This summer, one of the most powerful soundtracks emerged not from a chart-topping idol group, but from a K-pop-inspired animated feature. KPop Demon Hunters, produced by Sony Pictures with major contributions from star producers at THEBLACKLABEL, quickly captured global attention after its June 20 premiere on Netflix, debuting at No. 1 on the platform’s Global Film chart.

Centered around HUNTR/X, a fictional girl group battling evil spirits, and their rival boy band called Saja Boys, the film playfully blends the worlds of K-pop, animation and superhero action. Unlike traditional K-pop content built around real-life stars and fandoms, KPop Demon Hunters constructs a wholly original universe where music and narrative are developed hand-in-hand from the ground up.

The film’s lead track, “Golden” by HUNTR/X, made history by peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 1 on the Global 200 — a largely unprecedented feat for a fictional act. Other tracks from the soundtrack, including “Your Idol,” “How It’s Done” and “Soda Pop,” quickly dominated streaming platforms worldwide. According to Billboard, Netflix plans to submit “Golden” for best original song at the upcoming Academy Awards, positioning the film for a dual run at both the Billboard charts and the Oscars.

But the success of KPop Demon Hunters goes beyond cutting-edge animation. The music itself is the heartbeat of the story, infusing every scene with emotion and narrative weight. These aren’t just songs; they’re weapons in a world where idols literally fight demons through performance.

At the heart of this musical vision are THEBLACKLABEL’s powerhouse producers: IDO (YUHAN, ZHUN and NHD), Vince and Dominsuk. Known for crafting hits like BLACKPINK’s “Pink Venom,” BIGBANG’s “Still Life,” TAEYANG’s “VIBE,” SOMI’s “Fast Forward,” ALLDAY Project’s “FAMOUS” and MEOVV’s “MEOW” and “DROP TOP,” these producers took on an entirely new challenge: creating music not for real artists, but for animated characters with their own story arcs and emotional depth.

What began as an experiment in fictional world-building turned into a cultural phenomenon, sparking global chart success, viral challenges and even Oscar buzz. We sat down with IDO, Vince and Dominsuk to hear how they brought this ambitious project to life — translating visuals into sound, weaving narrative through rhythm, and proving just how far K-pop can stretch when imagination leads the way.

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KPop Demon Hunters is quite a departure from the usual projects we see from THEBLACKLABEL. What inspired you to take on the challenge of creating music for fictional characters instead of real-life K-pop idols?

Vince: I was intrigued the moment I heard it was a Sony Pictures project. They’re the same studio behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which I absolutely loved, so I’ve always had a strong affinity for their work. What really stood out was the way they blended a classic superhero narrative with K-pop storytelling — it was so fresh. I also found the visual elements really compelling — like the characters wearing traditional Korean traditional hats [gat], hanbok-inspired outfits, and the overall Korean-inspired aesthetic.

Which tracks and parts did each of you work on? And were there any moments during the process that particularly stood out?

IDO (ZHUN): I produced “Golden,” “How It’s Done” and “Your Idol.” I also worked on the track used during HUNTR/X’s intro scene at the start of the film. One moment that really sticks with me is from the storyboard for “How It’s Done.” There’s this intense action sequence, and suddenly it cuts to a character eating ramen — it was so random and hilarious. That lighthearted energy ended up bleeding into the music naturally.

Vince: I produced “Soda Pop” and also worked on “Your Idol.”

Dominsuk: I produced “Soda Pop.”

Did you have any idea this music would grow beyond just an animated soundtrack? All the tracks charted on Billboard, and “Golden” is even being discussed as a strong Oscar contender for best original song.

IDO (YUHAN): Honestly, I never imagined we’d be talking about the Oscars while working on K-pop. It’s opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for us, and it’s been a deeply meaningful experience.

Vince: To be honest, not at all. I was just focused on crafting music that would match the visuals. Of course, we poured our hearts into it — as if we were producing tracks for a real K-pop group — but I didn’t expect it to resonate this strongly. In the end, I think it’s the synergy between the music and visuals that struck a chord with people.

