EJAE’s voice is still golden, even when she’s not belting out the K-Pop Demon Hunters anthem.

In a new teaser trailer with Liquid I.V. leading up to the brand’s Super Bowl ad, the voice of HUNTR/X’s Rumi, trades K-pop for classic rock, singing Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now).” PEOPLE spoke with the star about tackling the cover, her life-changing year, and her hopes for K-Pop Demon Hunters’ recently confirmed sequel.

“It’s such an iconic song, just a classic. Who doesn’t know that, ‘take a look at me now?'” EJAE, 34. sings out over Zoom. “I felt so much pressure, but I just did my best to do the song justice.”

The 1984 track’s message of perseverance also mirrors the one in HUNTR/X’s Billboard-topping track “Golden,” as well as EJAE’s own career trajectory: from K-pop idol trainee, to behind-the-scenes songwriting powerhouse, to the face of the Demon Hunters mania of the last 7 months.

“That’s why it felt serendipitous to be singing this song with these lyrics,” she says. “It’s also a song that has grit, that’s like ‘don’t give up,’ that ‘Golden’ had too.”

The concept of the teaser trailer, which is premiering exclusively with PEOPLE (above), is “Tiny Vanity Concert.” So the setting of EJAE’s stage is actually a bathroom.

It’s meant to be “a nod to the private, everyday moments where people reset, recharge, and get ready to show up again,” according to a release from Liquid I.V. And it’s no coincidence it’s a frequent setting for one-person concerts.

“It was just a genius idea. As a singer, the best acoustics are in the bathroom. I always sing in there. I think I sound the best there,” says EJAE. “And it did sound incredible in that room [where we filmed the teaser]. The echo, the reverb, it just sounds ten times better than it would raw.”

The details of Liquid I.V.’s full Super Bowl ad spot, which they’re rolling out like a “film,” with teasers and trailers, are still under wraps, but they’ve shared that EJAE’s performance is part of the lead up to a “fully integrated campaign rolling out across media, retail, social [and] activations,” that is meant to signal “a new era” for the brand.

The electrolyte drink mix is already an essential for the singer-songwriter.

“I love using Liquid I.V. for hydration in general. As a singer, you have to stay hydrated. For ‘Against All Odds,” which is also a hard song, I had it with me,” she says.

During a whirlwind year that included performing with HUNTR/X at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve, on SNL and Jimmy Fallon, plus countless events, she says it was a “need.” “On red carpets, it’s a necessity. Because of the electrolytes in it, you just feel hydrated way longer.”

And she has plenty more red carpets in her future: “Golden” is a strong contender for an Oscar nomination (which will be announced Thursday, Jan 22). Of the big day, she shares, “I feel incredibly nervous. I’m gonna have my fiancé with me. It’s gonna be really early in the morning. I’m just like, no expectations, just let life lead the way.”

As for what 2026 may bring, she teases a new solo single “coming out soon” and the release of more songs she’s written for other artists, from the K-pop world and beyond.

“I want to keep getting better as a songwriter. I think song writing is my artistry. That will never stop. Song writing is in my blood,” she says. “I’ll continue writing for K-pop and pop and myself. So I will be releasing songs with my voice and some that will be through others’ voices.”

Of course Demon Hunters fans are hoping to hear more songs from her as Rumi as well. Netflix has confirmed their most watched movie of all time is getting a sequel to be released in 2029.

While details are scant, EJAE says, “Musically, I want to get more into the Korean traditional sounds. The pansori. I really want to experiment with that.”

She adds with a laugh, “I know everyone’s talking about the sequel. But I genuinely have no idea!”

The full trailer for Liquid I.V.’s Super Bowl film drops Feb. 2, and more details on how to watch EJAE’s full performance will be appearing on their Instagram and TikTok.