Los Angeles was the epicenter of K-pop’s next evolution this week as Galaxy Corporation hosted its first-ever auditions for a virtual K-pop group at the El Rey Theatre.

From aespa’s “ae” avatars to motion-captured virtual group PLAVE to the current chart-topping success of HUNTR/X and Saja Boys of KPop Demon Hunters, virtual idols and the mix of technology and music is nothing new, but Galaxy Corporation’s auditions on Monday (Sept. 8) seemed to fall at the perfect time. The company describes itself as “enter tech” — converging IP, media and technology — and they’re betting big on a future where human performers power a virtual group that can perform and interact with fans in real time, marking another step forward in the music industry’s ongoing experimentation with digital idols. They currently have a small-but-quickly-growing roster of clients, from G-Dragon, Song Kang-ho (Parasite) and Kim Jong-kook, and also produced the Netflix breakout reality competition Physical: 100, which has gone on to have several spin-offs.

While most K-pop auditions have strict age ranges, a specified gender or other barriers to entry, Galaxy Corporation’s audition was searching for anyone with talent, regardless of genre, nationality or age. With this global search, they are “looking for creativity, emotional honesty, and the ability to connect with an audience” rather than visuals, as the group’s members will have digital avatars via motion capture, GK (Gyuhyuk Song), head of IP Music at Galaxy Corporation and senior lead for this project, tells Billboard. Some aspects of this project are based on the traditional idol group model: “Traditional idol training will remain at the core, but we’re also integrating new elements like digital performance and fan interaction in virtual spaces, to prepare artists who can move seamlessly between physical and virtual worlds.” And as intended, candidates who came in person were aged between early teens to adults. One father flew in with his auditioning daughter from the East Coast with dreams of participating in this project.

“Can an artist truly exist forever?” is a question that stuck with GK during his 12 years at SM Entertainment before joining Galaxy Corporation, noting that “groups struggle to surpass the seven-year standard contract period.” Of course, there are many exceptions these days with the global scale of K-pop and the way fans are more connected to their favorite artists than ever, but with this new project, the goal is to create “eternal artists.”

The concept of virtual artists isn’t entirely new — Gorillaz were an early pioneer the idea in the early 2000s — but what sets these newer groups apart is how their avatars are presented as fully realized individuals, with the real identities behind the characters often kept deliberately hidden.

Galaxy Corporation reinforced this approach for their auditions as well. Inside the El Rey, Galaxy Corporation prepared a holding area upstairs in the theater’s balcony and escorted candidates to the main stage while covered by large umbrellas to maintain anonymity throughout the process, aside from first name and age. A large screen was set up on the stage for the judging panel — which included GK, along with two other Galaxy Corporation representatives. Behind the screen, candidates had a mark on the floor for positioning and had a separate screen to see their motion-captured selves as one of two pre-designed avatars.

There’s an existing culture of virtual artists, and with technology and AI advancing at a rapid rate, Galaxy Corporation emphasizes the importance of authenticity when it comes to building fandom. Fandom is already the core driver of so many artists’ success, and ways to integrate the fans into this new project is also top of mind.

“We believe fandom will become even more interactive and participatory,” GK says. “Fans will not only support, but also shape creative direction through AI-driven platforms. This could lead to a new culture where the line between creator and fan blurs, fostering communities that feel deeply personal and globally connected.”

Additional audition rounds are expected to be held in other cities later this year, with Galaxy targeting a debut that positions the group as a truly global act.

As her wedding date with Benny Blanco nears, Selena Gomez mentioned her future children in an appearance on Amy Poehler’s podcast.

Chatting on this week’s episode of Good Hang With Amy Poehler, Gomez named the movie she plans to make her kids watch someday.

Gomez congratulated the comedian on her work portraying Joy in Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out and Inside Out 2, sharing that the animated movie franchise’s sequel — which introduces Anxiety (the character and emotion) into 13-year-old protagonist Riley’s life — had her in tears. In fact, the singer/actress/businesswoman thinks Inside Out 2 should be required viewing for all kids — including her own.

“I watched it with my sister and I completely sobbed because it’s so factual … I almost feel like it should have been a requirement in school to watch that as a homework assignment,” Gomez said on the podcast’s Sept. 9 episode. She added that Gracie, her 12-year-old sister, also cried. (Watch the full episode below.)

“There’s that kind of heartbreak that happens when Anxiety moves in,” Poehler agreed. “No matter the age, you’re either feeling it in real time as a young person, [or] you’re remembering that feeling as a person in your 30s or 40s or 50s and above when your paint set got some darker colors in it. It’s part of growing up, but it’s brutal.”

