a sneak peek of her first single, “In Another World”, on Instagram.
From the preview, which featured home footage of a young EJAE, it can be inferred that the song is a ballad, marking a complete departure from her previous work. “It’s a calm and soothing song that’s perfect to listen to on outdoor walks or when you’re doing a bit of self-reflecting,” she said during her appearance on KBS Cool FM. The track is scheduled for release on 24th October.
In other news, EJAE also recently revealed that her grandfather is none other than the renowned Korean actor Shin Young-kyun, a household name in Korean cinema throughout the 1960s and 1970s. “My grandfather said that singing is also acting. He told me to immerse myself in the lyrics. The most honest thing I learned from him is that he worked very hard. He is where he is because he worked very hard. I was inspired by seeing him work so hard. Even now, he tells me, ‘Work hard.’ He meant it,” she said during a press conference at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul.
Here’s a snippet of EJAE’s upcoming single, “In Another World”:
Sources: Instagram, Chosun, TheKoreaHerald
