League of Legends is back at it again!
On October 23rd KST, Riot Games officially introduced their latest virtual musical line-up called HEARTSTEEL. The group is composed of reinterpreted versions of six League of Legends champions Ezreal (vocalist), Kayn (rapper, performer), Aphelios (performer, lyricist, and composer), Yone (producer), Sett (co-leader, vocalist), and K’Sante (co-leader, vocalist).
Their debut song “PARANOIA” was written by Cal Scruby, Carlos St. John, Rob Russell, and Sebastien Najand and comes with an action-packed animated music video that displays the characters’ fun, cool, and quirky sides to the curious public.
To bring their brand of music to life, HEARTSTEEL tapped four talented artists from genres to become their voices. Ezreal is voiced by EXO‘s Baekhyun who is known to be a formidable vocalist and soloist in K-pop. Baekhyun is also a big LoL fan who had previously shown off his gaming skills and mentioned being an Ezreal main during streams for fans. He has also performed T1’s team song “Runner” alongside Raiden and CHANGMO for their 2021 run.
Sett is dubbed by ØZI, an LA-born Taipei-raised singer-songwriter, music producer, performer, and creative director who carved out his unique niche in the Mandarin music scene. K’Sante borrows his voice from Tobi Lou, a contemporary music artist who has roots in Nigeria but grew up in Chicago where he explored fusions of hip-hop, R&B, and pop to create his distinct brand of artistry. Lastly, Kayn is voiced by Los Angeles-based rapper Cal Scruby who is known for his clever lyrics and quirky visuals paired with relatable topics, sports references, and self-deprecating humor.
Yone and Aphelios may not be singing with the rest of the team on stage but the two can be heard distinctly through their music as they write lyrics, weave melodies, and produce concepts for the group. HEARTSTEEL is expected to perform at the League of Legends World Championship Finals in Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul.
Riot Games has previously introduced K/DA, Pentakill, and True Damage through Riot Games Music which swept gaming fans and casual listeners alike with their songs. Notable collaborations for K-pop fans include (G)I-DLE‘s Soyeon and Miyeon who represent LoL champions Akali and Ahri in K/DA.
Watch the music video here!
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Katherine grew up watching Korean and other Asian dramas. Although she first paid attention to Korean music in 2009, it wasn’t until 2011 that she properly paid attention to K-pop. She holds a fondness for SEVENTEEN and NCT and would recommend (G)I-DLE, Dreamcatcher, and XG to whoever cared to listen. She reads just about anything and is currently easing back into full novels.
MEDIA: Riot Games, Riot Games Music