I wanted to share this fantastic interview with singer, songwriter, and performer EJAE, the singing voice behind Rumi in Netflix’s breakout hit KPop Demon Hunters.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f23ca4YSAXI
In this conversation, she digs into:
• Growing up as a K–pop trainee and spending over a decade in that system
• The intense pressure to be “perfect” in every way: vocals, visuals, personality, and public image
• How competitive training, constant critique, and fandom intensity can affect self-worth
• The emotional whiplash of finally having a hit and suddenly being seen, while still feeling more comfortable behind the scenes
• People dismissing her work as “AI” because the character is animated, and how painful that is when you’ve poured real craft and labor into every note
• Writing “Golden” and building a hooky, emotionally resonant song that still feels authentically Korean in both language and detail
There is so much here that feels relevant to actors and performers, especially around resilience, identity, and what it means to be “visible” in an industry that can be both beautiful and brutal.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
• What part of EJAE’s story resonates most with you as a performer?
• Have you ever felt pressure to hide parts of yourself in order to be “castable” or “marketable”?
• How do you personally balance ambition with mental health and boundaries?
• And for those of you who work in voiceover or animation, how do you feel about the assumption that anything animated or stylized must be AI now?
Looking forward to hearing how her journey lands with you and how it mirrors your own experiences in front of (or behind) the camera and mic.
1 person likes this
I work on a project or network every day, but I try to take some time off during the day to rest and relax for my mental health and physical health, Ashley Renee Smith.