Unlike past years, when multiple nominees for best original song were performed during the Oscars ceremony, Sunday night’s Academy Awards only featured two nominees: “I Lied to You” from Sinners and “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters, which took home the trophy.
Dressed in coordinating white outfits, the voices of HUNTR/X – EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna – sang “Golden” as a troupe of dancers waved golden flags behind them. The Oscar audience got in on the fun by waving lightbulb-shaped glow sticks in time to the music.
Of note, the Oscar for best original song was presented by past winner Lionel Richie; “Golden” is the first K-pop song to be nominated for, and to win, an Oscar. An emotional EJAE, who co-wrote “Golden,” accepted the trophy and pronounced herself “so proud” that “everyone is singing our song,” which she said was about resilience. When one of the song’s other co-writers attempted to thank someone, the group was played off the stage.
The “I Lied to You” performance recreated a specific scene in the film, in which the character Sammie sings in Club Juke and the music is so powerful that the entire history of Black music unspools around him. In addition to those who appeared in the film – Miles Caton, Alice Smith and Buddy Guy – the number incorporated many guest musicians and artists, including Raphael Saadiq, who co-wrote the song, plus Shaboozey, Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Bobby Rush and ballerina Misty Copeland.
One unexpected performance at the show was Josh Groban’s appearance during host Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue. As O’Brien imagined winning an Oscar and being crowned king, Groban was on hand to sing a comically dramatic song celebrating O’Brien’s genius.
And a bonus performance came from Barbra Streisand, who sang a bit of “The Way We Were” after eulogizing her co-star Robert Redford, who died in September 2025.
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