This post was updated June 4 at 9:36 p.m.
YOUHA’s versatility as a musician allows her to showcase her talent – wherever and whenever.
Im You-ha, who performs with the mononym YOUHA, made her first appearance at the Head in the Clouds Music & Arts Festival on Sunday afternoon. The South Korean musician recently signed with 88rising and has since released three singles with the music label – the most recent one being “skippy” with fellow South Korean artist yy in May.
Following her first Head in the Clouds performance, YOUHA talked to the Daily Bruin’s Jeannie Kim about her passion for music and the transition from the Korean music industry to the American music label 88rising.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
[Related: Q&A: Ahead of Head in the Clouds debut, PIAO talks collaboration, mixing genres]
Daily Bruin: You dabble with music in various ways – as a producer, a songwriter and an artist. Of the various roles, which is your favorite one to be in, and what aspect makes it distinctive from the other roles you have within the industry?
YOUHA: Honestly, I think artist now because I really love music so much, so I’m always trying every music challenge – lyricist or composer and artist too. I really love to express my thoughts through music. I love being a songwriter and artist, both of them. But now I think artist these days because I signed with 88rising.
DB: You come from a background where you were exposed to music, especially from your mother, who is an award-winning musical theater actress. What are some of your sources of inspiration and influence – whether they be from your childhood or now – in your music career?
Y: Actually, today too, I was talking on my phone with my mom, and mom’s crying because she saw my performance on the livestream. I feel so emotional because I really love my mom, and my mom has always inspired me. I really love her passion. I really learn from her passion and energy. Making music, I think my daily life (inspires me). I really love to go somewhere, travel. … Every time I go to a different place, I take a lot of inspiration – from nature, people I meet in unfamiliar environments. And I try to reflect that in my music – I’m always trying my best.
DB: Since you were young, you were professionally trained in the arts and even spent nearly 10 years as a trainee at a major entertainment company in Korea. How does having that training experience benefit or challenge you as an artist now?
Y: Actually, I learned a lot of things from YG (YG Entertainment) because YG is a huge label company in Korea, and they always made great artists – BLACKPINK, BIGBANG, 2NE1. When I first left the company, I felt I’m an unlucky girl because I really wanted to debut with YG as a girl group. But now, I’m a solo artist, and I think it is my destiny. I feel like everything that happened ties together to lead me to where I am today.
DB: Your first few releases were sung in Korean, which aligns more with K-pop, but now you’re performing mostly in English, which has stronger 808 beats. What was the transition like for you, and did you face any challenges with expressing your artistry in a different language?
Y: Actually, English is still hard for me. But when I was young, I was always listening to pop music – and nowadays too. I always get inspired by the musicians and good music. … To my old fans, I want to say sorry because they really love my old genres like island or teen pop. I really love (that) music these days too, but I want to try the challenge now I’m signed with 88rising. 88rising, they always respect my music and my thoughts, my artist vibe. I want to try (to show) the other side of YOUHA starting from 88rising – the past version of me is still me, and the artist I am now, it’s still me.
DB: What is your songwriting and production process like? When and where do you get the best ideas for your songs?
Y: Actually, I made music every single day. Because I’m a songwriter, I’m always pitching K-pop demos. I really love making music. It’s like air. Because people always need air, I always need to be making music. Because I want to become an incredible artist, I want to keep studying music, just studying music every single day.
[Related: Head in the Clouds 2025: Day 2 platforms rising artists, reunites iconic hitmakers]
DB: It’s been five years since your first release, “ISLAND.” How would you describe your growth since then, and where do you see yourself five years from now?
Y: I feel – still – I’m a rookie. I feel alive when I’m onstage, when I’m making music. All of it doesn’t feel real. Sometimes, I feel, “Oh, I don’t deserve these good opportunities.” But it’s not healthy to undermine myself, so I’m always trying to be confident. I want to be able to give good energy to others, and I want to be able to make them proud when they see me truly being happy. My fans, I really want to make them proud of me.
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