IDO (ZHUN): Now that we’re here, I’m daring to dream of topping the Billboard Hot 100 — or even winning a Grammy. Dreams are free, right? I just hope this leads to even more great outcomes in the future.

Many fans have described the soundtrack as quintessentially “K-pop.” Did you deliberately aim for that, or were there conscious efforts to differentiate it from traditional K-pop? How did you incorporate THEBLACKLABEL’s signature sound?

Vince: We didn’t set out to make it sound “K-pop.” Our only goal was to make good music that fit great visuals. I think what people call “K-pop” today goes beyond just genre — it’s a blend of visuals, performance, storytelling and music. We simply aimed to create catchy pop tracks that people would enjoy. Since the music was made by Korean creators, it naturally ended up being labeled as K-pop — but that label was never the starting point.

IDO (ZHUN): Same here. Rather than trying to make it sound like K-pop, we focused on how to bring emotional depth to the characters and their narrative. We wove in THEBLACKLABEL’s signature elements — like catchy drops and unique grooves — very organically. We also mixed Korean and English lyrics to give it a more global feel. I think all of that came together pretty naturally in the final tracks.

The tempo and structure of “Soda Pop,” performed by the fictional boy band Saja Boys, seems perfectly tailored for a viral dance challenge. Was that intentional?

Dominsuk: We didn’t set out to create a challenge track. But while making it, the idea that “this could be fun as a challenge” did cross my mind. I just didn’t expect the reaction to blow up the way it did. Music has a way of taking on a life of its own — often in ways even the creators didn’t anticipate.

The casting of vocalists with strong synergy to each character was also a hot topic. How were the vocalists selected, and what influenced those choices?

Vince: The final vocalist decisions were made by the production team, but we were involved early on, especially in discussing what kind of tone would best suit each character and scene. It’s not just about the vocal style fitting the music; it also has to match the voice acting and emotional rhythm of the animation. We went through a few different vocalists before landing on the perfect fits, and I think the end result was really well balanced.

If you had to compare the soundtrack’s sound to a real-life K-pop group, who would it be?

Vince: We didn’t model the songs after any particular artist — we just immersed ourselves in the characters and their emotions. But if I had to name a few, BLACKPINK or BTS come to mind. They both have strong global branding and powerful music and performances.

Vince, you’re not only a producer but also an artist yourself, with a new single dropping in August. From your perspective at the frontlines of K-pop, how do you think KPop Demon Hunters has influenced the current K-pop landscape?

Vince: I think the biggest achievement is that it introduces K-pop to a wider range of audiences — especially younger generations — in a really natural way. Globally, I hope it helps shape a more positive and expansive perception of what K-pop can be.

There’s already buzz about a sequel. If you were to return for a second film, what kind of music would you want to create?

IDO (YUHAN): If HUNTR/X gets a new rival group [in a sequel], I’d love to produce for them. I’d want to explore a darker, more electronic sound than we used this time.

Working outside your usual environment can often be the biggest creative trigger. Was this project that kind of moment for you? And if so, are there any global artists you dream of collaborating with in the future? It’s a Billboard interview, after all — so maybe it could happen!

IDO (ZHUN): I’ve always loved electronic music — Skrillex was a big influence growing up — and lately I’ve been really into Fred again.. He’s definitely on my collaboration wish list.

IDO (YUHAN): I’m also a fan of electronic music like ZHUN, but the first artist that comes to mind for a dream collab is The Weeknd.

IDO (NHD): I’d love to work with 2hollis. His bass-heavy, hyperpop-inspired sound is so fresh — it’d be an exciting creative challenge.

Dominsuk: I’ve been listening to a lot of Fred again.. lately. I’d also love to collaborate with Justin Bieber someday — it’s been one of my biggest goals as a producer.

Vince: I’m lucky enough to be collaborating with one of my dream artists right now. I can’t reveal who just yet, but we’ve got a single coming out in August. It’s a summer-ready track that I think a lot of people will enjoy, so stay tuned.

Taylor Swift is entering her wax figure era. As unveiled Wednesday (July 23), Madame Tussauds is welcoming 13 new statues of the pop star to different locations across the world — meaning Swifties who have never met her can finally pose with their idol, even if it’s just in their waxiest dreams.

