Riot Games has just debuted a new music group under its Riot Games Music label–this time taking the form of a boy band. Called Heartsteel, the group is made up of League of Legends characters Ezreal, Kayn, Aphelios, Yone, K’Sante, and Sett, and its first single Paranoia released today.
The group’s music comes from a collaboration with a number of real-life international artists: Baekhyun of K-pop group EXO and SuperM provides the voice for Ezreal, a vocalist. Los Angeles rapper Cal Scruby lends his voice to Kayn, who is both a rapper and instrumentalist. Taiwanese-American R&B and Mandopop artist ØZI is the voice for Sett, who is the group’s co-leader and a rapper, while American multi-talented artist Tobi Lou voices other co-leader and vocalist K’Sante. The other non-vocalist members of the group include producer Yone and Aphelios, who is an instrumentalist and songwriter.
Riot previously saw success with K/DA, a virtual K-pop-style group made up of female champions from the League of Legends roster, and is now trying something similar with the all-male lineup of Heartsteel. Since its debut in 2018 K/DA has released multiple singles and an EP, with its debut single POP/STARS recently being certified platinum. Riot Games Music has also launched a number of other virtual acts including True Damage, a hip-hop group that was spun off by K/DA rapper Akali, and Pentakill, a heavy metal group that originated as a skin line back in 2014.
As with Riot’s other musical groups, each member of Heartsteel will get a new skin, which will be available from November 8 in League of Legends and Wild Rift. We can also expect Heartsteel to perform Paranoia live at the League of Legends 2023 World Championship finals on November 19.