d4vd attends the Amiri Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week; Hyunjin of … More Stray Kids performs at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images; JYP Entertainment/Penske Media via Getty Images
When d4vd and Hyunjin of Stray Kids first began trading praise in interviews, few could have predicted the virtual admiration would bloom into one of the most heartfelt and cohesive crossover collaborations of the year. Yet today, June 27, the internet bromance becomes a reality on record with the release of 鈥淎lways Love,鈥 a swirling duet blending of melancholy pop and R&B production that manages to feels like the perfect union of the two respective musical viewpoints.
From the dreamy opening offering psychedelic guitars with simple percussion, d4vd鈥檚 signature atmospheric soundscape sets a sonic stage that allows his and Hyunjin鈥檚 soothing, feather-light vocals to float effortlessly on top. The track鈥檚 lyrical journey unfolds through a progression of intimate questions 鈥 beginning with 鈥淒o you鈥︹ before moving to 鈥淲ould you鈥︹ and, ultimately, 鈥淎re you鈥︹ 鈥 before resolving to the tender resolution: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 need no one else but you.鈥 It鈥檚 the kind of track that feels both universal while remaining deeply personal.
Just weeks before the 鈥淎lways Love鈥 release, d4vd met up with Stray Kids backstage at their June 3 concert at SoFi Stadium to snap a photo with the group and a separate selfie with Hyunjin. That image served as the official photo teaser for 鈥淎lways Love,鈥 leaving global fans buzzing ever since.
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While Hyunjin has previously dipped his toes into a solo feature with Troye Sivan鈥檚 鈥淩ush鈥 remix alongside PinkPantheress, 鈥淎lways Love鈥 marks the first time the K-pop superstar commands a larger section of a song outside of his and Stray Kids鈥 releases, showcasing his ability to shine solo a song on his own and likely paving the way for further solo ventures.
鈥淭his was a true full circle moment,鈥 d4vd said in a press statement. 鈥淗yunjin mentioned me in an interview last year then I mentioned him on the radio when I was in Korea and it just kind of kept spiraling until ultimately we got to work together. He鈥檚 so talented and I鈥檓 really excited with how the song turned out. I鈥檇 like to especially thank the Stray Kids fans for being so supportive and accepting of this collaboration.鈥
d4vd co-wrote 鈥淎lways Love鈥 the track with producers Andrew Luce and LeeLee. Luce鈥檚 credits include Lil Nas X鈥檚 鈥淪un Goes Down,鈥 Tomorrow X Together and iann dior鈥檚 鈥淰alley of Lies,鈥 and Hannah Bahng鈥檚 鈥減erfect blues,鈥 while LeeLee has shaped tracks like Jackson Wang鈥檚 鈥淏low,鈥 keshi鈥檚 鈥淓uphoria鈥 and Vedo鈥檚 鈥淚 Blame You.鈥 The combined expertise and long-running creative relationship with d4vd helps polish the cut into a lush, genre-blurring cut that feels both indie-idiosyncratic and ready to soundtrack a few thousand aesthetic TikTok posts.
With 鈥淎lways Love,鈥 20-year-old d4vd not only broadens his artistic palette but cements Hyunjin鈥檚 growing reputation as a cross-border collaborator capable of holding his own in any musical setting. While summer playlists tend to boast upbeat and bright party songs, this collab can be a lingering late-night anthem to soundtrack everything from friends watching the sunset from a rooftop to lovers lying on the beach awaiting the sunrise.
Looking Ahead for dv4d and Hyunjin: WITHERED Deluxe, More Touring
鈥淎lways Love鈥 arrives after the April release of d4vd鈥檚 debut album, WITHERED, a string of high-profile festival appearances like Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as a sold-out European tour. d4vd teased a deluxe version of the album dropping soon (which 鈥淎lways Love鈥 could make as part be part of the tracklist) and will tour Australia in December with Hannah Bahng (who also happens to be the sister of Stray Kids member Bang Chan).
Meanwhile, Hyunjin is in the midst of the North American leg of Stray Kids鈥 鈥榙ominATE鈥 World Tour, which will wrap after eight more shows in Europe throughout July. The group previously announced their plans for two album releases in 2025, meaning a new record shouldn鈥檛 be far off.
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