_edited_edited.jpg)
Exclusive Interview with Softest Hard The Sound Behind LE SSERAFIM’s “CELEBRATION”
- TINYgMUSIC
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | May 6, 2026
In an industry where moments move fast and credits stack even faster, Softest Hard is carving out something more intentional. The LA-based Vietnamese-American producer has quietly built a reputation for blending melodic sensitivity with hard-hitting electronic energy, a duality embedded in her name.
That balance now lands on a global stage. Her latest credit, “CELEBRATION,” the lead single from LE SSERAFIM’s upcoming album PUREFLOW, came together alongside Icona Pop before making its way to HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, who immediately earmarked it for the group.
For Softest Hard, it’s not just another placement, it’s a defining moment that reflects both her evolution as a producer and her growing presence across global pop.
Speaking exclusively with TINYgMUSIC, Softest Hard opened up about the evolution of “CELEBRATION,” navigating K-pop at the highest level, working within the HYBE system, collaborating across genres, the surreal feeling of finally hearing “yes” after years in the industry, and the identity she’s building through sound.
When you first started working on what eventually became “CELEBRATION,” did it already feel like a special record?
Definitely. Before it even became “CELEBRATION,” it already felt special to me. I was genuinely excited about it from the beginning. Having Icona Pop on the original demo brought this carefree, celebratory energy that instantly made you want to move.
But once LE SSERAFIM entered the picture, the song evolved emotionally. The lyrics and message became deeper while still keeping that hard-hitting drop intact. That’s when everything really clicked and it finally felt like the record had found its home.
- Softest Hard
LE SSERAFIM weren’t originally attached to the record. How did that happen?
The original version with Icona Pop was actually already finished and mastered. Around that time, my manager was sharing some of my newer music with people at HYBE. They connected with the record immediately and eventually played it for the members and their team.
From there, the collaboration naturally came together.
- Softest Hard
You and Icona Pop actually never worked together in person on the song, right?
Which is kind of crazy when you think about it. We’ve actually never met in person. Their demo was brought to me to work on for my own project, and I built around the energy they already created vocally.
Even without being in the same room, their personality came through so strongly in the vocals that it gave me a foundation to shape the production around.
- Softest Hard
You’ve mentioned that Bang Si-Hyuk personally approving the song was a huge moment for you. What do you remember about that period?
I remember it so clearly. My manager told me the record was going to be played for Bang and that he’d ultimately make the final decision. From that moment, I was honestly praying every night for it to happen.
When my manager finally called to say he loved the record, I couldn’t even process it. I’ve been in this industry for over a decade and there have been way more “nos” than “yeses.” Hearing that kind of validation after so long was surreal.
I still don’t think I’ve fully processed it.
- Softest Hard
K-pop records often go through countless revisions. Did “CELEBRATION” change a lot during the process?
Surprisingly, not really. The core production, especially the drop and overall energy, stayed pretty consistent from the beginning.
The biggest transformation came through the lyrics. That’s what gave the song its emotional identity and made it feel complete.
- Softest Hard
How different was the HYBE process compared to how you usually work in the U.S.?
In the U.S., I’m usually involved in every part of the creative process, not just the music but also the visual direction and overall identity of a project.
With HYBE, once they took on the record, it became part of LE SSERAFIM’s world. Their team handled the creative direction in a way that aligned with the group’s vision and message.
It was definitely a different process, but it was really interesting seeing how they translated the song into their universe.
- Softest Hard
Did the global intensity of K-pop fandoms add pressure?
Absolutely. K-pop fans are incredibly detail-oriented. They care about every aspect of a release, the sound, visuals, lyrics, emotion — everything.
But I tried not to let that become negative pressure. I looked at it more as motivation to really show up creatively and make something authentic while still respecting LE SSERAFIM’s identity.
I think finding that balance is why the record connected the way it did.
- Softest Hard
What’s something people misunderstand about how K-pop songs come together?
I think people underestimate how collaborative the process really is. A song can begin one way, like this one did with Icona Pop and evolve completely once it reaches a label like HYBE.
