KAVE on the Duality of Their New Say My Name EP and the Creative Process

dec 6, 2024
by Tayah Fox

 

South Korean band KAVE made a comeback with their second EP, Say My Name on Nov. 11—featuring contrasting title tracks "You" and "Stone." The five-piece ensemble is comprised of vocalist Gaho, drummer Kekinu, guitarist Jisang, pianist Hyun and keyboardist/DJ Ownr, but KAVE is more than just a band—they're also a production crew, with all members serving as singers, songwriters and producers who channel their diverse musical talents into each track.

The leader, Gaho, has built a strong fanbase as a soloist and producer from his work on original Korean drama soundtracks and YouTube covers, amassing millions of views. With the release of Say My Name, the group held a concert in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 23 and will meet more of their fans at their upcoming concert on Dec. 7 in Busan.

This release marks the quintet's reversal of their discography, with Say My Name acting as a prequel to their debut EP, Flight of Ideas. The main title track, "You," is an upbeat pop-rock track sampling "Winter" from Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, adding a fascinating modern take on a classical piece. The use of "Winter" mirrors the song's lyrics about the coldness of one's emotions amid a breakup. In contrast, the second title track, "Stone," acts as a rougher counterpart to the upbeat track that precedes it. The texture of the electric guitar and raw vocals lead listeners through a story of emotional pain, expressing sorrow and melancholy. Sweety High got to chat with the band about their new EP, artistic workflow and more. Read the interview below.

Sweety High: Say My Name showcases two contrasting sounds in the songs "You" and "Stone." What prompted you to display such diverse musical styles in one release?

KAVE: Since each member has a different favorite genre of music, we hope that when people listen to our music as an album, they'll be able to recognize that this is the intersection of all the different musical directions that KAVE members are pursuing.

 

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SH: Your newest EP acts as a prequel to your debut EP, Flight of Ideas. Why did you decide to tell the story of your journey inversely?

KAVE: The themes expressed by KAVE, such as "Kings Always have Veiled Egos"—the idea that all humans have another personality inside them and the spirit of resisting it—might be difficult to grasp, so instead of immediately showing the next part of the story, we thought it would be better to provide a justification for why this album and story came to be. That's why we decided to tell the story in reverse.

 

SH: How involved is each member in the creative directions of KAVE's visuals, from music video concepts to album art to members' styling?

KAVE: KAVE started off as a production crew, and so for this reason all members participate in all areas of creative processes of production.

 

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SH: Since KAVE is also a production crew, what differences do you notice when working with other artists versus working with KAVE on your own projects?

KAVE: It often takes a long time to work on KAVE's music because we're carefully balancing different opinions and refining the musical direction we want to take. However, the process feels more straightforward when we're involved in another artist's project. From the outset, we focus on the artist's musical concept, making it feel more relaxed and different from how we approach our work. Additionally, since the artist already has a clear direction, coming up with ideas to enhance that vision tends to move much faster than when creating our own album.

 

SH: Gaho, what have you learned from your solo work that you bring to KAVE?

Gaho: I think I've become more aware of how I come across on camera through my solo activities. So, when we're filming performances, I tend to give a lot of advice to the members, especially when it comes to gestures. I often ask them to be more daring with their acting, expressions and even the way they play their instruments. I talk to the members about various aspects like that.

 

SH: What does a typical KAVE songwriting session look like?

KAVE: We each tend to work on drafts individually. For this album, Say My Name, Hyun wrote the initial draft, Jisang was in charge of the sound aspects, and Ownr oversaw the overall production direction. Kekinu focused on live arrangements, instrumental parts, and the overall image. Gaho created the top-line melodies for all the tracks on the album and gathered the members' opinions to direct the videos and overall visuals.

 

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SH: After your upcoming concert, what's next for KAVE? What can fans look forward to in 2025?

KAVE: We're focused on making an album that's better than the last. Next year, we hope to perform more and connect with as many people as possible. We'd love to kick things off with festivals in Korea and then take our music on an overseas tour.

 

SH: Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

KAVE: We're really grateful that you listened to our first mini album, Flight of Ideas, and our second album, Say My Name. We truly appreciate all the support you've given us. We all keep an eye on the comments from our fans, and we've seen many requests asking us to come to their country and perform soon. We really hope to meet you all in person next year.

 

For even more from our favorite artists around the world, click  HERE to read our interview with Korean singer HEYOON.

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