Described as the “most ambitious project in Madame Tussauds’ 250-year history,” the new wax figures will pop up in the museum’s branches in Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Hollywood, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Sydney and Blackpool, England. Each one will sport a replica of a different look worn by Swift on her global Eras Tour throughout 2023 and 2024, from her iconic glitzy Lover-era leotard to her white Tortured Poets Department gown.

The 13th Swift figure will start out in Madame Tussauds’ location in Shanghai, but — much like its real-life inspiration did on her Eras trek — will travel around to different spots.

In a statement, Danielle Cullen, Madame Tussauds’ senior figure stylist Danielle Cullen said, “We’re honored to have worked closely with fashion houses like Roberto Cavalli, Vivienne Westwood, Versace, Christian Louboutin, Alberta Ferretti and Etro to recreate some of [Swift’s] most iconic looks — many of which will have special significance to the cities the 13 new figures will call home.”

“It feels a fitting celebration to give Swifties the chance to commemorate moments from this once-in-a-generation tour in a way that only Madame Tussauds can,” continued Cullen, adding that the grand scale of the undertaking “only feels right to reflect the stratospheric status of Taylor Swift.”

The unveiling comes about seven months after Swift’s Eras Tour wrapped after nearly two years on the road. During the run, the 14-time Grammy winner traveled to five different continents and raked in upwards of $2 billion with more than 10 million tickets sold, according to Billboard Boxscore. It is, to date, the highest grossing trek of all time.

Madame Tussauds’ new collection honoring the tour follows several other Taylor Swift wax installments over the years. She first received a figure in 2010 at the Nashville location, and has since been replicated in branches across Washington, D.C.; Hollywood; Dubai; and Hamburg, Germany.

See the new Taylor Swift wax figures by Madame Tussauds below.

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Nicholas Arter dedicated himself to making AI music full-time when he was laid off from his job in government consulting amid federal workforce reductions. But while “AI is making the job market for consultants in particular more difficult and more competitive,” he says, “when I was laid off, I actually doubled down on AI.”

Arter “went in 100%” on his AI music brand AI For The Culture — which now has 155,000 subscribers on YouTube, 110,000 on Instagram and 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. AI For The Culture also boasts over 250 Patreon subscribers, paying $5 monthly for full access to his catalog; across his income streams, he estimates he makes thousands each month.

Arter, who also releases music under the name “Nick Hustles,” is one of many musicmakers who now earn significant income from releasing AI generated (or assisted) songs online. And although the visibility of these creators is growing, thanks to a number of viral AI hits — including, most recently, songs by The Velvet Sundown — most of them still have had little to no affiliation with the music industry establishment. They do not tour. They are not offered record deals. They do not issue physical releases.

Instead, their careers more often resemble those of content creators, making money largely from social media creator funds, YouTube views and paid subscription platforms, like Patreon. And as this growing cohort increasingly posts AI music to official streaming services like Spotify, too, they’re pioneering an emerging and controversial career path in music — one that increasingly competes for royalties with traditional artists.

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Much of AI music content started as a joke. Around late 2022, as AI voice models improved, parody covers of popular songs — where a celebrity or popular character’s voice replaced the original artists’ — became more common. Then, in May 2023, Ghostwriter, an anonymous songwriter/producer, posted his original song “Heart On My Sleeve,” which used AI to deepfake the voices of Drake and The Weeknd without their permission.

The song made headlines and Ghostwriter became the poster child for a new, polarizing type of creative. “Heart On My Sleeve” was also confusing: many believed that the song was generated entirely by AI, even though the emerging tech was actually only used to swap out Ghostwriter’s own vocal performance for Drake and The Weeknd’s. (AI music generators already existed, but typically couldn’t compose a song start-to-finish.)

This technological window was short-lived. In December 2023, AI music companies Suno and Udio debuted, enabling the creation of songs that were nearly indistinguishable from human-made music to be made at the click of a button. Soon, AI musicmaking evolved from voice swapping pre-existing or original songs to an explosion of fully AI generated content. (The two companies have since been sued by the major music companies, which allege Suno and Udio are engaged in widespread copyright infringement by training their models on copyrighted sound recordings without consent or compensation to artists).

