South Korean singer Gaho: Performing for live audience again would be true healing

Gaho, known for Start Up and Itaewon Class OSTs, talks about visiting India, his new album Fireworks, offline vs online concerts, and more.

The live music scene is headed towards a gradual revival after the pandemic threw a wrench in the works. Several artistes around the world are now getting back to performing at offline tours and festivals, the latest being BTS with their Permission to Dance on Stage tour. South Korean singer-songwriter Gaho, too, looks forward to resuming live concerts.“It is quite hard to wholeheartedly feel the energy of a concert (in an online concert), so I do miss performing live in front of people,” says Gaho, who has recorded songs for K-dramas like Start Up, Itaewon Class and Jirisan.

Gaho dedicated his new album Fireworks to youth. (Planeterium Records)

“I want to be able to visit many countries and present my music. I think that would be true ‘healing’ for me,” he tells us, explaining how it would hit two birds with one stone and allow him to travel to new destinations as well, something that the pandemic restrictions had made a tough task. “I really want to visit India as well and perform there as soon as I can,” he says.

He also acknowledges the growing reach of streaming platforms and the edge social media can provide artistes. “It has definitely made it easier to communicate with audience and show the various sides of me as an artist,” says the Running and Start Over hitmaker, who is also a composer and part of the rock band Kave.

The musician, who turned 24 in September, wants to encourage his listeners to seize the day — a sentiment that has grown significantly in the post-pandemic world. He even dedicated his latest album Fireworks to the brilliance and dynamism of youth. “I like to think that youth is when one shines the brightest. It makes me think of fireworks — shooting up high into the sky and exploding in a riot of colours. However, that moment also feels very short,” Gaho explains. And that’s why it’s best to make the most of it. “I try a lot of new things so I don’t end up with regrets when looking back. As people grow older, we tend to quit (things we want to do). So I feel like it’s important to not give up and go for the things that you’d like to do,” he adds.

In the future, he wants to expand his horizons to include international projects. He has earlier expressed his admiration for Imagine Dragons and also mentions singer Zayn Malik as someone he would like to work with. “I hope that in the next few years, I will be able to achieve my goal and also do world tours,” Gaho ends.

Author tweets @TheMissCurious

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