KPop Demon Hunters song Golden has won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards. The movie itself also won for Best Animated Film, capping an incredible year for the Netflix production, which has become a worldwide sensation.
This means that songwriter Diane Warren’s wait for a win in the Best Original Song category goes on. She’s now been nominated a record 17 times, but has never triumphed.
Warren had previously been tied on 16 with sound mixer Greg P Russell for the most Oscar nominations without a win, but now holds that record outright.
Responding to her loss on social media, she quipped: “At least I'm a record holder of something!!”
In truth, Warren probably knew that, yet again, this wasn’t going to be her year. Even her most ardent supporters would have to admit that her song, Dear Me, performed by Kesha, hasn’t resonated with listeners (and, clearly, Oscar voters) in anything like the same way that Golden has, so the KPop Demon Hunters anthem feels like a worthy winner.
Accepting the award, singer and songwriter EJAE said: “Growing up, people made fun of me for liking KPop, but now everyone’s singing our song. This award is not about success – it’s about resilience.”
She could be talking about herself; The South Korean musician was a trainee at KPop hit factory SM Entertainment for almost a decade, but left for the US after being considered too old to launch a career as a solo artist or in a band, turning to songwriting and producing for other K-Pop acts instead.
Discussing the writing of Golden alongside Mark Sonnenblick, EJAE previously told Good Morning America: “When I received the instrumental, I wrote [the melody] on my way to the dentist. “And then I brought it to Mark, and Mark’s like, ‘I feel something’, and we wrote it so fast. ‘Gonna be, gonna be Golden’ came out super fast. ‘Up, up, up it’s our moment’... that came out fast, too.
“And then, when we’re done, we’re like, ‘This is kind of a banger!’”
Fittingly, EJAE performed Golden during the ceremony alongside Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, the three singers who voice fictional KPop Demon Hunters band HUNTR/X.
They may well be heading back to the studio together soon, too, as it’s just been confirmed that a sequel is in the works.
The other big musical award at the Oscars was won by Sinners, which got the nod for Best Original Score.
