The singer-songwriter on her Golden Globe, Oscars nom, and a clever Super Bowl collab.
Fresh off a Golden Globes win further thrusting her into a growing spotlight, singer-songwriter EJAE is having a unique awards season. Maybe you’ve heard her as the singing voice of Rumi, a member of the fictional girl group Huntrix in the massively popular Netflix movie KPop Demon Hunters. And if the movie’s hit song “Golden,” now a Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, has been stuck in your head for weeks, it’s all thanks to EJAE, who co-wrote the song and also belts out the tune that hit number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
Now, the South Korean-American rising star, 34, is opening up about navigating red carpets, stage fright, and the physical demands of being front and center. She is also teaming up with Liquid I.V. for their first-ever Super Bowl campaign, for which she re-recorded Phil Collins’ iconic song “Against All Odds.” The project also includes her stripped-down “Tiny Vanity Concert” (a play on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert” franchise) with a performance that plays on the unexpected overlap between acoustics, hydration, and vocal health.
Ahead, EJAE talks with The Healthy about how she keeps her voice hydrated during a nonstop schedule, why Korean skincare remains nonnegotiable, and how she’s redefining longevity as her career enters a new, exciting chapter.
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The Healthy: Your Golden Globe speech after winning “Best Original Song” was so memorable, when you opened up about the arduous road to actualizing career dreams. Was there a moment early in your work, especially on the K-pop training journey, when you realized you couldn’t just push through exhaustion and had to prioritize your health?
EJAE: Honestly, health is the most important thing. If you’re not healthy, you can’t really do anything. For me, the big realization was that if you get sick, you can’t sing. I had bronchitis twice in the past six months, and I didn’t realize how badly it affects your vocal cords. That changed everything. I’m really careful now. I take vitamins, and I always have Manuka honey candies. Liquid I.V. and water are my baseline for hydration. I wear masks, wash my hands, and try to avoid getting sick. Sleep is another big one. I noticed that when I don’t sleep, my hair literally falls out. I lost a lot of hair during periods when I wasn’t resting enough.
Early on, hustling took up so much of my time. I used to think sleep was a waste of time, that I needed to keep working. But that really took a toll on my body. Your immune system drops, you get dehydrated, and hydration is obviously key when you’re singing. For me, hydration is so important.
The Healthy: What’s been the most surprising part of success for you?
EJAE: Red carpets are completely new to me. Before this, I was a songwriter behind the scenes, so I didn’t realize how dehydrating they are. I thought singing was dehydrating—but no, talking is worse. You’re talking nonstop, wearing a tight dress, and I usually don’t eat much beforehand because I get nervous and it upsets my stomach.
The Healthy: What’s your go-to workout?
EJAE: I love hot yoga, though I was told that it can cause your pores to get bigger.
The Healthy: Really? It’s always talked about as being detoxifying.
EJAE: That’s what I thought, too. When I was training as a K-pop idol, we did a lot of hot yoga at first, but we eventually stopped for that reason. I don’t know if it’s scientifically proven, it’s more precautionary, but I did notice a difference. I also love Pilates. Pilates is king.
The Healthy: What was training like when you were preparing to be a K-pop idol? How did it affect your health and is there anything from that time you still carry with you?
EJAE: Training was very rigorous. You’re dancing all the time, singing all the time. I would sing six to eight hours a day and dance for another six hours. It was a lot of physical movement. Nutrition became really important, protein and vegetables, eating for energy. Dancing requires a strong core, so we were constantly doing sit-ups and push-ups before dance class. You end up extremely fit.
The Healthy: You recently re-recorded “Against All Odds,” decades after its release. What has that experience been like?
EJAE: It’s such an honor to sing that song. Everyone knows it—the moment you hear the hook, you recognize it instantly. I was excited but also nervous about doing it justice, so I tried to put my own spin on it. It’s a very cathartic song. The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are incredible, and it’s really fun to sing.
The Healthy: Tell me about creating the Tiny Vanity Concert. What was your creative approach, especially tying it into health?
EJAE: It was honestly Liquid I.V.’s genius idea to place the vanity in a bathroom, because the bathroom is the best place to sing. We all do it, whether in the shower or just getting ready. The echo and natural reverb make your voice sound amazing. That’s actually where I practice singing, too.
The Healthy: Longevity is such a buzzword right now—health span, aging well, feeling good long-term. What does longevity mean to you at this stage of your life?
EJAE: Longevity applies to everything: my skin, my health, my singing. It’s something I think about a lot. One thing many Koreans say is that health is the most important thing—more than anything else, because without it, you can’t do anything. That means eating well, making sure your body feels good, eating vegetables and fruits, and staying hydrated. Hydration is absolutely key, especially for skin.
Breathing, therapy, and meditation are also essential for me. They keep me grounded and help regulate my nervous system. I’m a very anxious person and I have stage fright. Stress is one of the biggest threats to health. No matter how well you eat or hydrate, if you’re constantly stressed, it works against you. Mental health is crucial.
The Healthy: What’s one self-care habit you refuse to skip?
EJAE: Skincare, definitely. I always take my time with it. I do facial massage, scalp massage—I use a wooden massager on my scalp because everything starts there. Your scalp holds so much tension. I also do gua sha for lymphatic drainage.
The Healthy: Korean skincare always seems ahead of the curve. Where do you go for the latest treatments or information?
EJAE: Honestly, I just follow my friends. They’re all in the entertainment industry, their skin looks perfect, and I trust them. I’ll literally call and say, “Can you take me where you go?”
I also listen to what doctors recommend. There are treatments like salmon-based injections that actually work. They really work. When you go to Korea, there are videos everywhere showing different clinics and treatments. You can’t miss it, everyone cares about skincare.
The Healthy: Lastly, what’s next for you? What are you excited about heading into 2026?
EJAE: I have a single coming out soon, which is really exciting. I’m also focusing on what it means for me to be an artist. For a long time, I was just focused on being a songwriter, so I’m finally giving myself space to explore that identity. Continue making bangers—that’s the goal.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