“It is. I’m gonna make my children watch it,” said Gomez, who’s not a parent now, but is getting ready for her upcoming nuptials to Blanco, clarified that thought: “Not yet.”

“I know, I know they don’t exist yet, but I can’t wait,” Poehler replied amid squeals of wanting to see Selena with a baby.

“They don’t,” said Gomez.

Her future children popped up again in conversation. The I Said I Love You First singer, who also stars in Only Murders in the Building and runs cosmetics company Rare Beauty, says she has a hard time telling people “no,” but that might change “when I have kids.”

“I feel like I owe a lot of people in the world any sort of smile, hug, picture, so it’s very hard,” Gomez explained. “When I don’t do it, I promise you it’s because I’m either really having a hard time dealing with my anxiety, or I’m late, which I try not to be. But in general, it’s a lot — ‘cause I love doing it. I think about it too much. I’ll think about if I missed that one person. It can get crazy in my head.”

“I feel protective of you,” Poehler told her. “As a women that is older … I think that any woman in her 30s is doing that thing where they’re trying to figure out, basically, what is expensive for me with energy? You start protecting it.”

Gomez responded, “I think that’ll happen moreso if I, when I, have kids. I’ll probably put more boundaries up for the sake of the sanity of, you know, what that will look like.”

Before the interview, Poehler talked to Only Murders co-star Martin Short about Gomez, who raved about working with her and described what it’s like when the horde of paparazzi turns up while the pop star’s filming scenes on the streets of New York City.

“When Selena joins us, there’s about 120 paparazzi and they’re there all day,” Short told Poehler. “I’m sure they’re just waiting for her to fall or stumble or [be] mean — therefore they could make more money from it. That’s been her life. She does have security on the streets — we all do — but she’s so lovely with them and they’ve been in her life so long. The only time I ever saw her get a little stern is when they were a little abrupt to like this 14-year-old fan of hers, and she goes, ‘Never do that.’ You can’t fault her.”

Meanwhile Gomez recounted one particular on-set incident caught on camera while filming season two: “Someone said a vile word to someone else, and it was a photographer … I just looked at him and I gave him the finger. There’s just one shot of me [giving the finger]. And he missed it. He’s not even the one who got it. The other people started laughing, and I was like, I don’t even care. I’m just so … I can’t tolerate this kind of stuff. But then they want that kind of reaction, so I’m like, damnit.”

Poehler shrugged it off: “One finger in 33 years?”

“There’s probably been a couple more,” Gomez admitted.

“We can probably find them,” Poehler quipped.

Sharon Osbourne is “still having trouble finding the words” after Ozzy Osbourne’s death earlier this summer.

On Friday (Sept. 12), the 72-year-old wife and longtime manager of the Black Sabbath frontman — who passed away on July 22 at age 76 — spoke out on social media for the first time since his passing, opening up about her grief and the outpouring of support she has received.

“I’m still having trouble finding the words to express how grateful I am for the overwhelming love and support you’ve shown on social media,” the British TV personality wrote alongside an Instagram video featuring herself and daughter Kelly at a falconry in England.

“Your comments, posts, and tributes have brought me more comfort than you know,” she continued. “None of it has gone unnoticed, in fact, it’s carried me through many nights. Though I’m still finding my footing, I wanted to share some glorious creatures I had the chance to spend an afternoon with.”

Sharon went on to describe the emotional connection she felt during the experience.

“The connection you make with these powerful birds is built entirely on trust and confidence,” she wrote. “They’ll choose to perch on you only if they sense you are safe and unafraid of them. It’s a bond I know all too well, and the experience was nothing short of magical.”

Osbroune concluded her message with a heartfelt note of gratitude. “I love you all, and I thank you deeply for the otherworldly amount of love you continue to send my way,” she wrote.

The video montage showed Sharon and Kelly interacting with exotic birds at Cornwall Falconry in England. In one clip, a falcon swoops down onto Sharon’s gloved hand to feed, while Kelly looks on with a smile. Another shows a white owl landing on Sharon’s arm in slow motion. In another moment, Sharon is seen gently petting a bird, followed by a playful scene where another bird perches atop Kelly’s winter hat.

Days earlier, Kelly shared the same video on her own Instagram account, writing, “Today I introduced my mum to falconry and she loved it! Thank you @gerardsulter for putting a smile on my mum’s face too!”

Sharon’s post marks her first public statement since Ozzy’s death. Her previous Instagram post was a photo taken with Andrew Watt and Slash at Black Sabbath’s farewell concert in early July. Ozzy died just weeks after performing his final live show in Birmingham, England. His family confirmed the news in a joint statement at the time.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” they wrote. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

See Sharon Osbourne’s full post on Instagram below.