After hinting at plans to change the nature of fan culture in the US, entertainment powerhouse HYBE has teamed up with four-time Grammy Award winner Ryan Tedder to search for and create a next-generation boy group.
The collaboration brings together HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, known for launching BTS, HYBE AMERICA CEO Scooter Braun, and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, the hitmaker behind numerous chart-topping songs for artists including Beyoncé, Adele, and Ed Sheeran.
The venture aims to establish a “new standard for artist development” by combining HYBE’s K-pop training infrastructure with Tedder’s expertise in hit-making and artist development, according to an announcement on Friday (February 20).
This move follows HYBE’s recent success with KATSEYE, their first global girl group launched in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records. At the time, the companies said they were not only looking to launch the world’s next favorite pop group, but to globalize an entire A&R system, hailing from Korea, for training and developing musical acts.
Over 120,000 young people across the globe participated in the audition for HYBE/Geffen’s first global girl group. Ultimately, KATSEYE emerged. The group’s debut EP reached #6 on the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart, with their single Touch accumulating over 10 million streams in its first month.
“Launching a new boy group in collaboration with Ryan Tedder will be another step in continuing our legacy within the music industry.”
Bang Si-Hyuk, HYBE
In November, HYBE CEO Jason Jaesang Lee said the development of KATSEYE is “part of the efforts to revitalize the enthusiastic fandom culture that sort of disappeared in the US after the 1990s.”
In a statement issued on Friday, Bang said, “Artists under HYBE have consistently reached impressive global milestones, dominating charts year after year.
“Especially with KATSEYE, we’ve demonstrated that our K-pop methodology is successful in the US mainstream market. Launching a new boy group in collaboration with Ryan Tedder will be another step in continuing our legacy within the music industry.”
The partnership builds on previous successful collaborations between HYBE and Tedder, including hits for TOMORROW X TOGETHER (Back for More), &TEAM (Dropkick), and KATSEYE (Debut).
“I’m thrilled to partner with HYBE on this new exciting project,” Tedder said. “Bang and his team have proven to be the best fan-engaging creatives out there and we want to build a group that is the most fan-focused on earth with the best music imaginable.”
The worldwide talent search is now open to candidates aged 13-23 of all nationalities. Training will take place in Los Angeles, combining HYBE’s development program with Tedder’s creative direction. Applicants are required to submit a photo portfolio, performance videos demonstrating vocal and dance abilities, and a personal introduction video through hybeamerica-audition.com.
HYBE isn’t the only talent agency from Korea to conduct global searches to discover and develop new artists as they seek to expand K-pop’s talent development model worldwide. In November 2023, SM Entertainment partnered with British production company Moon&Back Media to develop a UK-based boy band. Their collaboration aims to blend K-pop’s training methodology with Western television production.
The initiative culminated in 2024 with the debut of DearAlice, a British boy group created through a partnership between SM Entertainment, Moon&Back, and SM & Kakao Entertainment America. The group’s formation process was documented in the BBC One series Made in Korea: The K-pop Experience, which filmed the members’ 100-day training period in South Korea, offering viewers insight into K-pop’s artist development system.
For HYBE, the partnership with Tedder marks its continued expansion in the global entertainment market since rebranding from Big Hit Entertainment in 2021. The company operates multiple labels including BIGHIT MUSIC, BELIFT LAB, SOURCE MUSIC, and maintains offices in Korea, Japan, the US, and Mexico, alongside its global fandom platform, Weverse.
“I’m thrilled to partner with HYBE on this new exciting project, Bang and his team have proven to be the best fan-engaging creatives out there and we want to build a group that is the most fan-focused on earth with the best music imaginable” said Tedder.
Over a year ago, Tedder partnered with Grammy award-winning producer and songwriter Michel “Lindgren” Sculz after the latter renewed his long-standing agreement with Sony Music Publishing. Lindgren and Tedder worked together on BLACKPINK’s chart-topping single, The Girls, which dropped in 2023.
“Bang [Si-Hyuk ]and his team have proven to be the best fan-engaging creatives out there and we want to build a group that is the most fan-focused on earth with the best music imaginable.”
Ryan Tedder
Aside from being the co-founder, frontman, and lead vocalist of pop rock band OneRepublic, Tedder is known for writing a number of chart-topping hits like Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love, Beyoncé’s Halo, Adele’s Rumour Has It, Ellie Goulding’s Burn, along with many OneRepublic songs. In 2017, he sold 170 song copyrights to Downtown Music Publishing, and in 2021 he sold a majority stake in his music catalog to global investment giant KKR.
Music Business Worldwide
