Rei Ami
South Korean singer (born 1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sarah Yeeun Lee (born May 25, 1995), known professionally as Rei Ami (pronounced RAY-AH-mee[3]), is a South Korean-American[4][5] singer and rapper.
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- Singer
- rapper
Rei Ami | |
|---|---|
Rei Ami at Anime NYC in 2025 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Sarah Yeeun Lee May 25, 1995 |
| Origin | Germantown, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Labels | |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Genre | Music |
| Subscribers | 211,000 |
| Views | 31,516,927 |
| Last updated: December 4, 2025 | |
Ami rose to prominence with her guest performance on Sub Urban's 2020 song "Freak" which gained virality on TikTok. The song peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs.
She provided the singing voice for the character Zoey in the 2025 film KPop Demon Hunters. "Golden", one of the songs she co-performed for the film, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and charts in other countries. Its accolades include the Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award, and Academy Award for Best Original Song. At the 68th Grammy Awards, the song received four nominations (including Song of the Year) and won Best Song Written for Visual Media; it is the first K-pop song to win a Grammy Award or an Academy Award.[6][7][8].
She embarked on her musical career in 2019 with the release of her debut single, "Snowcone".[9] In June 2021, Ami released her debut mixtape, Foil.[10] Two years later in November 2023, her debut extended play (EP) Shhh would be released. Along with a Grammy Award nomination, her other nominations include Best International New Artist and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Early life
Sarah Yeeun Lee was born on May 25, 1995, in Seoul, South Korea,[11] to two Korean parents. When she was six, her family moved to Germantown, Maryland, United States.[11] She took lessons on piano and guitar. Her parents, devout Christians,[11] paid for tutoring to ensure sure she would perform at church services.[1] She graduated from Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland in 2014, then from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2018.[12] In a 2020 interview with The Diamondback, Ami described her musical process during the COVID-19 quarantine: "It’s mostly virtual sessions. Every session is different with each producer but, you know, trying to just make it work. And it’s been successful so far."[13]
Career
In 2019, Ami filmed the visualizer for her breakout single "Snowcone"[14][15] with a budget of under $100.[9] That led to her signing with Visionary Records.[16][17]
2020–2024: Freak and Foil
The official music video for "Freak" by Sub Urban,[18] featuring Lee,[19][20][21] was released on March 13, 2020,[19] alongside Sub Urban's EP Thrill Seeker.[22] The video, which was directed by Andrew Donoho, has a circus-themed background. Ami is depicted as a snake-human hybrid. On YouTube, the video has had over 292 million views and over 3.5 million videos on TikTok.[20] Lee was featured on Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show.[23]
Her debut mixtape, Foil, released on June 25, 2021, included collaborations with Aminé on "Do It Right"[24][25] and Lolo Zouaï on "Cherry Chapstick".[10] The project showed her ability to move between assertive rap verses and melodic pop hooks.
2025: KPop Demon Hunters, new music
On the soundtrack of the 2025 film KPop Demon Hunters,[26] she provided the singing and rapping vocals for the character Zoey, in the songs "Golden", "How It's Done", "What It Sounds Like", and "Takedown" (soundtrack version).
