KIRARA

KIRARA (키라라; born April 26, 1992, Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean electronic musician and one of the country's most prominent independent figures in the genre. She began making music at age 12, and by 2014 had released her debut EP cts1 and first studio album Rcts, establishing her presence in Seoul's underground club scene. Her second album Moves (2016), with all tracks named after Pokemon moves, won Best Dance & Electronic Album at the 17th Korean Music Awards, marking her first major industry recognition. Sarah (2018) explored the death of an LGBT friend, and 4 (2021) drew comparisons to 1990s British dance music and 2000s Japanese electronic music. Its track Stargaze was described by Music Y as channelling "the nuances of 90s japanimation and the strange and wonderful coexistence of Japanese electronic band i-dep with the clear attack of Kirara's existing music." In a 2022 interview with Marie Claire Korea, KIRARA publicly disclosed that she is transgender, stating: "There is also a reason why I want to send a political message about masculinity and femininity, as I am transgender." Beyond her studio work, KIRARA maintains a live schedule exceeding thirty sets per year, and has performed at Pentaport Rock Festival, DMZ Peace Train Music Festival, Les Trans Musicales (France), Amsterdam Dance Event, 50Lab, Ultra Korea, Ultra Taiwan, the Venice Biennale, SXSW (USA), and Primavera Pro (Spain). Through the Kirara Academy, she has taught musicians including Jang Myung Sun and Guinneissik, and is mentor to fellow electronic artist MELKI. Her self-titled fifth album KIRARA (2025), featuring collaborations with sunwoojunga, untell, Jang Myung Sun, Swervy, Ye Ram, HOLLOW JAN, and Han Jung In, won Best Electronic Album at the 2026 Korean Music Awards. At the same ceremony, her student MELKI simultaneously took Best Electronic Song. By 2026, KIRARA had accumulated eight KMA nominations across six years and two wins, cementing her position as the defining figure in Korean independent electronic music.