K/DA is back. After nearly six years of silence, the pop supergroup dropped “FIRESTARTER” (with the full Firestarter EP following shortly after), complete with a music video and a new visual identity with vibrant shades of black, pink, and burgundy. Miyeon and Soyeon of i-dle have returned as the voices of Ahri and Akali. Evelynn and Kai’Sa however came back with new singers: K/DA’s first Canadian singer Sophie Powers steps in as Evelynn, and English artist Mimi Webb takes over as Kai’Sa. Madison Beer and Jaira Burns, the voices most closely associated with those roles since “POP/STARS” and the ALL OUT era, are not involved this time. Evelynn has had guest turns from Kim Petras and Bea Miller in past releases, but the permanent-feeling swap for the full comeback has some fans reacting negatively, especially Madison’s more fervent supporters. On October 20, Sophie posted a simple message in response to the comments:
Later that day, she followed up thanking people for supporting her in the replies and linking the new EP:
The criticism has ranged from a preference for Madison's voice to personal attacks.
Supporters have argued that K/DA has never treated the real-world vocalists as permanent members, and—as mentioned earlier—that multiple artists have already sung as Evelynn. Since the original K/DA release, three people have sung as Evelynn (Madison Beer, Kim Petras, and Bea Miller), and with Sophie that makes four. The track has received a mix of nostalgic sentiment and fresh acclaim, with many listeners praising the pre-chorus and production, even if they acknowledge the vocal change.
Our Opinion: Evelynn’s pre-chorus is one of the most hypnotic and catchy parts of FIRESTARTER. The elongated vowels turn a simple slant rhyme into a masterful vocal hook.
I'm insane
Yeah, I know you like it that way
Chaos runnin' wild in my veins
The entire sequence sounds like a siren’s call, stretching the words into haunting, multi-note runs (insaaaaaa-aaaane and veeeeeeiiiinns) and creating an eerie, magnetic draw that compels listeners to sing along.
Riot hasn't given a detailed public explanation for the recast. While Madison Beer has previously said she would have been up for coming back, she also made it clear that the decision wasn’t entirely hers. For a community that spent years poring over every clue, hint, leak, and social media refresh leading up to this comeback, the music is finally here. The inevitable drama around the new Evelynn voice is just the byproduct of a long wait and a changed roster. Sophie is asking for nothing more than basic decency in doing the job she was hired to do. The EP is out. The video is out. K/DA has started a fire.