Ejae - Singer, Songwriter
Age: 34
Country: Korea, Republic of Occupations:
Singer, Songwriter
EJAE (born Kim Eun-jae) is a South Korean-American singer, songwriter, and record producer who has recently transitioned from a behind-the-scenes K-pop powerhouse to a global breakout star.
Background and Career
Early Training: She spent 10 years as a trainee at SM Entertainment (starting at age 11), training alongside future members of Girls' Generation. Despite her talent, she did not debut as an idol, which led her to pursue a BFA at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
Songwriting Success: Before her solo singing career took off, she became a highly sought-after songwriter. She is a co-writer of Red Velvet's massive hit "Psycho" and has written for major acts like aespa ("Armageddon"), TWICE, Le Sserafim, and NMIXX.
Breakthrough: Her "big moment" came in 2025 with the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters. Originally hired only as a songwriter, her demo vocals were so impressive that directors cast her as the official singing voice for the lead character, Rumi.
Major Achievements
Award Winner: In early 2026, she made history when the song "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making it the first K-pop-style track to win an Oscar.
Vocal Profile: She is noted for a rare three-octave range and "freakish" vocal ability, capable of hitting both deep low notes and operatic highs (up to a $D6$).
Solo Work: Following her film success, she released her debut solo single, "In Another World," in October 2025.
Personal Life
EJAE is the granddaughter of the legendary South Korean actor and arts patron Shin Young-kyun. She is currently based in Brooklyn and is engaged to music producer Sam Kim.