Hybe and Ryan Tedder’s Collaboration
After announcing plans to transform fan culture in the United States, Entertainment Powerhouse Hybe has teamed up with four-time Grammy Award winner Ryan Tedder to search for and create a next-generation boy band.
This collaboration brings together Hybe chairman Bang Si-Kyuk, known for launching BTS, with Haybe America General Manager Scooter Braun and ONEREPUBLIC frontman Ryan Tedder, renowned for creating hits for various artists, including Beyoncé, Adele, and Ed Sheeran.
Creating a New Artist Development Standard
According to a Friday announcement (February 20), the initiative aims to establish a “new standard for artist development,” merging Hybe’s K-Pop training infrastructure with Tedder’s expertise in songwriting and artist development.
This move follows Hybe’s recent success with Katsi, their first global girl group formed in partnership with Universal Music Group and GEFFEN Records. The company stated that they sought not only to launch the next popular group worldwide but also to globalize the entire A&R system, providing training and nurturing musical acts from Korea.
Over 120,000 young individuals worldwide auditioned for the inaugural global GEFFEN group under Hybe/Geffen, leading to the emergence of Katsi. The group’s debut EP climbed to number 6 on the Billboard album sales chart, with their single Touch garnering 10 million streams in its first month.
“The launch of a new boy band in collaboration with Ryan Tedder will be another stride in continuing our legacy in the music industry.”
Bang Si-Hyuk, Hybe
In November, HYBE’s CEO Jason Yasang Lee mentioned that the development of Katsi is “part of efforts to revive the enthusiastic culture of fandom that faded in the USA after the 1990s.”
In a statement released on Friday, Bang expressed, “Hybe artists consistently achieve impressive global milestones, dominating the charts year after year. Especially with Katsi, we have showcased that our K-Pop methodology successfully appeals to the major US market. The introduction of a new boy group in collaboration with Ryan Tedder will be another move to continue our music industry legacy.”
This partnership builds on previous successful collaborations between Hybe and Tedder, including hits for Tomorrow X Together (He returned to be more), &TEAM (Dropkick), and Katsi (Debut).
“I am thrilled to collaborate with Hybe on this exciting new project,” Tedder stated. “Bang and his team have proven to be incredibly creative, and we aim to build a group that is the most fan-oriented on Earth with the best music.”
The World Talent Search is currently open for candidates aged 13-23 of all nationalities. Training will occur in Los Angeles, merging Hybe’s development program with Tedder’s creative direction. Applicants must submit a portfolio of photos, a performance video showcasing their vocal and dance abilities, and a personal introduction video via HybeAmerica-audition.com.
Hybe is not the only Korean talent agency conducting global searches to scout and develop new artists, as they aspire to expand the K-Pop talent model worldwide. In November 2023, SM Entertainment partnered with the British production company Moon & Back Media to create a British boy band. This collaboration aims to fuse K-Pop training methodologies with Western television production.
The initiative is set to culminate in 2024 with the debut of Deralice, a British boy band formed through the partnership of SM Entertainment, Moon & Back, and SM & Kakao Entertainment America. The formation of the group will be documented in the BBC One series Made in Korea: K-Pop experience, which films the 100-day training period of participants in South Korea, providing insights into the K-Pop artist development system.
For HYBE, this partnership with Tedder signifies its ongoing 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 has offices in Korea, Japan, the USA, and Mexico, along with the global fandom platform, Weverse.
“I am very happy to collaborate with Hybe on this exciting project. Bang and his team have proven to be the best creative partners, and we want to build a fan-centric group with exceptional music,” Tedder remarked.
More than a year ago, Tedder worked with Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Michelle “Lindgren” Lewis after the latter resumed their long-term agreement with Sony Music Publishing. Lindgren and Tedder collaborated on Blackpink’s chart-topping single, Girls, released in 2023.
“Bang (Si-HYUK) and his team have proven to be the best creative partners, and we aspire to build a group that is the most focused on fans globally, offering the best music.”
Ryan Tedder
In addition to being a co-founder, frontman, and lead vocalist of the pop-rock band ONEREPUBLIC, Tedder is acclaimed for penning numerous hits like Leona Lewis’s Bleeding Love, Beyoncé’s Halo, Adele’s Rumour Has It, Ellie Goulding’s Burn, along with many ONEREPUBLIC songs. In 2017, he sold copyrights for 170 songs to City Music Publishing, and in 2021, he sold a controlling stake in his music catalog to global investment giant KKR.
