The 26-year-old Seoul-based K-pop artist KOHO is inarguably one of the most interesting acts to come out of Korea in recent memory. With only a year and a couple of solo singles to her credit, KOHO has already crafted a sound and style all her own. In a KpopStarz exclusive interview, the singer opened up about her collaborations with Beenzino producer Lee Daheen, her brief career as a record executive and how her creative process has grown more varied over time.
Like Us on Facebook
KpopStarz: What's your real name? Where did you get the name KOHO?
KOHO: My full Korean name is Bobae Kim, which means "treasure" in Korean. I started to go with KOHO starting last year, when I released my debut single "Campfire." When I was thinking about my stage name, I wanted to go by something that can be easily pronounced and easily written both in Korean and English. I thought KOHO had a somewhat graceful and calm intonation in Korean. I felt that the intonation of the name fits my music.
KpopStarz: How old were you when you started singing?
KOHO: I've always enjoyed singing, but the moment when I became determined to pursue a music career was a year ago.
KpopStarz: Do you play any instruments?
KOHO: I play piano and MIDI keyboard. I never really had a chance to get a formal education on any musical instrument, but thanks to YouTube gurus, anyone can easily learn chords through the Internet.
KpopStarz: You speak very clear English on your single "As I Headed." Are both of your parents Korean? Where did you grow up?
KOHO: Both of my parents are Korean. I was born in the southern part of Korea but spent my childhood in Seoul. Besides that, I lived in Texas for 10 months when I was 16.
KpopStarz: What was that like?
KOHO: That year was extraordinary for me, in many respects. It took me two years to convince my parents to send me over to the United States. Back then, I was a girl with lots of curiosity and wanted to live a life in a different place, outside of Asia. I applied for an exchange program so that I could attend public high school in the states. So, I lived in Texas with a homestay family and attended a public high school near Austin, which truly opened another chapter for my life. I was exposed to a whole different environment, not only from a linguistic perspective, but in a cultural sense as well, which included music.
KpopStarz: What was it about the music in the US that affected you?
KOHO: What I found very interesting was the radio culture in the States. The genres were well divided and people could be exposed to new things that came out so easily. The radio reflected the hottest new selections in music. Besides all that, DJs only talked for a few minutes to introduce music or to talk to listeners occasionally. Music would take up the majority of the program. DJs are the center of almost every program and music plays in the middle of the DJ and the guests' conversation in Korea. I think because of this systematic difference in radio, I was easily exposed to pop music during my stay in Texas. I have had great interest in pop music since I was a seventh grader so that environment was perfect for me.
KpopStarz: What made you decide to try your hand at recording?
KOHO: My best friend in college was a producer and we used to hang out and record a lot of demos. I was freshman in college and that was the first time I actually wrote a song. After a while, I got to know some underground hip-hop musicians based in Seoul and had the opportunity to work with them on several tracks. However, starting from my junior year I got caught up with my educational pursuits since I was working to get a master's degree after I graduated. Until the end of my senior year, I actually had no musical output, due to lack of time and uncertainty about music.
KpopStarz: How did you get your start in the music business?
KOHO: Now that I think about it, everything happened so quickly. One day, I got a call from producer Lee Daheen [best known for producing the Beenzino hit "Boogie On & On"]. He got my number through my friend [after hearing my demos] and asked me to collaborate with him on his debut album. When I checked out the tracks in his email, I had to do it. I spent a week with him, solely concentrating on producing songs. The chemistry was right. The songs were extraordinary. We completed three tracks during that time and right after that, I got a job at Universal Music Korea and began my career in the communications department. I worked at Universal Music Korea for about a year, which was quite interesting. However, I realized that I rather find it more fascinating to [focus on my own music]. When I became certain of my decision, I quit my job and began to produce music with my former coworkers.
KpopStarz: Who were your biggest influences early on? Who are your favorite singers?
KOHO: My early inspirations were definitely Aaliyah and Timbaland's production. I was mesmerized by '90s hip-hop music and the culture during that era. It is quite interesting how I deeply I was into rap music even more then R&B and soul...besides that, since I grew up listening to [South Korean girl group] S.E.S. and fell in love with Yeongjin Yu's production, I feel that I am very much influenced by that sound.
KpopStarz: Who are some of your other favorite non-Korean artists?
KOHO: Well, I was inspired by such great artists as Michael Jackson, Prince, The Isley Brothers and so on. Also, I was very influenced by '90s J-pop musicians like Cibo Matto, M-Flo and Hikaru Utada.
KpopStarz: Which of your releases are you the most proud of?
