Riot Games, the game publisher, is further delving into the world of music with the introduction of a brand-new virtual boy group inspired by League of Legends, named HEARTSTEEL.
Riot Games introduces HEARTSTEEL, a League of Legends-inspired virtual boy group featuring six members, with artists like Baekhyun, ØZI, Tobi Lou, and Cal Scruby voicing four of them as various League of Legends champions.
Riot Games has introduced HEARTSTEEL as a unique band that draws inspiration from various music genres and eras to craft an exclusive identity. Their debut single, titled “PARANOIA,” is scheduled for release on October 23rd.
HEARTSTEEL’s lineup includes Baekhyun as Ezreal, ØZI as Sett, Tobi Lou as Tobi Lou K’Sante, and Cal Scruby as Kayn. Additionally, League of Legends characters Yone and Aphelios will be part of the group, with Yone serving as the ‘producer’ and Aphelios as the ‘instrumentalist and songwriter.’ It hasn’t been confirmed if Yone and Aphelios will provide vocals for the songs.
This new group joins Riot Games’ expanding roster of virtual music groups. In 2018, Riot Games introduced K/DA, a female group featuring (G)I-DLE members Soyeon and Miyeon, along with Madison Beer and Jaira Burns. Riot Games has also ventured into other musical projects, such as the virtual metal band Pentakill and another virtual group called True Damage.
Notably, one of HEARTSTEEL’s most prominent members is Baekhyun, the lead singer of the global K-pop group EXO. Joining him is Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter ØZI.
Cal Scruby, a Los Angeles-based rapper, may already be familiar to some League of Legends fans due to his previous collaboration with Riot Games for the All Stars 2022 anthem “Run It.” The final member of HEARTSTEEL is Tobi Lou, a versatile artist in hip-hop, R&B, and pop, born in Nigeria and raised in Chicago.
Maria Egan, the Global Head of Music & Events at Riot Games Entertainment, shared her thoughts on the new group by stating: “Riot’s virtual artists have been some of the most innovative and beloved music moments for our players. The idea of an all-male band has long been speculated on by fans, and we’re so excited to bring this fantasy to life.
HEARTSTEEL is a deep collaboration between all our talented in-house creative teams and some incredible new artists. The ethos of HEARTSTEEL is a supergroup of musical soulmates greater than the sum of its parts – a philosophy that our community embodies every day through their dedication to our games.
This introduction of HEARTSTEEL coincides with an exceptionally active period for League of Legends in the realm of esports. The game is currently in the midst of its 2023 World Championships, hosted in South Korea. The anthem for this year’s international event was performed by the up-and-coming K-pop group NewJeans.
A new, budget-friendly Cubot Note 40 model is set to be released on October 16th
