Portugal. The Man Redefines 'K-Pop' with Fiddle-Filled Ballad, Thanks to Daughter's Influence
Lead vocalist John Gourley has taken his affinity for K-pop – sparked by his daughter's love of the genre – and reimagined chart-topper "Golden" into a stripped-back, folky ballad. The new rendition is now available on Amazon Music.
Gourley revealed in a press release that he had recently become a fan of TWICE and other K-pop groups, but it was only when "Golden" became an earworm in his dreams that he felt compelled to reinterpret the song with acoustic guitar and strings. The result is a hauntingly beautiful arrangement that almost feels like a new creation.
"It's just such a beautiful arrangement," Gourley said of his version, adding, "We stitched together a monster of a cover." The contrast between this rendition and the original high-energy pop production of "Golden" is striking, making for an unexpected yet captivating listen.
The release comes ahead of Portugal. The Man's upcoming album, Shish, which features 10 tracks that reflect on lessons learned from Gourley's upbringing in Alaska as well as his experiences raising his daughter, who lives with a genetic disorder. The band will embark on a tour following the album's release, which includes stops in major cities across North America and Europe.
It's worth noting that "Golden" has had a significant impact on K-pop's streaming landscape. A recent Rolling Stone story highlighted the soundtrack's massive success, citing data from Luminate that shows it accounted for around 43% of U.S. K-pop streaming volume by early August 2025. The influence of the film and its earworm soundtrack is undeniable, and Portugal. The Man's unique take on "Golden" is another testament to the genre's broad appeal.
Lead vocalist John Gourley has taken his affinity for K-pop – sparked by his daughter's love of the genre – and reimagined chart-topper "Golden" into a stripped-back, folky ballad. The new rendition is now available on Amazon Music.
Gourley revealed in a press release that he had recently become a fan of TWICE and other K-pop groups, but it was only when "Golden" became an earworm in his dreams that he felt compelled to reinterpret the song with acoustic guitar and strings. The result is a hauntingly beautiful arrangement that almost feels like a new creation.
"It's just such a beautiful arrangement," Gourley said of his version, adding, "We stitched together a monster of a cover." The contrast between this rendition and the original high-energy pop production of "Golden" is striking, making for an unexpected yet captivating listen.
The release comes ahead of Portugal. The Man's upcoming album, Shish, which features 10 tracks that reflect on lessons learned from Gourley's upbringing in Alaska as well as his experiences raising his daughter, who lives with a genetic disorder. The band will embark on a tour following the album's release, which includes stops in major cities across North America and Europe.
It's worth noting that "Golden" has had a significant impact on K-pop's streaming landscape. A recent Rolling Stone story highlighted the soundtrack's massive success, citing data from Luminate that shows it accounted for around 43% of U.S. K-pop streaming volume by early August 2025. The influence of the film and its earworm soundtrack is undeniable, and Portugal. The Man's unique take on "Golden" is another testament to the genre's broad appeal.
it was fire in its original form 
and now its just some guy playing guitar with strings, idk man... 
maybe its cool for k-pop fans but like other people are gonna be all confused who is this and what kinda music is it? 
. And I love how he mentions his daughter's influence - it's nice to see artists giving credit where credit is due. The fact that this new version almost feels like a new creation is wild... it's like K-pop and indie/rock collided in a good way 
. Can't wait to check out their upcoming album, Shish 
. It's crazy how different it is from the original "Golden" – like you said, it's almost like a new creation 
. Can't wait to check out their upcoming album Shish and catch them on tour 
!
! John Gourley's daughter must have been like, "Dad, you gotta make this song acoustic" 
and I can totally imagine him being all, "Okay, why not?" It's actually really beautiful, and it shows how versatile the song is. The contrast with the original is so interesting - it's like they're two different songs altogether 
John Gourley's been influenced by K-pop for ages because of his daughter, but this is like the ultimate flex. It's crazy how they took an earworm from their dreams and turned it into something entirely new. And can we talk about the contrast between this stripped-back version and the original pop production? 
! i can see why his daughter introduced him to k-pop - this song is hauntingly beautiful 
. i'm def gonna check out more k-pop after listening to this 
. #KpopIsMyJam #FolkRockMeetsPop #GoldenRedefined