The Beginning of Homesick: mikah on the Story That Starts With “Escape”

In this exclusive interview, mikah pulls back the curtain on the story behind “Escape” and the Homesick project.

Born and raised in Hawaii, mikah has carved an impressive and unconventional path through the global music landscape. After moving to Tokyo in 2016, he began his career as a member of INTERSECTION, quickly gaining attention for his smooth, expressive vocal tone and natural storytelling ability. His rise accelerated further after joining CHUANG 2021, China’s largest audition program, where his emotive performances and multilingual versatility resonated deeply with viewers. His cover of “輸入法打可愛按第五 (push no. 5 for cute in input method)” became a viral sensation, surpassing 880 million views and charting across the country, ultimately leading to his debut as a top-ranked member of INTO1.

Across two years with INTO1, mikah expanded his artistry through both Chinese and English releases, multiple chart-topping singles, and a growing international fanbase. After the group’s completion, he shifted into a new phase of his career as a solo singer-songwriter, releasing his first EP, bleached, in 2023, followed by Pretty Lies in 2024. His global momentum continued to build, with standout live moments including his performance at SUMMER SONIC in Tokyo and the Meta Moon Festival in Dubai. The live version of “so I don’t forget” earned eight million views on YouTube, cementing itself as a long-running fan favorite. Now, following a recent collaboration with 88rising, mikah steps confidently into the next chapter of his artistic evolution.

That next chapter begins with “Escape,” the first installment of his three-part single project, Homesick. In our exclusive interview, mikah opens up about the emotional core of the new single, the personal journey behind Homesick, and how this project marks a fresh creative direction as he moves toward a truly global sound.

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Hi mikah! Thanks for joining us — it’s always exciting to talk with artists who can blend so much emotion and honesty into their music. Singer-songwriters like you make it look effortless, but it’s kind of intimidating how talented you are! So to start off easy, when you’re not in the studio, what do you like to do to reset or find inspiration?

mikah: To find inspiration, I usually need quiet time and a place where I can let go. Because I’m always flying, I end up thinking a lot on airplanes. They’ve kind of become my creative space. If I’m not on a plane, I like being in nature and escaping for a while. But when I’m not working, I’m usually just playing games or soccer in my free time.

“Escape” marks the first chapter of your Homesick project. Can you share what inspired you to start this series and how each chapter connects emotionally or thematically?

mikah: I wanted this project to mean something personal to my life and to connect with a wider audience. Homesick felt like the perfect theme because it’s something I still feel today, and something so many people go through. Leaving home for college, work, or dreams is an experience many people share, and I thought writing about my own journey and struggles might help others feel understood or less alone.

You’ve described “Escape” as rooted in your experiences in Hawaii—a place that’s both comforting and constraining. How did you translate that push-and-pull feeling into sound and lyrics?

mikah: Honestly, by just being honest. I wrote exactly how I felt growing up in Hawaii. From the very beginning of the song, I paint a clear scene of me looking at my bedroom ceiling, dreaming of more. In the chorus, I open up about what I really wanted and the dilemma I was facing, saying, “I don’t want to go yet, but I know if I stay, I’ll be wandering around for a way out of this place.” I didn’t want to leave because I was happy and content, but deep down I knew I wanted more and kept dreaming of something bigger. Being truthful has always been how I write my lyrics.

What does the word “home” mean to you now, after moving across countries and cultures for your career?

mikah: To me, “home” means comfort, familiarity, happiness, security, and love. I don’t think it’s limited to a physical place. It can be found in friends, family, my work, my fans, a hobby, or simply in moments of laughter and choosing happiness.

You’ve said that leaving a “place that’s comfortable, but ties you down” is part of finding your true self. Looking back, when do you think you first started that journey of self-discovery?

mikah: I think self-discovery starts with being self-aware, or at least being aware of your situation. I had that from a really young age. I noticed I was different from many people and would compare my life to what I saw online or around me. I didn’t have the things I saw others have. But that gave me a kind of drive enough for me to leave Hawaii and to keep choosing uncomfortable situations and risks, just to chase something more.

