Updated 22 October 2026 with the FIRESTARTER EP and Worlds 2026 details from Riot’s updated release.
Clear some space on your playlist, because K/DA, the virtual pop group built from League of Legends champions, has released its new single “FIRESTARTER” with a music video, and the four-track FIRESTARTER EP (extended play) is out from Thursday, 22 October 2026. After that, the group heads to the Worlds 2026 Opening Ceremony in New York, on 14 November, New York time.
The last time K/DA put out new music was the ALL OUT EP. That’s long enough for a whole generation of Arcane fans to have discovered League without ever getting a K/DA comeback of their own. This return is aimed at them.
Who K/DA Are, If You Missed 2018
K/DA reimagines four playable League of Legends champions, Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’Sa, as pop stars with their own personalities, wardrobes, and stage roles. The name is a nod to the game’s shorthand for kills, deaths, and assists, which tells you how deep the in-joke goes. The group debuted in 2018 with “POP/STARS”, a single that pulled K-pop fans and gamers into the same comment sections.
According to Riot Games, the catalogue from “POP/STARS” through ALL OUT has passed 2.7 billion global streams and 1.8 billion video views. That’s a serious track record for a band whose members technically live inside a game client.
Two Familiar Voices, Two New Ones
The headline news for K-pop fans is that MIYEON and SOYEON of i-dle (the group previously styled (G)I-DLE) are back as Ahri and Akali. MIYEON is i-dle’s vocalist and has been a solo artist since 2022, and she sang Ahri on both “POP/STARS” and ALL OUT. SOYEON is the group’s rapper and lead producer, solo since 2021, and she has played a prominent role in both K/DA and Riot’s hip-hop act True Damage.
Evelynn and Kai’Sa have new voices this time. Sophie Powers, a singer, songwriter, and fashion designer who has created collections for other brands and dressed other artists for the stage, takes Evelynn. Mimi Webb, a BRIT Award-nominated British singer-songwriter known for emotionally candid pop, steps in as Kai’Sa.
Longtime fans will spot the change at once: Madison Beer and Jaira Burns sang those two parts the first time around. Beer told fans on her Locket tour this month that she would “love to” return, but the decision wasn’t really hers. Powers’ fashion background suits a comeback that Riot is pitching as runway-ready, so the casting has a logic, even if it stings for fans of the original line-up.
Six Years Quiet, Then Fire
K/DA’s social accounts sprang back to life earlier this month after six years of silence. Fans spent days decoding leaks, teaser imagery, and registered song titles before Riot confirmed anything, so the official announcement lands on a community that has been refreshing feeds for weeks. The reaction to the new pink, red, and purple fire-themed look has been loud and largely delighted.
Maria Egan, Global Head of Music & Events at Riot Games, says the goal was to “respect what made people fall in love with K/DA while giving Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’Sa the space to evolve as artists after all this time.” That framing explains the new styling: sharper outfits, a more grown-up attitude, and what Riot calls a “bolder, more fashion-forward look.”
The music video comes from Fortiche Production, the Paris-based animation studio behind both Arcane and the original “POP/STARS” video. Fortiche director Marietta Ren describes the concept as “K/DA setting the runway on fire, where haute couture meets raw, fiery energy.” If the Arcane team is handling the visuals, the bar for this video is very high, and that’s exactly where fans want it!
What’s on the FIRESTARTER EP
The FIRESTARTER EP runs four tracks:
1. FIRESTARTER
2. WATCH ME
3. NEVER GOING BACK
4. GIRLS (with DJ Sona)
The title track is the obvious first listen, but “GIRLS” is the one to watch. It features DJ Sona, one of League’s earliest virtual artists, who reimagines the champion Sona as an EDM (electronic dance music) DJ and producer.
Physical collectors can pre-order limited-edition CD variants and vinyl. With the EP out on 22 October, it also gives you a ready-made soundtrack for the weekend if you’re planning your Halloween in Singapore.
Riot’s Autumn of Comebacks
K/DA isn’t the only Riot virtual group back this season. HEARTSTEEL returned on 18 September with “Live My Life”, its first release since the 2023 debut “PARANOIA”, which has passed 200 million streams. True Damage is back as well.
K/DA is the one carrying the most expectation of the three, with a catalogue Riot says has passed 2.7 billion global streams.
SOYEON has a busy November, too. She has played a prominent role in both True Damage and K/DA, and both groups are on the same Worlds bill. If Riot puts both Akalis on one stage, that’s the moment people will be clipping for months.
Worlds Night, Singapore Time
K/DA joins a line-up that includes True Damage at the Worlds 2026 Opening Ceremony Presented by Mastercard on Saturday, 14 November. The show is at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Riot’s release gives no start time for the ceremony itself. Riot’s Worlds 2026 primer, not the K/DA release, puts the Final the same day at 2pm ET (Eastern Time), which is 3am on Sunday, 15 November in Singapore. Treat that as your anchor and check Riot’s Worlds schedule for the ceremony time, because it may start earlier. Either way, expect an alarm or a committed all-nighter with kopi (local coffee) on standby.
🗓️ Date: Saturday, 14 November 2026 (Sunday, 15 November in Singapore)
⏰ Time: Ceremony start not announced; the Worlds 2026 Final that day starts 2pm ET (3am Singapore time)
📍 Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
🔗 Details: FIRESTARTER and its music video are out now; the FIRESTARTER EP is out from Thursday, 22 October 2026, with CD and vinyl pre-orders open
K/DA spent six years as the group fans kept asking about, and now there’s a single, an EP, an Arcane-studio video, and a Worlds stage to show for the wait. Riot’s release says the FIRESTARTER EP is on all major streaming platforms from 22 October, so watch the video, stream the EP, and check the Worlds schedule for 15 November. Follow League of Legends and Riot Games Music on their official channels for pre-order details and every Worlds update as it lands. The girls are back, and this time they’ve brought fire!
“FIRESTARTER” (Riot Games/Virgin Music Group), ushering in a distinctive new era for Ahri (vocalist), Akali (rapper), Evelynn (vocalist), and Kai’Sa (vocalist and lead dancer/choreographer). Featured collaborators include MIYEON and SOYEON of (G)I-DLE, returning as Ahri and Akali respectively, alongside Sophie Powers as Evelynn and Mimi Webb as Kai’Sa. Credit line as given by Riot’s agency Omnicom, email of 15 October.
Photos and Visuals courtesy of Riot Games.
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