Last month, Singer-songwriter GAHO returned with new music and joined allkpop for a special fan event.
On April 8, the artist released his latest digital single, “To Mars,” marking his first comeback under PLAN-G Entertainment. The track delivers a heartfelt message about boundless love, blending the vast imagery of space with deeply personal emotions and GAHO’s signature vocal style.
To celebrate the release, allkpop recently held a special fan Q&A event, giving fans the chance to send in questions directly to GAHO. From music and inspiration to personal stories and messages for fans, we selected several submissions and had GAHO personally answer them.
Check out his responses below.
Q. How did you imagine Poland before arriving? What positively surprised you after your arrival?
"I actually have some friends from Poland, so it was a country I was somewhat familiar with. And since I had this prior connection to Poland, I was very much looking forward to coming. My strongest memories are of the show - the audience gave us so much energy that I still reminisce about that experience with warmth and gratitude. I also want to add that the food seems to match Koreans’ taste very well!"
Q. Why singing? If you could be someone else for a day, what profession would you choose and why?
"Making music - singing, writing songs, creating comeback concepts, expressing myself through music, etc - is my calling, it feels as natural as breathing to me, and I don’t think there could have been anything else that I would do in my life. However, if I were to imagine a different path for myself, I think I could have become a school teacher. I wouldn’t study a lot at school, but I’d be the student who is the closest to the teachers. During my school days, I made a lot of great memories with my teachers, and although I believe it doesn’t suit me at all, I would like to try being a teacher for a day."
Q. What words or actions from SHINE make you feel most supported? What would you like SHINE to do or say to you, to bring you comfort and happiness in the future?
"Each message from Shines really gives me a lot of strength, especially considering some of them are coming from the other side of the world. As I came back from the European tour, I started feeling somewhat of a sense of duty and gratitude. I need to be the one to personally go and meet my fans, hear their cheers, and be able to respond, as I believe this is the way to create meaningful, real interactions. When you cheer me on in front of the stage, that gives me the most strength. Shines, thank you so much for empowering me - I promise I’ll try to do the same for you as much as I possibly can."
Q. What message do you hope your listeners take with them after listening to "To Mars?" If you listen to "To Mars" years from now, what do you hope it will remind you of?
"'To Mars' is dedicated to my fans. Not only has it been a while since I made a comeback, but I wanted to gift my fans a track that would help them escape the boredom of their daily life for a bit when they listen to my music. It’s a song that expresses my gratitude for the people who waited for me during all this time."
Q. Who is your role model? Who or what inspires you to create amazing music?
"My role models are Shines (laughs). My fans inspire me."
Q. If all your songs were connected into one story, what would it be about?
"I think it would be a story about embarking on an adventure. A story that speaks about constantly exploring new places, instead of staying in the same location. A story about venturing into the unknown with a bold heart, a fearless attitude, and a passion for exploration. The process of making music is reminiscent of that to me, so ultimately my songs would go on that journey together with me. Needless to say, I’m very happy to be sharing this story with my fans, my KAVE bandmates, and everyone who’s making this journey possible, and I also hope that those who enjoy my music adopt this mindset, if this is something they need in their lives."
Q. If you can travel to one country with someone special, where would it be and why?
"The Philippines. I know I have so many supporters there, and I’ve always heard how passionate Filipino fans are about music and singing. I’d really love to visit someday and sing together with everyone there!"
Q. If you can fly and live on Mars, what three things will you bring?
"A bed, music-making equipment, and a fridge."
Q. When you like someone, are you the type to confess or wait until the girl shows some interest in you?
"I am the type to confess first, and get rejected right away."
Q. What helps you get inspiration when writing music? Is the process different when you're writing for your solo work than when you work for KAVE?
