One of esports' most successful music acts returns, with new vocalists, alongside I-dle's Soyeon and Miyeon
Riot Games' virtual girl group K/DA, made of characters from popular online game League of Legends who are voiced by K-pop artists and international pop stars, will return after a six-year hiatus.
The group shot to global stardom upon its debut in 2018, with the music video for its debut single "Pop/Stars" having amassed nearly 670 million views on YouTube as of Tuesday. The group, as one of the most notable musical successes to emerge from esports, has earned platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America and counts more than 2 million followers on music streaming platform Spotify.
K/DA's latest release is its first in six years, following "More," the lead single from 2020 EP "All Out." The group's latest release, "Firestarter," showcases the four K/DA members with updated visuals and styling.
The group comprises four League of Legends champions — Ahri, Akali, Evelynn and Kai'Sa — voiced by Miyeon and Soyeon of K-pop girl group I-dle, Canadian singer Sophie Powers and English singer Mimi Webb, respectively. Powers and Webb are making their K/DA debuts.
According to Riot Games, the "Firestarter" music video was produced by French animation studio Fortiche Production, which previously worked on K/DA's debut music video "Pop/Stars" and "Arcane." "Arcane," Riot Games' first full-length animated television series, won the 2022 Emmy for outstanding animated program.
Beyond K/DA, Riot Games has expanded its music ventures through a range of virtual groups and projects featuring characters from its games. The company's music ventures include heavy metal band Pentakill, hip-hop group True Damage and virtual boy band Heartsteel.
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