If you've stepped outside even once since June, you've probably heard the smash hit song of the year: 'Golden' by Huntr/x, AKA the girl group at the heart of Netflix's juggernaut sensation KPop Demon Hunters.
'Golden' is a runaway earworm that has topped the Billboard Hot 100, and its launch scene is one of the most-rewatched moments in the entire movie. The song is a rousing tune about self-acceptance and self-belief. Except… it kind of isn't. Well, for main character Rumi, anyway.
In fact, in Rumi's case, it's the complete opposite of everything it seems to be. Instead, there's another song that acts as the perfect culmination of Rumi's character arc and her inner struggle, which is also an electrifying anthem all about celebrating your true self, battle scars and all. I'm talking, of course, about 'What It Sounds Like.'
No more hiding
That's not to say that 'Golden' isn't brilliant. Outside of the film, it's a symbol of KPop Demon Hunters' extraordinary cultural impact (and I've had it on repeat for months).
In my view, though, its true excellence lies in its careful songwriting and the complicated position it holds in the film's story. 'Golden' is the perfect pop hit, meticulously crafted to be both an irresistible singalong favorite as well as a song with tons of narrative weight.
With 'Golden,' the stakes are sky high for Huntr/x. The song is what Rumi, Mira, and Zoey need to seal the Honmoon, a magical barrier between the human and demon worlds, and turn it gold (naturally); a golden Honmoon will protect the human world from demonic interference forever. But Rumi strains her voice before the group can perform the song live, revealing just how much pressure she's piling on herself to save the day.
That's the ingenious irony of 'Golden.' The lyrics are all about empowerment, while Rumi is still dead-set on concealing her true self. Rumi is secretly part-demon, something she is deeply ashamed of: she hides her patterns, the shimmery physical proof of her heritage, from the world and from her friends, which makes lyrics like "I'm done hiding" so loaded with double meaning.
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Even Rumi herself seems to acknowledge that she's not being genuine in the bridge of the song: "Waited so long to break these walls down / To wake up and feel like me / Put these patterns all in the past now / And finally live like the girl they all see." She can't imagine true freedom, only fitting what everyone else expects from her.
Of course, this duality is entirely intentional, and it sets up Rumi's character arc in the film. That conflict is communicated not just through the lyrics, but also through a superhuman vocal performance from EJAE, Rumi's singing voice, and a writer of many of the film's songs.
"It had to strain her voice to metaphorically show she is singing in a voice that's not who she is," EJAE explained on the Zach Sang Show. "That was the point. That's why it was this non-human voice, a non-human note to reach. And that was all on purpose." Rumi isn't quite being truthful with herself, with her friends, or with her fans – yet.
When darkness meets the light
Over the course of the film, Rumi grapples with her heritage and the pressure she puts on herself through her bond with Mira and Zoey, and through her budding relationship with the Saja Boys' demonic leader Jinu. Everything comes to a head when the demons stage a vicious showdown that exposes Rumi's patterns and all her hidden fears to the world.
With the Honmoon in tatters and Huntr/x no more, all hope seems lost. Rumi flees for a confrontation with her mentor Celine, challenging her on why she could never love "all of" Rumi. This finally spurs the realization Rumi needed all along. Finally accepting herself, she returns to interrupt the Saja Boys' deadly concert with a song of her own: this one a true story of love and forgiveness. Fittingly, it opens with the words: "Nothing but the truth now."
'What It Sounds Like' builds on all the ideas of 'Golden,' but this time, Rumi actually believes and embodies what she's singing. The style is more comfortable for her voice, and lyrics like "The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony / My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like" finally ring true.
Rumi is done hiding, as she promised on 'Golden,' and the resulting song is a powerful anthem of joy, celebration, and catharsis. Huntr/x emotionally reunite onstage and are finally together without any secrets keeping them apart. It's impossible to hear "truth after all this time, our voices all combined / When darkness meets the light, this is what it sounds like" and not get chills.
It also helps that 'What It Sounds Like' has a stadium-filling sound by virtue of the entire crowd joining in, and that it takes place during one of the most exuberant set-pieces of the movie, when Huntr/x finally fight back – and win – against the Saja Boys and big bad Gwi-ma, creating a new Honmoon. All of this combines to make 'What It Sounds Like' the most goosebump-raising, inspiring, and invigorating song on the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack.
So, while the pop culture impact of 'Golden' is certainly worth celebrating, 'What It Sounds Like' is the song that fulfils all of that track's narrative promise – and that's what makes it my song of the year.
Honorable mentions
- 'Lose My Mind,' F1: The Movie – F1 is a good old-fashioned blockbuster, but 'Lose My Mind' is very much a modern, trendy tune, and it's impossible not to bop your head along to that beat.
- 'No Place Like Home,' Wicked: For Good – one of two new songs added to Wicked Part 2, 'No Place Like Home' both showcases Cynthia Erivo's ground-shaking vocals and fleshes out Elphaba's journey.
- 'I Lied To You,' Sinners – Sinners has a toe-tapping soundtrack, but 'I Lied to You' is a moody, time-hopping high point in a stacked field.
- 'Take Me Away,' Freakier Friday – a re-recording of the 2003 original, this guitar-heavy track has tons of attitude, and fittingly transports the listener right back in time.
KPop Demon Hunters is streaming on Netflix now (and KPop Demon Hunters 2 is on the way). For more, fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix movies, or see our ranking of the best movies of 2025.