As the record develops, different writers, producers, and creatives contribute to shaping the final version. It’s not about “too many people” working on a song. It’s about recognising everyone who helped bring it to life.
- Softest Hard
Your artist name itself represents contrast. How does that duality show up in “CELEBRATION”?
You can hear it throughout the whole track. The verses feel melodic and softer, giving space for the vocals and emotion to breathe.
Then the drop comes in with those hardstyle kicks and that explosive energy. That balance between softness and intensity is basically the core of my sound.
- Softest Hard
Did producing for LE SSERAFIM change your mindset creatively?
Honestly, not much, mainly because the record originally started as part of my own project. It already represented my sound completely.
What made the collaboration special was that HYBE and LE SSERAFIM embraced that instead of trying to reshape it into something else.
- Softest Hard
Is there a detail in the song casual listeners might miss?
One detail I love is the “bring it back now” tag Yunjin says in the track. That’s actually one of my signature producer tags that I use in my own music.
- Softest Hard
Do you feel like you’ve fully found your sound now?
I do. The music I’m making now feels like the clearest version of who I am creatively. It’s something I’ve spent years developing.
Now it’s less about searching for my identity and more about pushing it further and finding new ways to evolve it.
- Softest Hard
You’ve worked around artists like Skrillex, Diplo, DJ Snake, Kali Uchis, and T-Pain. How have those experiences shaped you?
Every collaboration taught me something different. Skrillex really opened my perspective creatively and showed me you don’t have to stay boxed into one genre.
Diplo gave me one of my earliest major opportunities through Diplo’s Revolution on SiriusXM, which pushed me to constantly discover and curate new music every week.
DJ Snake has also been incredibly supportive from early on, and being around those environments taught me a lot about confidence, experimentation, and trusting your instincts creatively.
Working with artists like Kali Uchis and T-Pain also reinforced how exciting it can be to blend worlds together and create something unexpected.
- Softest Hard
What usually comes first for you creatively — the feeling, melody, or production?
Always the feeling first. Whatever emotion I’m trying to express becomes the foundation. Once I have that, the melodies, production, and direction all naturally build from there.
- Softest Hard
Has this experience changed how you approach your own artist project moving forward?
Definitely. Being part of a record like this raises your standards. It made me think even more carefully about detail, intention, and quality in my own work.
Now I approach everything, wanting it to feel impactful.
- Softest Hard
Do you see yourself continuing to work in K-pop?
Absolutely. I’d love to keep collaborating in this space and work with more artists.
But for me, it still has to feel creatively natural. If the vision aligns, that’s when the best collaborations happen.
- Softest Hard
What does success for “CELEBRATION” mean to you personally?
I want LE SSERAFIM to achieve everything they hoped for with this record — breaking records, reaching milestones, all of it.
But beyond that, I want the song to truly become part of people’s celebrations. I want it to be the song people instantly think to play when they’re celebrating something important in life.
- Softest Hard
If “CELEBRATION” existed as a visual world, what would it look like?
It would feel euphoric, like being surrounded by everyone you love, fully present in the moment, with everything feeling light and dreamlike.
The colours would be soft but vibrant, almost like time slowing down while you’re floating in the emotion of it all.
- Softest Hard
What part of the song feels the most like you?
Definitely the drop. Those hardstyle kicks are such a core part of my identity as an artist. That energy is always going to exist in my music in some form.
- Softest Hard
And creatively, what are you still chasing?
Right now, I’m focused on continuing to grow my own project while also expanding further into K-pop collaborations.
At this stage, it’s really about elevating everything I’ve learned so far and pushing myself creatively to new levels.
With “CELEBRATION,” Softest Hard steps into a new tier, one where her sound doesn’t just live in clubs or collaborations, but at the centre of global pop moments. It’s a natural evolution for an artist defined by contrast: soft and hard, melodic and explosive, underground and mainstream.
And if this moment is any indication, she’s only just getting started.
Keep up with Softest Hard
Comments