Comedians-turned-AI-musicmakers like Will Hatcher, who releases under the moniker King Willonius, and Glenn Robinson, the creator of popular social media account Obscurest Vinyl, each tell Billboard they signed up for these new AI music platforms to help take their jokes to the next level. Soon after, in March 2024, Hatcher released his viral smash “BBL Drizzy,” an Udio-generated song (with lyrics written by Hatcher) that mocked Drake at the height of his rap beef with Kendrick Lamar. Remixed and popularized by Metro Boomin, the track became another key moment in the development of AI music.

Meanwhile, Robinson was building an Instagram page where he posted funny, photoshopped album covers. Once he tried Suno, he started posting AI songs to pair with his self-made artwork. “I start with the album cover and think, ‘What would this sound like?’ and I just write some lyrics and prompt accordingly,” says Robinson, who, like Hatcher and Arter, had a background in making music before AI. “It takes a few tries, but if I can’t get something I like, I’ll record a demo myself.”

Obscurest Vinyl now has grown to 295,000 Instagram followers and its top song on Spotify, “I Glued My Balls to My Butthole Again,” has over 3 million streams to date. Robinson says his biggest moneymaker is merchandise based on the music, but he earns royalties — sometimes hundreds of dollars a month — from YouTube and Spotify, too.

“I think we’re still in the phase of AI music as comedy,” says George Karalexis, co-founder/CEO of Ten2 Media, a YouTube content strategy firm that works with AI For The Culture and Hatcher along with artists including Benson Boone, BigXThaPlug and Lil Tjay. “There will always be some type of comedic music in this field, but I think we are entering the next phase, as this stuff gets really good, where people just enjoy the music for what it is.”

Now, it’s clear that AI music is good for more than a laugh — it’s an increasingly popular option for listeners. JPEGMAFIA, for example, prominently sampled one of AI For The Culture’s songs in his 2024 single “either on or off drugs.” The Suno-generated doo-wop tune “A Million Colors,” released by Brazilian AI music content creator Vinih Pray, became the first-known AI song to chart on the TikTok Viral 50 in June, peaking at no. 46. And just a month later, a Reddit controversy around The Velvet Sundown made the AI band go viral worldwide — and its Spotify monthly listenership swelled to over 1.4 million.

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Some streaming services, including Spotify, still do not have policies specific to AI music. As long as AI songs do not violate other rules, like ones against impersonation or spam, they are often allowed to accrue streaming money just like any human-made song. This lack of royalty differentiation was at the heart of the recent Velvet Sundown controversy, which prompted discourse about whether it’s acceptable for AI music to compete in the same marketplace as human-made music — and what streaming services could do to regulate the incoming flood of AI music, which French streaming service Deezer estimates accounts for 18% of songs delivered daily to its platform.

“There are a lot of misconceptions with AI music,” says Hatcher. “At the end of the day, I think there is still a craft to it. You have to have a great ear. You can generate 20 songs and not have the ear to decide which is actually good. You might get lucky and just have a random hit [with AI], but the people, like me, who are doing this sustainably are very dedicated, consistent and continually improving. I think AI just empowers people to be more creative.”

Arter says that he “firmly believes” that “the human element” of his songs, like writing his own lyrics and editing AI results in ProTools, is paramount to his success with the emerging technology. But he also credits the high quality of his songs to learning how to precisely prompt AI. “I’m at a point, since I’ve used it so much, where I can hear a melody in my head, and I can get the AI to get that exact melody based on how I word my prompts,” he says.

Still, while Robinson, Hatcher and Arter all stress their respect for human artistry and their belief that AI musicmaking is a skilled creative pursuit, Hatcher admits that there’s “a lot of AI slop” on the internet that doesn’t take such a thoughtful approach to creating with the technology. Experts believe much of this AI slop is even used with the intent to steal royalties.