"The way I work on my solo projects and KAVE are two completely different modes. Ultimately, I get inspiration from things that happen in my daily life. In very ordinary moments, for example, when I’m taking a walk, a melody would suddenly pop into my head. As my solo work is all about the stories within me, I have a lot of time to burrow deep into my own depths to explore my feelings. When it comes to KAVE, however, the core of our music is the energy that the members bring out together, so we usually start working on the music from the live music point of view - how would this music explode on stage."
Q. Where do you think you'd be right now if you hadn't decided to pursue singing?
"I think I would have become a school teacher. I have a lot of memories from my school days, being close to my teachers. I feel like if I weren’t doing music, being a teacher would also be a fun job for me."
Q. How would you see yourself in 5 years, and what are the biggest challenges you are facing now in your career?
"I don’t think I would be much different from the way I am now. But I think the world of music I’m creating will have become much broader and more expansive by then, and the fans will be able to listen to more varied music from me. If I had to call it a challenge, it would probably be turning the things I imagine in my head into music in the best way possible. That’s something that’s always difficult for me."
Q. How have the new initiatives to sing in English to reach global audiences impacted your process to compose and produce music?
"There hasn’t been a major change in the process of creating music. I wanted to convey my feelings exactly as they are – even to people who don’t speak Korean."
Q. What are your biggest dreams?
"To make music that people listen to regardless of how much time has passed. I believe that good music withstands the passing of time. Making music like that is my biggest dream."
Q. What is your dream collaboration with a famous singer?
"Skrillex and KAVE is my dream collaboration. I would love to be able to collab with the GOAT of EDM."
Q. How do you know when a song is truly “finished”?
"When I listen to the song while taking a walk and find myself smiling, that is how I know the song is finished."
Q. What inspired your latest song?
"It all started with the excitement that came with the establishment of my first-ever label and embarking on a new journey. I found myself thinking of my fans amid this excitement and made 'To Mars'."
Q. How has your creative process changed since your debut?
"The creative process has always been difficult for me, but if there is a thing that has changed, it would be the fact that there are so many more people with whom I can share my music."
Q. What is your favorite song? (that is not your own)
"Stevie Wonder’s 'You and I'."
Q. While making this song, what moment stayed with you the most and led to the creation of this track?
"This is not exactly a specific moment related to the process of creating “To Mars”, but rather a feeling that appeared while I was working on this song. “To Mars” actually started from the idea of having only the bridge part in Korean. So when the bridge lyrics were finally finished, I felt like this was the one part I really wanted fans to hear and understand.
Bridge lyrics: 'Please remember this moment - me, still here, staying by your side and singing'."
Q. If you could gift your own cooking/food/snacks to your fans, what would it be?
"I would love to make pasta aglio e olio!"
Q. Why is Mars the chosen planet? Not Venus, Neptune, or Moon?
"I just went with the vibe."
Q. When will you be coming to Southeast Asia for a concert? We'll be waiting!
"I will be sure to come as soon as possible. Thank you for waiting for me."
Q. If you had to choose one of your songs that represents who you are right now (not who you were when you wrote it), which one would it be and why?
"It would be 'Right Now.' Right now, there are so many things I need to put into action immediately. It’s definitely a really busy period for me."
Q. Is there a music genre that you’d like to try, but didn’t get the chance to do so?
"To be honest, while making KAVE’s music and creating its’ character, I feel like I have tried everything that I wanted to try. Rather than that, I want to focus more on pushing the quality and completeness of the music I’m making to an even higher level."
Q.How do you feel knowing that your music reaches people in different parts of the world?
"It doesn’t feel quite real to me yet. All of it, receiving a lot of love and interest, doing this interview with my fans, going on tour around the world… I’ve always felt the great power of music, but in the end, what amazes me even more is the energy and love that fans give when they listen to my music."
Q. What emotion, memory, or feeling would you like to awaken in someone the very first time they hear your voice, and why would it be important to you to create that connection through your music?
"I think truly great music can turn even the most ordinary or boring moments into something special. So I hope my music and voice can remind people of the nostalgia tied to their youth, the excitement they have for the future, and just how beautiful and meaningful their lives are right now."
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