With several of K-pop’s biggest names out of the running — in addition to BTS, BLACKPINK’s four all-English songs from February’s DEADLINE won’t qualify due to the Recording Academy’s rule that nominees “must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages” — the race is wide open for the potential nominees in the much-discussed new Asian pop performance category’s first year.
While Stray Kids’ Korean label JYP Entertainment shared on Friday (Oct. 2) — one day after Billboard first published this story — that the group did not submit its work for consideration at the forthcoming Grammy Awards, Billboard originally highlighted three of its songs as contenders for the category, led by fan-dedicated single “STAY” released in March. Stray Kids’ U.S. record label (Republic Records) and other representatives did not respond to Billboard‘s prior inquiries into the group’s submission plans.
aespa, “Lemonade”
The K-pop quartet spent this eligibility year building its U.S. profile with a Lollapalooza debut, a North American arena tour through the fall, plus collaborations with Anderson .Paak, Becky G and Ty Dolla $ign. This pulsating electronic-pop track sung in both English and Korean peaks in a bridge showcasing Winter and Ningning’s harmonies before the production drops out ahead of a run of Winter’s belts.
Kenshi Yonezu, “Iris Out”
Kenshi Yonezu
Yohji Uchida
A genuinely experimental piece that threads flashes of piano, brass and drum’n’bass under Yonezu’s theatrical vocal attack (the 35-year-old is the sole writer, composer, producer, arranger and programmer), the opening theme to Japanese blockbuster Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc hit No. 5 on the Billboard Global 200, the highest peak for a Japanese-language song to date, and spent 14 weeks atop the Japan Hot 100. “Jane Doe,” Yonezu’s duet with J-pop legend and Kingdom Hearts singer Hikaru Utada for the film’s closing theme, could be a second strong submission option.
Miist & Narada Michael Walden, “It’s Too Late To Love You (Chinese & English Edition)”
Miist is a Chinese-born former bookkeeper who reached the top 25 of Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart with this song’s original version; Walden is a three-time Grammy winner and legendary producer known for his work with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, among others. But on this power-pop ballad, the generationally different artists (Walden also sings) are perfect complements, carrying the same melody in Mandarin and English. Miist has announced this submission and explained her support for the new category in a guest column for Billboard.
SB19, “Visa”
The breakout pop act became the first Filipino group to play Lollapalooza this summer, months after “Visa” debuted in the top 10 of Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart. Written and co-produced by leader Pablo, the percussive track was inspired by visa denials the group faced on its world tour and takes on the obstacles Filipinos confront working and performing abroad (it also name-checks Olivia Rodrigo and Bruno Mars, both of whom have Filipino heritage). Sony Music Philippines confirms the submission.
Stray Kids, “STAY”
Even though Stray Kids is refraining from submitting for 2027, here’s why Billboard originally considered the group a contender: While its bigger hits “This & That” and “Do It” would be eligible (they peaked at Nos. 38 and 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively), Stray Kids’ March release, “STAY,” would’ve been the more moving choice as a Grammy submission. The harmony-heavy track is dedicated to the Stray Kids fandom of the same name — who’d likely find a win for it especially sweet.
This story appears in the Oct. 3, 2026, issue of Billboard.
