Okay everyone, stop the presses — HUNTR/X are officially Grammy nominees and I am screaming. The songs behind Netflix’s blockbuster animated hit KPop Demon Hunters picked up five nominations for the 2026 Grammys, including the huge one: Song of the Year for “Golden,” plus Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. This is such a validation moment for the singing voices behind the fictional idol group — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — and their reactions were everything.
In a Collider interview the trio shared what it felt like to hear their names called. EJAE said she was “instantly feeling validated” after years of hard work (she started as an SM Entertainment trainee and has songwriting credits for groups like EXID and Red Velvet). Rei Ami admitted she cried and “blacked out,” while Audrey Nuna said it made her feel like she was going to throw up from how overwhelming it was. You can really feel how much this means to artists who’ve been grinding for years.
Quick recap of why this is huge: KPop Demon Hunters has been a cultural tidal wave since its June release. The film became the most-watched movie on Netflix — beating Red Notice by nearly 100 million views — and its soundtrack stormed the charts. It made history as the first film to have four songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100: “Golden,” “Your Idol,” “Soda Pop,” and “How It’s Done.” The soundtrack also stayed in the top ten of the Billboard 200 for several weeks.
Even if the film doesn’t take home any Grammys, this moment matters. The recognition highlights the real singers behind the characters and the years of songwriting, recording, and hustle that went into those tracks. Plus, there’s already sequel buzz: Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have a deal for another film currently expected around 2029, so fingers crossed the HUNTR/X voices return.
- Fact: HUNTR/X’s “Golden” is nominated for Song of the Year for the 2026 Grammys.
- Fact: KPop Demon Hunters became the most-watched movie on Netflix and had four songs simultaneously in the Hot 100 top 10 — a first for any film.
- Fact: EJAE sang as Rumi in the film, co-wrote “Golden,” and previously trained at SM Entertainment with songwriting credits for EXID and Red Velvet.
- Fact: The 2026 Grammy Awards air on February 1, 2026.
For fans, this feels like a vindication — the music worked, the world noticed, and the artists behind the characters are finally getting mainstream recognition. I’ll be glued to the Grammys to cheer them on. What did you guys think when you heard the nominations? Drop your reactions in the comments (and keep it kind!).
Source: Collider