League of Legends boy band Heartsteel steals hearts with debut single

Despite having just released their first song, League of Legends’ Heartsteel are already drawing in a fanbase. Get ready to choose your bias.

Riot Games have continued to assert their position in the music industry with Heartsteel, a virtual boyband consisting of League of Legends champions.

As well as being attached to MOBA gaming’s biggest IP, the group also has major star power owed to the vocal talent on the project. Members are voiced by an eclectic mix of established musical artists including Tobi Lou, Øzi, Cal Scruby, and Baekyhun from EXO.

Heartsteel’s first single, PARANOIA has just dropped and not a day into the band’s debut, members are already undergoing some serious ‘babygirlification’ at the hands of Twitter users. The song’s music video has provided plenty of fuel for the fandom fire with neon-soaked visuals of members Kayn, Ezrael, Aphelios, Sett, Yone, and K’Sante.

LoL boy band Heartsteel’s single, PARANOIA has fans going feral

As a result, fans have taken to X to share adoring gifs, fancams, screenshots, and memes of the band. Each member is already developing their own niches reflective of boy band archetypes. However, according to the response so far, Yone, Kayn, and Aphelios are emerging as clear fan favorites.

Even the official League of Legends account contributed to the burgeoning fandom with a post simply reading, “screaming, crying, throwing up”. From the use of stan lingo to the inclusion of a massive K-pop star like Baekyhun, it’s clear that Riot are actively cultivating the kind of fervent fanbase held by acts like BTS or NCT.

In fact, Heartsteel’s link to the world of K-pop is so significant that the terms ‘paranoia’, ‘heartsteel’, and ‘baekhyun’ were the top three trending search terms today on South Korean music streaming service, Melon. What’s more, the group’s performance at the upcoming League of Legends World Championship is expected to further contribute to the Heartsteel hype.