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

The speaker expresses excitement about the conversation, acknowledging the recent awards season success of "K-pop Demon Hunters," which won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Critics' Choice Awards. Her song "Golden" also made history as the first K-pop song to win a Grammy. She describes the past seven months as surreal and transformative, despite having been active in the music scene for a long time, professionally since she was 19 or 20. Her initial dream was to be a Broadway singer, but a Beyoncé Super Bowl halftime performance in 2012 or 2013 shifted her focus to pop music. Lacking industry connections, she began by posting Instagram and YouTube covers, even recording in her bathroom. This led to her meeting Anwar Sawyer, her first producer and manager, who contacted her via direct message when she was 17. Their collaboration marked the beginning of her musical journey. She also briefly attended NYU, commuting long hours to Brooklyn basements to work on music, an experience she describes as crazy and transformative. Regarding how she landed the "K-pop Demon Hunters" gig, she recalls a South by Southwest performance in 2024 where, despite feeling she performed poorly, a Sony Animation representative named Jojo approached her about the project. Although initially dismissive due to her self-perceived performance, the idea was planted. Weeks later, her team connected her with Ian Eisendrath, the executive music producer for the soundtrack. Her primary motivation for taking the opportunity was a strong sense of alignment with the film's characters, particularly as a Korean American first-generation individual who rarely saw her story represented. She believes that aligning with the stories one wants to tell can lead to unexpected positive outcomes. Discussing representation in the entertainment industry, she acknowledges that strides are being made and that art is a powerful tool for initiating representation. While emphasizing the continuous need for improvement, she expresses immense pride in being part of a project that has made many, especially children of Korean or Asian descent, feel proud to share their culture. She views this impact as more significant than any accolades, highlighting the emotional connection she feels when children express pride in their identity. Beyond media representation, she stresses the importance of multidisciplinary representation, citing initiatives like Forbes' 30 Under 30, which promotes diversity in C-suites and among founders. To aspiring founders, she offers several pieces of advice. First, to prioritize humanity and making a positive impact, as this "North Star" can guide other aspects of their work. Second, she champions the concept of "hijacking," an era where traditional rules are being challenged. She advocates for building and working with people who offer diverse perspectives, challenging one's ego and preconceived notions of right and wrong. Hijacking, she explains, requires humility, the willingness to unlearn, and the ability to find the right people—those who are aligned with one's vision but also challenge it. Finally, she emphasizes that everything should be a creative act. Elaborating on her personal approach to hijacking, she states that "tools are tools." She initially disliked social media and sometimes pop music, but realized the importance of not equating tools with their traditional uses. Inspired by a Jenny Holzer quote, "Use what's dominant in culture to change it quickly," her hijacking involves respecting and observing what works, even in systems or institutions one may not inherently love. She has come to view pop music not as a genre but as a "design philosophy" or a tool. This perspective encourages analyzing what aspects of dominant systems are effective and incorporating them into one's practice. She draws inspiration from Zoran Mamdani, whom she considers a master of "genre bending" and cross-disciplinary work, highlighting his ability to find alignment with diverse individuals like Cardi B for philanthropic initiatives. This exemplifies the current era of "true alchemy" and "fusion," where simply combining elements is insufficient; rather, new things must be tried and simmered to evolve. She actively uses her platform for philanthropic work, collaborating with her manager, Paula. Believing education is humanity's biggest hope, she focuses on "planting seeds." 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 educational opportunities for children in sub-Saharan African countries. She sees these access initiatives as integral to her identity, rejecting binary thinking that compartmentalizes roles (e.g., "I'm a singer, so I should only sing"). She confirms she is working on new music, describing it as a spiritual process of falling back in love with music and learning about life in the studio, which she aims to apply to building her business. For a specific action item, she advises seeking out and valuing people who challenge you. She attributes much of her growth to mentorship and collaborating with individuals who hold her accountable. She encourages listeners to identify such people in their lives or actively seek them out for ongoing collaboration and soundboarding, emphasizing the importance of having someone who will sometimes say "no."