As of December 2025, she was working on a new album, with plans to release the singles in 2026.[27]
Personal life
Beyond her musical endeavors, Ami has talked about her personal challenges, including an erroneous diagnosis with depression during her first year of college and her 2022 diagnosis with bipolar disorder.[27] She has called music a therapeutic outlet that has helped her navigate mental health struggles.[28]
Ami is a self-proclaimed anime fan, and in a TikTok, attributed her stage name to the Sailor Moon characters Rei Hino and Ami Mizuno.[3]
Discography
Mixtapes
EPs
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Make It Mine"[11] | 2019 | Non-album single |
| "Snowcone"[9] | ||
| "Dictator"[31][32] | ||
| "Runaway"[33] | 2020 | |
| "Mac & Cheese"[10][17] | ||
| "Do It Right"[25]
featuring Aminé |
2021 | Foil |
| "That's on You!" | ||
| "F.R.A." | ||
| "Ricky Bobby" | ||
| "Hot One"[34]
featuring Leyla Blue and Baby Tate |
Non-album single | |
| "Plaything"
featuring Pussy riot and Kito |
2022 | |
| "Body Bag"[35] | 2023 | Shhh |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| "Freak" (Sub Urban featuring Rei Ami) | 2020 | Non-album single |
| "Bye" (Marsha Ambrosius featuring Rei Ami) | ||
| "Rainy" (Dillon Francis featuring Rei Ami)[36] | 2023 | This Mixtape Is Fire Too |
| "I See Red" (lilbubblegum featuring Rei Ami) | 2024 | Non-album single |
Other charted songs
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [37] |
AUS [38] |
CAN [39] |
KOR [40] |
MLY [41] |
NZ [42] |
PHL Hot [43] |
SGP [44] |
UK [45] |
WW [46] | ||||
| "How It's Done" (with Ejae and Audrey Nuna as Huntrix) |
2025 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 5 | KPop Demon Hunters | |
| "Golden" (with Ejae and Audrey Nuna as Huntrix) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| "Takedown" (with Ejae and Audrey Nuna as Huntrix) |
21 | 15 | 25 | 37 | 18 | 18 | 24 | 13 | 67 | 11 | |||
| "What It Sounds Like" (with Ejae and Audrey Nuna as Huntrix) |
15 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 7 | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | |||||||||||||
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | KPop Demon Hunters | Zoey (singing voice) | Netflix original movie | [56] |
| Saturday Night Live | Herself[A] | Season 51, Episode 1 Cameo |
[57] | |
| The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon | Herself | Guest and live performer [A] | [58] | |
| 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | Herself [A] | Live performance | [59] | |
| Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve | Herself [A] | Live performance | [60] |
Tours
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Asia Artist Awards | Best OST | "Golden"[A] | Won | [66] |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Song – Onscreen Performance (Film) | Nominated | [67] | ||
| K-World Dream Awards | Best OST | Won | [68] | ||
| Korea Grand Music Awards | Best Virtual Artist | Nominated | [69] | ||
| Los 40 Music Awards | Best International New Artist | Huntrix[A] | Won | [70] | |
| MAMA Awards | Best OST | "Golden"[A] | Won | [71] | |
| MTV Video Music Awards | Song of Summer | Nominated | [72] | ||
| Melon Music Awards | Song of the Year | Nominated | [73] | ||
| Best OST | Won | [74] | |||
| Variety Hitmakers Awards | Variety's Hitmakers | Rei Ami[A] | Honored | [75] | |
| 2026 | American Music Awards | Song of the Year | "Golden"[A] | Pending | [76] |
| Best Pop Song | Pending | ||||
| Best Vocal Performance | Pending | ||||
| Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement for Music in a Feature Production | KPop Demon Hunters[B] | Won | [77] | |
| Billboard Women in Music | Billboard Women of the Year | Huntrix[A] | Honored | [78] | |
| Brit Awards | International Group of the Year | Nominated | [79] | ||
| International Song of the Year | "Golden"[A] | Nominated | |||
| Grammy Awards | Best Pop Duo/Group Performance | Nominated | [80] | ||
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | Duo/Group of the Year | Huntrix[A] | Won | [81] | |
| Pop Song of the Year | "Golden"[A] | Nominated | |||
| K-pop Song of the Year | Won | ||||
| Best Lyrics | Nominated | ||||
| Japan Gold Disc Award | Song of the Year by Download (Asia) | Won | [82] | ||
| Song of the Year by Streaming (Asia) | Won | ||||
| Korea First Brand Awards | Hot Icon (Female) | Huntrix[A] | Won | [83] | |
| Music Awards Japan | Song of the Year | "Golden"[A] | Longlisted | [84] | |
| Best Anime Song | Longlisted | ||||
| Best K-Pop Song | Longlisted | ||||
| Best K-Pop Artist | Huntrix[A] | Longlisted | |||
| Music City Film Critics Association | Best Original Song | "Golden"[A] | Nominated | [85] |
Notes
- with Ejae and Audrey Nuna as Huntrix
- with KPop Demon Hunters Music Team.