I know it's been a while since I did a Hidden Germs blog post but it's time for part 2 and this time we're meeting a very talented artist by the name of Tova Oh. As a disclaimer: I do want to state and clarify that this isn't my first time meeting her. If you want to check out the original interview with Uza back in 2018 as part of my university journalism and media final year project, you can check it out here on Serendipity Music! With that being said I present you the second edition of Hidden Gems, enjoy!
It might not come as a surprise to my family and friends but I enjoy Kpop music a lot. And because of this fascination and appreciation. I wanted to learn more at university so I did some digging and found Uza/Tova Oh on Facebook.
That was 2018 so now In present day 6 years later I’m back with Uza or technically Tova Oh who rebranded a few weeks ago…
We’ll see the reason for the creative change and how this new phase for Nova Oh will be like and what does she have planned for the future!
1. Hey Tova Oh! It’s been a few years but how has musical journey been since the last time we met online
A. Hi Rebeca <3 I continue to make electronic music as before. I'm enjoying life more immersively now than I have in the past, so I feel like my music has gotten a little deeper!
2. The big difference between now and then is obviously the change of musical persona. Any reason for why you said bye to Uza beats and hello to Tova Oh?
A.Over the past decade, I've been fortunate enough to experience a variety of things under the name UZA, and the joys and sorrows I've experienced with my beloved musician friends have all been nourishing. I believe that the sweat and tears of those years have shaped the Toba Oh that I am today.
I'm starting fresh with a new name because I've been running so hard, doing everything like someone is chasing me, and people have been able to watch me grow. But the more I've grown, the more parts of me I don't want to see. But this can never make me sad because I've grown and finally can see and accept my failures. UZA has been a success in some ways and a complete failure in others, just like life.
But Tova Oh is no longer an identity within the rules of success and failure. It's a new name for me, a new way of being myself.
3. How has your change in environment leaving Seoul/South Korea and moving to Germany influenced your work?
A.Not surprisingly, the environment in Seoul, where I live, and the small town in Germany, where I live now, are very different.
I grew a lot during my two years in Germany, spending time alone and away from the world. Part of our maturity comes from being around other people, but we also need to experience being thrown into the middle of nowhere once in a lifetime. Now, I can't even imagine my future without this time. Living in Germany meant that I had to plan and create my work on my own. Even in Korea, I didn't always work with others, but compared to Germany, it was very easy to gather talented artists.
During my time in Germany, I realized something. I am a person who needs to constantly create something, I realized that circumstances and environment can affect my creativity but can't stop my desire to create. I thought about quitting music altogether when I came to Germany, but here I am, changing my name and rushing to release a new album, and I realize that I will be an artist forever. Of course, without my husband's support and help, it would have been really hard, and I wouldn't have grown as much as I have.
4. I’ve listened to your latest song Headshot and I am really a fan of it! The way you incorporated the Korean and English lyrics were smooth and natural sounding. I also enjoyed the feature of Bikini Cactus.
A.Thank you so much !! <3 I love my song 'Headshot,', and Bikini Cactus is a really talented singer-producer. I was so happy that we worked together and became good friends. <3
5. A little bird told me that you have new music coming out soon! Can you tell more about your latest project?
A.These days, I'm working on my first single for Tova Oh. And the song is called 'Dizzy'. I filmed this song's music video in a cool German Castle. This song is about 'Failure,' which I mentioned in the previous answer.
I hope this song can reach many new audiences, and, of course, I hope my fans are happy with this.
If you want to connect with tova oh you can follow her on Tiktok and Instagram, while you're at it check out her music on spotify and youtube you won't regret it!
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