Your songwriting often feels deeply personal, yet universally relatable. How do you decide which emotions or experiences to turn into songs?

mikah: I usually start by asking myself what’s been bothering me, or what I’ve been avoiding thinking about, those feelings I’ve pushed to the back of my mind. That’s where I usually find the beginning of a song. 

Compared to your past works like “so I don’t forget” or “Butterflies,” how does “Escape” reflect where you are emotionally and musically right now?

mikah: I think it’s a step in the right direction. I used to write only about love, heartbreak, or my own experiences, and I forgot that I don’t make music just for myself but I make it for other people too. This project is the first time I took my personal story and wrote it in a way that others could see themselves in it and feel like it’s their story too. So I see it as a sign of growth and the start of a new chapter, and I want to keep writing with that mindset in the future.

The sound of “Escape” feels both intimate and cinematic. What kind of atmosphere did you hope listeners would feel when they hear it?

mikah: I wanted listeners to feel like they were dreaming, as if the song were pulling them back into a memory. I hoped it would let them relive a moment from their past while they listened.

What’s one lyric from “Escape” that holds special meaning for you, and what was going through your mind when you wrote it?

mikah: My favorite lyric is definitely:

"Might miss all my innocence

Terrified of something different

I’m at home sick, and I’m sick of it."

Every time I hear it, I feel it all over again because it perfectly captures my mindset at the time and what I kind of regret now. I was scared of losing my innocence and the life I had. I was content where I was, but staying there also made me question if I was truly happy. Looking back now, I know I was happy, and I left behind some of the best moments of my life and maybe even missed out on more.

How has working as a solo artist changed your creative process compared to your time in groups like INTERSECTION and INTO1?

mikah: Going solo has allowed me to fully express myself and explore my own sound. It helped me learn more about who I am creatively, figure out what I want to say, and take risks I couldn’t take before. Those risks are ultimately what led me to where I am now.

You’ve also performed on huge stages like SUMMER SONIC and Meta Moon Festival. Do live performances influence how you approach writing songs like “Escape”?

mikah: They didn’t use to, but now they do. I want my music to feel more dynamic—not just emotionally, but physically to move people’s hearts and their bodies. So lately I’ve been adding more drums and groove into my songs.

As Homesick unfolds, what do you hope listeners take away from your story, especially those who might be navigating their own feelings of longing or transition?

mikah: I hope they can find comfort in my songs. I want them to be something people can go back to when they’re reminiscing about the past or dealing with that feeling of missing someone or somewhere.

You’ve mentioned “Escape” as the start of a journey. Without giving too much away, what can we expect emotionally or sonically from the next chapters of Homesick?

mikah: “In Between” marks the journey portion of my story. The portion where I’m losing touch with myself, questioning what “home” ever was, where I’m in between the past and the present, in between my life in Hawaii and my current life in China. Other than that, “In Between”  is definitely the saddest song out of the three, whereas “Dream” is the most pop and upbeat. Although it’s upbeat, it’s not necessarily a happy song. I think there's a cool contrast between the impact of the instrumental and the sad lyrics, since the lyrics are basically expressing me coming to terms with the fact that the perfect life or future we imagine may not exist in reality, and sometimes the only place it feels real is in a dream.

You’ve had such a global career so far — how do you stay grounded while moving between languages, cultures, and creative scenes?

mikah: By finding happiness in the people around me and in the little things like playing soccer, eating good food, traveling to beautiful places, being in nature. The list goes on, but I try to find at least one thing every day that makes me happy.

As you begin this next chapter with “Escape” and the Homesick project, what’s something you’d like to say to listeners who’ve been with you since the start — and to new fans who are just joining your journey?

mikah: I hope that everyone who has experienced the act of leaving home or who feels homesick can find relief in the Homesick project I’m putting out. And I hope that people enjoy the new chapter of my life and what I’m currently putting out, so stay tuned for more new music coming out!

Listen to his discography on Spotify or Apple Music.

Connect with mikah on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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*Special thanks to mikah and Helix Publicity for this exclusive interview.Image Credits: Avex Music Creative Inc.