There’s something different about Heartsteel Ezreal, and it’s all thanks to EXO Baekhyun

Updated on November 17, 12:54 a.m. (GMT+8): This article erroneously wrote that T1 is the LCK first seed. They are second seed. We apologize for the error.

Riot Games made an excellent choice in selecting EXO Baekhyun as the performer for Heartsteel Ezreal at the League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2023).

Heartsteel is Riot Games’ first all-boy virtual group comprised of six beloved League of Legends champions — Ezreal, Kayn, Aphelios, Yone, K’Sante, and Sett.

The group features collaborations with popular artistes in the music industry, including the main vocalist of Korean pop group, EXO’s Baekhyun.

The virtual group is set to make its much-awaited debut during Worlds, the culmination of League of Legends’ competitive season.

At the Worlds 2023 Media Day, the K-pop idol shared insights into recording the song “Paranoia” for the virtual group and recounted the moment when he met his fellow Heartsteel members in person for the first time in Seoul, South Korea.

• BTS member accidentally reveals his League of Legends rank, and it’s definitely higher than yours
• NewJeans makes history as the first K-pop act to sing League of Legends Worlds anthem ‘Gods’

EXO Baekhyun says he gave Heartsteel Ezreal a “surprising charm” for Paranoia recording

Putting his personal stamp on the role, the EXO lead vocalist shared that he invested extra effort during the recording process to exude a more serious and talented vibe for Heartsteel Ezreal.

“Ezreal is a character with a playful nature, but in terms of his music, I thought he should show a more surprising charm,” he said during the press conference as translated by ONE Esports. “I knew that many gamers would be looking at me critically, so I tried to sing in a way that would closely match the charm of Ezreal.”

Before the group’s live performance at the Worlds 2023 opening ceremony, the four collaborative artistes, including Baekhyun, Tobi Lou, Ozi, and Cal Scruby, met in person to rehearse.

“Today was our first meeting, and seeing the actual members of Heartsteel made me realize that I’m quite shy,” EXO Baekhyun said. “It might take a bit more time to get closer to them.”

The group will be performing Heartsteel’s debut song, Paranoia, live at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday, November 19 at 12 a.m. PST | 8 a.m. GMT | 4 p.m. GMT+8.

The opening ceremony will be followed by the best-of-five series between Korea’s LCK second seed T1 and LPL fourth seed, China’s Weibo Gaming.

Fans can catch their performance and the Worlds 2023 finals live on Riot Games’ streaming platforms on YouTube and Twitch.

Baekhyun is a member of the all-boy group EXO, under the management of SM Entertainment. He marked his debut in 2012 with EXO’s first release, “MAMA.” In 2019, he ventured into a solo career with the extended play “City Lights.”

Beyond his involvement with EXO, Baekhyun is part of various sub-units and groups, including SuperM and League of Legends’ Heartsteel.

EXO Baekhyun is widely recognized as one of the most talented vocalists in the K-pop industry, earning him the moniker “King of Vocals.”

Follow ONE Esports on Facebook and Twitter for more League of Legends news, guides, and highlights.

Just a heads up, some of the links on ONE Esports are affiliate links. This means if you click on them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s a way for us to keep the site running and provide you with valuable content. Thanks for your support!

READ MORE: Exclusive: How Super Junior’s Heechul became so passionate about League of Legends