Last fall, a North Carolinian named Michael Smith was indicted by federal prosecutors over allegations that he used AI to help create “hundreds of thousands” of songs and then used the AI tracks to earn more than $10 million in fraudulent streaming royalty payments since 2017. Deezer, which has become a vocal proponent for AI music regulation, also reports a significant link between AI music and fraudulent streaming activities, claiming that “up to 70%” of streams for AI songs are artificial, as of June 2025.

Even if an AI music content creator has good intentions with their work, voluntarily labels it as AI, and writes some of the lyrics themselves, the role is still stigmatized. This summer, Timbaland’s announcement of his new AI entertainment company, Stage Zero, which would release songs by AI artist TaTa, provoked outcry from creatives online, including one producer, K Fresh, who accused Timbaland of taking his song without credit and running it through Suno. Timbaland quickly issued an apology to the producer and clarified that “at Stage Zero…nothing happens without people. Our focus is on building tools with creators, not at their expense.”

Robinson says that while the reception was largely positive when he started adding AI music to his Instagram posts, he still upset some followers by doing it. “Of course, you do get people who are like, ‘You shouldn’t be using this,’ and they’re also completely valid,” he says. “I get why they’re upset; if I wasn’t doing Obscurest Vinyl, I probably wouldn’t go anywhere near AI. For me, it just serves the purpose of helping me match the album covers I make in Photoshop to music of all styles and voices which I couldn’t do effectively without AI.”

The stigma, paired with the lack of clarity around how copyrightable these works are worldwide and how streaming services will regulate it in the future, has kept traditional record labels, publishers, managers and agents away from the AI music content creation game — for now. But JVKE’s manager Ethan Curtis, an early adopter of AI tools, says he thinks it’s only a matter of time before the industry capitalizes on this growing field. “It’s not far off,” Curtis says. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if [record labels] didn’t start creating AI artists themselves. I mean, why not? You don’t have to share any revenue. You don’t have to deal with moody artists. You don’t have to fight for creative control. I imagine that is already on the roadmap.”

AI music may now be taking home part of the royalty pool previously reserved for just human artists, but Hatcher, Arter and Robinson all doubt that human-made music will go away because of projects like theirs. “I like to use the analogy of AI music being fast food,” says Hatcher. “There are people that will never, under any circumstances, eat fast food. They want a fine dining experience. And then there are other people who are like, ‘I don’t care where it comes from or who the chef is, give me that burger.’”

“If we are talking about pure output, there’s no way humans can compete with AI music,” says Karalexis. “But where artists can outperform is with meaningful connections with fans, live performances. There is a human element that people still want. I don’t think this is a competition where one wins and the other loses, it’s going to become two different games.”

This story is part of Billboard’s music technology newsletter ‘Machine Learnings.’ Sign up for ‘Machine Learnings’ and other Billboard newsletters for free here.

Post Malone’s ex has dropped a court petition that sought to move their three-year-old daughter from Utah to California after intense opposition from the singer.

The star (Austin Post) and his ex-girlfriend, Hee Sung “Jamie” Park, who had a daughter together in 2022, have been fighting over custody arrangements since April. The child is anonymous in court papers.

Park had been seeking through a California court petition to take primary custody of the child in Los Angeles, where she moved after splitting from Post this past fall. Post, however, brought his own custody case in Utah, where he says their daughter has lived most of her life and should remain.

The singer’s lawyers filed a motion in May to dismiss Park’s California petition as unfair “gamesmanship,” and the matter was scheduled for a hearing next week. But Park has apparently relented, dropping her California case on Monday (July 21).

Park dismissed the California case with prejudice, meaning it can’t be re-filed. It seems that she and Post will now continue to litigate their custody battle in Utah, though court records there are sealed.

It’s a win for Post, who wrote in the May court filing that Park “intentionally” hid from the court that their child — referred to by the initials “DDP” — has been a Utah resident since birth. 

“I do intend to work cooperatively with Jamie to ensure that DDP has frequent and equal custodial time with her mother,” Post wrote. “However, I do not consent to Jamie’s back door attempt to change DDP’s residence from Utah to California.”

Reps for Post and Park did not return requests for comment on Wednesday (July 23).