How K-Pop Demon Hunters' Audrey Nuna Wrote The Playbook For Creative And Cultural Disruption

Audrey, a K-pop artist, discussed her journey in music, her recent success with "K-pop Demon Hunters," and her views on representation and "hijacking" cultural norms. She began by acknowledging the incredible awards season for "K-pop Demon Hunters," which won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Critic's Choice Awards, and saw her song "Golden" become the first K-pop song to win a Grammy. She described the past seven months as surreal and transformative, with everything happening very quickly. Audrey has been involved in music for a long time, starting professionally around age 19 or 20. She initially aspired to be on Broadway as a child but shifted her focus to pop music after being inspired by Beyoncé's Super Bowl halftime show in 2012 or 2013. With no direct connections to the industry, she started by posting Instagram and YouTube covers, even recording in her bathroom. This led to her meeting Anoir Sawyer, her first producer and manager, who contacted her via DMs when she was 17. Despite initial skepticism, their collaboration marked the beginning of her musical journey. She also briefly attended NYU, commuting long hours to work on music in Orangeburg, New York, a period she described as crazy and transformative, where she learned a lot about the craft of music making. Her discovery for "K-pop Demon Hunters" was serendipitous. While she had heard of recommendations for the project, her most vivid memory was a South by Southwest performance in 2024. After a set she felt went horribly, a Sony Animation representative named Jojo approached her about "K-pop Demon Hunters," suggesting she would be perfect for it. Distracted by her perceived poor performance, she initially dismissed the idea. However, weeks later, her team arranged a call with Ian Eisendrath, the executive music producer for the soundtrack. Audrey was drawn to the project primarily due to her strong connection with its characters, particularly as a first-generation Korean American, finding genuine representation that resonated with her own story. She emphasized that when one aligns with the stories they want to tell, "magical things come from that in really mysterious ways." Regarding representation in the entertainment industry, Audrey believes strides are being made, with art serving as a powerful tool to initiate this wave. While acknowledging there's always room for improvement, she expressed immense pride in being part of a project that has made many, especially Korean or Asian children, feel proud to share their culture. She noted that this sense of pride, particularly from children, is more meaningful to her than the accolades and awards. She also stressed the importance of multidisciplinary representation, extending beyond media to spaces like Forbes' "30 Under 30," where diverse perspectives are represented in leadership and founding roles. Audrey offered advice to founders, emphasizing the concept of "hijacking." Her first piece of advice was to prioritize humanity and making a positive impact, as this "north star" will guide other aspects. Secondly, she described the current era as one of "hijacking," where traditional rules are changing. She advocated for building and "hijacking back" by working with people from diverse perspectives, challenging ego-driven assumptions, and questioning established notions of right and wrong. Hijacking, she explained, requires humility, the willingness to unlearn, and finding the right people—those who are aligned but also challenge you. She also highlighted the idea that "everything is creative." When asked how she is personally "hijacking," Audrey explained that it involves not equating tools with their traditional uses. She initially disliked social media and sometimes pop music, but realized the importance of separating the tool from its historical application. Citing a Jenny Holtzer quote from the Guggenheim: "Use what's dominant in culture to change it quickly," Audrey sees hijacking as respecting and observing what works, even if one doesn't traditionally love the systems or institutions. For artists, this means having the humility to respect existing "machines" and understanding what can be learned and integrated into one's practice. She had a significant realization about pop music, viewing it not as a genre but as a "design philosophy" or a tool. This approach encourages looking at systems one might not love and identifying what aspects are effective. She cited Zuran Mumdani as an inspiration for "hijacking," praising his cross-disciplinary and genre-bending approach, noting his collaboration with Cardi B on jingle contests for free education as an example of finding alignment with diverse individuals. This, to her, represents "true alchemy" and "fusion," where new things are constantly tried and evolved. Audrey also discussed her philanthropic work, crediting her manager Paula as a co-pilot. She believes education is humanity's biggest hope, especially in times of hopelessness. Her last tour included a "baby OG visionary scholarship" for BIPOC women in STEM pursuing higher education, and she supports the Luminos Fund, which provides second chances at school for children in sub-Saharan African countries. She aims to integrate education and access initiatives into all her endeavors, embodying the idea of bringing one's full self and rejecting binary thinking that compartmentalizes roles like "singer" or "rapper." Looking ahead, Audrey is working on new music, describing it as a spiritual process where she's falling back in love with music and learning about life in the studio. Her goal is to apply these learnings to building the business around her art, viewing everything as a creative act. For a specific action item, Audrey suggested reflecting on people in one's life who truly provide a challenge and continuing to spend time with them. If such a person is absent, she emphasized the importance of finding someone to build with, not just for one-off interactions. She highlighted the value of soundboarding ideas and having someone who isn't afraid to say "no."