In this definitive episode of the Under 30 Podcast, hosts Alex and Zoya conduct an exclusive, in-depth interview with award-winning musician, singer, and creative visionary Audrey Nuna. From underground critical acclaim to her monumental breakout role in K-Pop Demon Hunters—which secured two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, two Critics Choice Awards, and a landmark Grammy win—Audrey offers an unfiltered look into the reality of modern artist entrepreneurship, cultural representation, and navigating the music industry. One of the most defining moments of Audrey Nuna's journey occurred when she took a year off from her traditional trajectory to grind in the studio full-time. She recalls a harrowing moment of standing in Target unable to afford basic necessities, only to secure a life-changing, seven-figure major record deal just eight months later. In this interview, Audrey breaks down her evolving relationship with capital, detailing why creators must stop hating money and instead learn to respect it as a neutral business tool. She shares invaluable financial insights for young founders and artists on living within your means, maintaining equity, and avoiding reckless spending while scaling your brand. Growing up in Manalapan, New Jersey, as the child of Korean immigrants, Audrey spent her early life walking the tightrope between two distinct worlds. That exact experience formed the bedrock of her artistic philosophy, allowing her to seamlessly blend contrasting textures in her music—which she whimsically describes as "ice cream with French fries". Inspired by multidisciplinary icons like Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, and industrial design pioneer Dieter Rams, Audrey explains how functional design and intentionality transformed her view of pop music from a restrictive genre into a powerful communication engine. Before hitting a billion streams on hit tracks like Golden, Audrey faced endless industry friction. She opens up about auditioning for NBC's The Voice three separate times as a young teenager and getting rejected every single time. Rather than stopping her, those early failures built the psychological resilience necessary to survive dark moments in the industry, including a two-year social media shadowban after posting a series of rebellious grid photos. Her advice for emerging creators and entrepreneurs is blunt and tactical: remain humble, stay grounded through daily journaling and spiritual practices, and view early industry struggles as essential preparation. Demonstrating true entrepreneurial grit, Audrey details her wild experience competing in a high-stakes MrBeast challenge for $1 million in charitable funding. After losing the grand prize in the final moments when Steve-O stole her briefcase, she converted her frustration into positive action by launching an independent $1 million fundraising campaign for Luminous. This non-profit organization provides accelerated, life-changing education programs for underprivileged children across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Now partnered with Republic Records, Audrey discusses how she maintains 100% creative autonomy by surrounding herself with "polyglots"—executives and managers who speak both the language of high-level business metrics and raw human culture. She offers her candid takes on artificial intelligence (AI) and Auto-Tune in music, emphasizing that technology should serve as a tool to elevate human intention rather than replace critical thinking. Finally, she gives Forbes viewers an exclusive preview of her upcoming album recorded across Corsica and Brazil, describing its sound as pure "outcast superhero energy". Subscribe to Forbes for more executive profiles, creative business strategies, and exclusive interviews with the world's most influential young leaders on the Under 30 Podcast! 💰 Financial Literacy: From Broke at Target to a 7-Figure Record Deal🎭 Cultural Identity, Blending Genres, and Creative Autonomy🛑 Overcoming Rejection, Shadowbans, and Social Media Pressure🌍 The MrBeast $1 Million Loss & Philanthropic Impact🎧 Major Labels, AI in Music, and What’s Next Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
