Mikah’s ‘Homesick Trilogy’ explores identity beyond borders
The Japanese American singer-songwriter discusses his latest music and his global upbringing across Hawaii and Asia
Mikah & cover art for Homesick
Avex Music Creative Inc/Pierre Boissel & Mathias Ponard
Words by Daniel Anderson
Mikah’s story has always unfolded through movement across cultures and entire countries before he even turned 25. Born and raised in Honolulu to a Japanese mother and German father, he left Hawaii at 16 after being recruited by Avex, one of Japan’s largest entertainment companies, and moved alone to Tokyo to begin training to be in a pop group, and finish school. What started as a leap of faith quickly became a career. He debuted in the Japanese American boy group INTERSECTION in 2017, released early solo music, and later placed fourth on the hit Chinese survival show Chuang 2021, joining the multinational group INTO1. In China, he became one of the group’s most visible members, earning chart placements, acting and variety credits, and a strong fashion presence that led to magazine covers and major luxury campaigns.
After years in two different boy group systems, Mikah entered a new chapter with his solo EP bleached in 2023, followed by the all-English project Pretty Lies in 2024. His live performance of “so I don’t forget” went viral with nine million views on YouTube and showcased a voice and perspective distinct from any group he had come from.
Now, with his Homesick Trilogy of the reflective tracks “Escape,” “In Between” and “Dream,” he returns to the themes that have shaped him since he left Hawaii as a teenager: migration, identity, and the tension between independence and longing. It marks some of his most personal and self-assured work to date.
Mikah sat down with JoySauce to talk about his new music and finding a sense of home wherever he goes.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Daniel Anderson: Mikah, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today. I want to get into “Escape” and this Homesick Trilogy. First, how did this song come together, and was there a moment that sparked the idea for the whole trilogy?
Mikah: It started with the topic “homesick.” I was in a session where I wrote a couple songs about very different things, and I didn’t want to write about love again, because most of my songs were about heartbreak or love. I came up with the homesick idea and wrote a whole song about it, and I felt like there was more to explore, more story to tell. I realized I could split it into different songs—my beginning in Hawaii, leaving Hawaii, and where I am now. I’ve lived in three different places, so breaking my life into three parts made sense.
I wrote it thinking back to how I felt in Hawaii. I was dreaming for more, manifesting something bigger, wanting a chance to live in a big city that always felt out of reach. I used to lie on the grass at a golf course by my house, look at the stars, and imagine my future. When I finally got the opportunity, I took it. The next two songs tell the ups and downs along that path.
DA: Would you say you were pretty independent growing up? And what was the emotional adjustment like when you first moved to Japan?
M: I think I was independent in some ways, but I also relied heavily on the company of my close friends and family. Even though I’m introverted, I’m very extroverted with people I trust, and I loved how I felt around them. Leaving Hawaii meant losing that support system, and I had to figure out who I was without it. When I moved to Japan, I didn’t have major culture shock because I’m half Japanese and had visited every summer, but I wasn’t prepared for what mature, independent life would feel like. I thought big city living would be perfect, but it was much more complicated. Coming from a small island and a small friend group, it was difficult to open up, make new friends, and be the version of myself I was back home. I kept comparing Hawaii and Tokyo and wondering why I felt so different. Balancing my emotions during that time was really tough.
DA: Can you recall the first time Japan started to feel like home? Was there a moment, person, or experience that shifted things?
M: I felt that through my boy band at the time, Intersection. But that feeling came only after we all grew up. When I arrived at 15 or 16, the youngest member was 12, and at that age, the differences are huge. By the time I was around 20, I could connect with them on a human level. When you go through hardships with people, when you’re down at the same time, they become like brothers.
Later, when I moved to China and debuted in another group with 11 members, the hardships were even crazier with little sleep and cameras everywhere. But living together bonded us. It made me feel young again, like college. I find that “home” feeling through people rather than places. I move around so much that it’s unrealistic to associate home with just a location.
DA: How do Hawaii, Japan, and China bring out different sides of you? Do you shift depending on where you are?
M: For me, the biggest factor was language. My Japanese was decent but needed work, and I didn’t speak any Chinese when I first moved. So it was hard to show my real humor or personality. Japanese came easier because I grew up hearing it, but I didn’t start learning Chinese until I was 22 or 23, so it took years before I could fully be myself. The places played a role too. Japan was where I was still a kid learning the industry, and by the time I got to China I had eight years of training and was mentally ready. But overall, language shaped my personality more than the cities themselves.
DA: Now that you’re more confident in the language, do you have interest in writing music in Chinese or Japanese or incorporating influences from those places?
M: I still write my own songs in English, but since I’m based in China, I make Chinese music too. I think a lot about how to bring my perspective as a foreigner into their culture and sound. I’m exploring musically blending the genres I love in China, with the background I grew up with. I am hoping to release a project like that early next year.
DA: Now that you’ve lived in different places, when you go back to Hawaii, does it give you a new appreciation for it? What are some things you feel you took for granted?
M: For sure. Every time I go back I think, “Why did I leave this place?” Hawaii is beautiful. I think I feel that way in any tropical place. There’s something about nature, the skies, the clouds, the ocean, and even the people. Tropical places have a different energy. I usually go back for only five days because of work. In L.A., I can work, but in Hawaii there’s not much for me to do work-wise, so it’s harder to take time off. That makes me appreciate the trips even more.
I always do sunrise hikes. I go to the beach, eat my favorite foods, and I love driving because I don’t drive in China. Driving makes me feel independent and in control again.
DA: It’s beautiful that you now appreciate the place you once wanted to escape. If your younger self could hear the Homesick Trilogy, what do you think his reaction would be?
M: I never really thought about that. I think he’d be happy because as a kid, I dreamt of a future like this, but it felt impossible and out of reach. Hearing these songs would make me excited and happy knowing I got a chance to do something big. But I’d also be a bit worried. My songs are pretty depressing. I’d probably let my younger self interpret it on his own. That mix of excitement and nervousness is good. That’s still how I feel now, hopeful for the future but aware that everything can change. That imbalance is still there.
DA: What advice would you give someone in a similar situation, wanting to take that next step or risk, whether moving away from home or pursuing a career path?
M: Honestly, take risks. If it’s your passion or the direction you want to go, you need to take it or you’ll never know what could happen. Everything that happened for me was because I took risks. I left what was comfortable for places I’d never lived in. I moved to countries where I didn’t know the language and learned it. Taking risks brought me this far, and I’ll keep taking them. If you don’t try, you’ll never know what could come from it.
Published on December 22, 2025
Words by Daniel Anderson
Daniel Anderson is a disabled Chinese American adoptee based in Seattle. His freelance writing specialties include K-pop, entertainment, and food. He believes that any restaurant can be a buffet, and the key to success is to take a nap each day. Follow his adventures on Instagram @danzstan.