KOHO: I would say "As I Headed," definitely. After I released my first single, my primary concern was how would I manage to upgrade the sound of my track to be competitive in the market. I think I resolved that issue with "As I headed." Also, "As I Headed" is the track that represents the sound and mood I wish to deliver.
KpopStarz: You told me, much to my delight, that Lee Daheen agreed with my review that he was influenced by Zapp & Roger and Cibo Matto in the production of "As I Headed." Earlier, you added Cameo and Hall & Oates as two other acts he was channeling. Can you discuss that collaboration?
KOHO: When I heard the sketch of "As I Headed," I was startled. The instrumentation he used on the track and the '80's vibe was exactly what I had been looking for. It is quite interesting, because the track was actually originally made in 2007 for Beenzino's debut album "24:26." I thought that the power this track possessed was timeless. And luckily, Lee gave me the track. He and I both understood each other's way of working so well. So, based on that, we tried to concentrate on working out the creative details of the song like the arrangements and chorus. From the initial sketch to mastering, we have shared so much and had a lot of fun.
KpopStarz: Do you play any instruments when you perform live?
KOHO: No. I would rather concentrate on my vocals at the moment.
KpopStarz: What are you working on right now?
KOHO: I am currently working on my first EP, which I plan to release this year. I have narrowed it down to about seven or eight tracks to constitute an album and am working on the track order.
KpopStarz: How has your creative process changed since you started out?
KOHO: I would say my creative process has changed immensely since I started out. At the early stage of my creative development, the lack of diversity in the process was quite obvious. Most of the time, when I worked with a producer as a singer-songwriter, it was basically a one-way communication. The producer would tell me what kind of message or a mood that he wanted out of the track and I would try to fit into his expectation during the process, very simple. Now, however, I tend to take various approaches to create more satisfying tracks. For example, I had an opportunity to be part of a group project. Three producers and myself as a singer-songwriter would get together once a week and just spend 24 hours producing songs. It sometimes started from a very small motif, or it developed from a simple chord or sample. Or things began from a simple melody line. There were four members on our team and we had complete freedom in the creative process. We used to complete about five tracks in a day, which was quite amazing. Beyond that, even simple iPhone voice recording can allow me to complete a track. Right now, I would say that I am quite versatile in my creative process.
KpopStarz: Describe your approach to recording. Do you record at home? Where would you most like to record?
KOHO: I record at home. I think recording at home requires a level of maturity. When I was recording my first single "Campfire," I found it very difficult to get a satisfying result. Fortunately, a little change in the microphone setting changed so much about the sound when I recorded "As I Headed." If I think about my ideal place to record, I have to say that I was very inspired by Kanye West's way of recording his track "Only One." I have a desire to establish a recording environment in a rural, idyllic coastal location where I can step outside and feel the sea breeze and work with producers and engineers that I trust, for one or two months.
KpopStarz: Do you consider yourself a K-pop artist? Do you feel part of the K-pop movement?
KOHO: Absolutely. Mainly, because the primary target audience for my songs are Koreans. Also, I grew up in Korea living in an environment under the influence of K-pop.
KpopStarz: What do you think of the international K-pop explosion?
KOHO: I think it's amazing, since it definitely helped to provide great opportunities for Korean musicians to collaborate with artists from all around the world.
KpopStarz: You recently sent me a beautiful one-minute video clip for "As I Headed," which you described as an art film. Any plans to expand it to a full music video?
KOHO: Along with my next single, "Wait For You" which will be released next month, I initially planned to make two art films that will present my identity as a musician. I was so lucky to work with the best director, Lee Bang, and art director, Flaketool, for these projects. It was my very first time to work on a film and we had some difficulty designing it, but I learned so much from the experience. When I release my EP, I plan to make a full music video, for sure.
KpopStarz: What upcoming project or performance are you the most excited about?
KOHO: That would be Producer Lee Daheen's debut album. The album is nothing like I have ever heard. I worked on five or six tracks on his album and they are definitely the best pieces of music I have ever worked on as a musician. And I am a featured artist on producer Xin Seha's album, which gets released next month. The album is so original and fresh. I cannot wait for that to come out and surprise everyone.
KpopStarz: Which artist would you most like to collaborate with and why?
KOHO: My current wish is to work with J-pop producer Shinichi Osawa. I have always loved his production, since the years of Mondo Grosso. And the tracks he produced for other singers have always been great. I think he is a producer who always brings originality and newness to his work. I was impressed by his 2013 collaboration with After School, "Shh."
KOHO's next single "Wait For You" is scheduled to be released next month.
No comments:
Post a Comment