'KPop Demon Hunters' star reveals Leonardo DiCaprio made her 'nervous' during BAFTAs performance
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ejae, who provides Rumi’s singing voice in 'KPop Demon Hunters' and co-wrote its hit song 'Golden', dreamed of performing at the BAFTAs but now remembers the experience for the wrong reasons.
She revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio’s presence in the audience made her "nervous" during the performance, while also opening up about her stage fright, encounters with Beyonce and Jay-Z, and her growing role as a role model for young Asian fans.
Ejae opens up about her BAFTAs performance and stage fright
Reflecting on the February BAFTAs in an interview with The Times published on Monday, August 10, Ejae admitted, “The BAFTAs haunt me,” and added, “I made mistakes. I cracked a little bit on the high notes. Leonardo DiCaprio was in the audience right in front of me, and he was not smiling.”
Ejae explained that she looked directly at the 'Titanic' actor while singing “born to be,” one of the highest notes in the song. “That’s what put me off,” she said, adding, “He made me so nervous. It was already so nerve-racking to be in front of all these celebrities, and then I look up and lock eyes with Leonardo DiCaprio? Come on.”
The 34-year-old felt less nervous when she performed at the Brit Awards the following week because she was performing for fans. “Because it was performing to fans, kids being like ‘Rumi, you got this!’” she said. “I never knew that sentence would be so heartwarming and helpful.”
Ahead of the Oscars, Ejae acknowledged her severe stage fright while discussing the possibility of performing 'Golden' at the Academy Awards. “There’s definitely been talks of having ‘Golden’ performed. The thought of that is kind of incredibly nerve-wracking, because I have really bad stage fright,” she told PEOPLE.
She added that she had been trying to overcome it but believed the Oscars would bring “a whole different level of stage fright.” 'KPop Demon Hunters' co-director Chris Appelhans joked that they would “step in,” adding, “It’s what the fans are asking for.”
Ejae recalls meeting Beyonce and Jay-Z, reflects on growing role as a role model for young Asian fans
Elsewhere in The Times interview, Ejae also recalled meeting Jay-Z and Beyonce at their Oscars afterparty, where he introduced himself as Shawn, leaving her “beyond starstruck,” while Beyonce, whom she described as her idol, told her, “You have an incredible voice.”
She asked whether Beyonce knew 'Golden' and learned that her daughters sang it. She was also struck by the significance of the character Rumi sharing her daughter’s name.
At a fan signing, a Korean mother told Ejae that her daughter had changed her favorite singer after 'KPop Demon Hunters', giving her an Asian role model who looked like her. Ejae said the moment made her realize she was “a doorway for a different future,” recalling that she had rarely seen Asian singers in the West while growing up.
The film’s success has been equally transformative. Rei Ami described the film as something that “literally changed the world,” while Ejae recalled her phone “blowing up” after its June 20 premiere, with her Reddit-loving fiance also noticing its growing virality.
Audrey Nuna admitted she had expected the project to be niche despite K-pop’s global support. The film later received Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song, while winning two awards each at the Critics' Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards and receiving four Grammy nominations.
