YENA and Hatsune Miku’s Starpower Combines in “STAR! (feat. Hatsune Miku)”

Photo: Victor Entertainment

YENA has truly captured her own niche as a K-Pop soloist over the last year. Through the optimistic pop-rock sound she started in 2022, came the transition to her current J-Pop-inspired title tracks. She branded this aesthetic as “YENA-core,” a label that started with 2024’s “NEMONEMO” and continued with “Being a Good Girl Hurts” from July this year. 

However, when YENA revealed her new Japanese song featuring Hatsune Miku—the world’s most prolific virtual idol—it felt unbelievable, simply due to the size of Miku’s cultural presence inside and outside Japanese idol music. “STAR! (feat. Hatsune Miku)” accomplishes a massive feat as the first K-Pop crossover with the large VOCALOID artist. Released on November 26, this EDM track places starpower at the forefront in its collaboration, message, and concept. 

This song focuses on a star quality that everyone across the world will recognize. Par for the course, “STAR! (feat. Hatsune Miku)” sounds energetic and adorably appealing. YENA wearing her hair similar to Miku’s signature twintails stands out, but the more obscure inclusion, especially for those unfamiliar with Miku, comes in the green onion-shaped staff YENA holds. Over Miku’s nearly 20-year career, she became associated with a negi (Japanese long onion) thanks to 2000s meme culture. Miku references this in her feature’s first few lines, “A stage echoing with 0s and 1s / Swishing the green onion high in the air / Singing each person’s feelings.”    

Miku’s voice comes through VOCALOID software, which anyone can use to make vocals by inputting melodies and lyrics. Through this process, called tuning, different musicians serve as the artists behind Miku in songs. Kawamukai Taisei worked on the tuning for Miku on “STAR! (feat. Hatsune Miku),” Kawamukai’s first song for the virtual idol. This song signifies many firsts, and opens the door for larger crossovers.