The Japanese-American singer-songwriter just dropped his new EP 'Homesick'.

Tell us about your latest drop, Homesick. Homesick is a collection of <a href="https://www.hommessingapore.com/culture/best-zayn-malik-songs-of-all-time-gigi-hadid-one-direction-music-celebrity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">songs</a> expressing my everlasting feeling of missing <a href="https://www.hommessingapore.com/living/saint-laurent-rive-droite-homeware-home-decor-luxury-fashion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">home</a> and trying to find a new one. It started ever since I left Hawaii when I was 16. I&rsquo;ve been chasing that wholeness and joy I felt growing up, but it just feels impossible to recapture. Being away from friends, family and home, I&rsquo;m always yearning for that lost feeling of happiness, or for some perfect <a href="https://www.hommessingapore.com/watches/bell-ross-pushes-into-the-future-with-the-br-03-cyber-ceramic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">future</a> that brings me back full circle to the beginning.
What makes you actually homesick? I&rsquo;ve realised I feel it every single time I&rsquo;m in nature, no matter where I am. I suppose it&rsquo;s because I grew up around it, so it&rsquo;s nostalgic. When I get homesick, I either write about it or actually head home &mdash; or to wherever my family is. I can usually visit my sister in Tokyo, or I&rsquo;ll invite my parents to China. This past year, both my dad and mom came to visit, and they absolutely loved exploring the different cities and watching me work.

mikah - Escape (Music Video)

The first single &lsquo;Escape&rsquo; is about that bittersweet feeling of leaving someplace comfortable. When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone? Literally everyday. Simply because I&rsquo;m a very introverted person in a very extroverted industry. Also, due to where I&rsquo;m based [in China], I&rsquo;ve had to learn Mandarin, which is my third language now. It&rsquo;s challenging but I&rsquo;m used to it, and I think stepping out of my comfort zone is necessary if I want to create new opportunities and achieve new things.
You&rsquo;ve been a solo artiste for a couple of years now. How&rsquo;s the journey been? It&rsquo;s been wild. I&rsquo;ve moved between three countries, started over multiple times, learned different languages, and had to adapt both personally and professionally. But those experiences really helped me grow as a person, become more outgoing, and ultimately find who I am, so I&rsquo;m grateful. Being solo is a lot different than being in groups. I love the freedom and ability to express myself in the way that I want, musically and visually. But the hardest part is the loneliness. I used to be surrounded by friends and &ldquo;brothers&rdquo; and felt a level of comfort and support every day; now, it&rsquo;s just me.
Have you found your sonic identity as a solo artiste? I&rsquo;d say so, but I&rsquo;m also human and will naturally grow and change with time and experience. Overall, I&rsquo;d say my current sound leans towards slower pop with a mix of R&amp;B and alternative influences. I love film, so I try to capture everything with a cinematic quality. But lately, I realised I&rsquo;ve been making faster-paced tracks with more groove, so I definitely see a shift happening.

You&rsquo;ve also been attending fashion week this past year. What&rsquo;s your relationship with fashion? Fashion is an area where I feel completely free to experiment: it brings out a more extroverted, bolder, avant-garde side of me. I love how different it is compared to music, where I&rsquo;m more introverted and vulnerable. It&rsquo;s an interesting creative balance.
Who do you follow in fashion today? I don&rsquo;t necessarily follow anyone, but I do keep up to date with the new seasons. I&rsquo;ve loved streetwear since I was a teenager, so my personal style leans that way and I&rsquo;m always window shopping to see what&rsquo;s new there. Beyond that, I like to keep an eye on trends across luxury designer and haute couture since I work with brands in those spaces.
You&rsquo;re getting dressed to go out. What&rsquo;s the first thing you reach for? I always pick one piece to build my outfit around. Usually it&rsquo;s the pants or jacket, since they&rsquo;re the most noticeable.
The holiday season is upon us. Who do you like to listen to during this festive period? &ldquo;The Christmas Song&rdquo; by Nat King Cole. It&rsquo;s a classic, one that I play and sing every year.
Finally, what&rsquo;s one gift you want to give yourself this holiday season? Honestly, it would be to go home and spend Christmas with my friends and family. I haven&rsquo;t had the chance to do so in over seven years.

Check out Homesick <a href="https://avex.lnk.to/Homesick">here</a>.

Interview: mikah on his latest music, solo journey, and fashion Icon

Recommended posts for you

Watches

Colour Away: These watches inject a fresh, vibrant energy into every ensemble

Print Covers