Interview: GEMINI Dives Deep Into his Music, Inspirations, and “STILL BLUE” Tour!

South Korean R&B Artist, GEMINI, began his first North American tour this month. With 8 shows in the US and 2 shows in Canada, GEMINI has promised his North American fans a hip hop/ R&B experience they will never forget!

The world was first introduced to GEMINI in 2020 as he was part of H1GHR MUSIC's first compilation album, "H1GHER : BLUE TAPE," on the song, "Champagne Diet," with Jay Park, ph-1, GroovyRoom, and 28AV. Since then, GEMINI has released solo music starting with his single, "Going." His first EP, "Inside Out," released in 2021, reached number 2 on the iTunes R&B/ soul chart and featured collaborations with artists such as Seori, pH-1, CAMO, and WOODZ. With 1.3 million listeners on Spotify, GEMINI doesn't look like he will be slowing down any time soon.

For his current tour, GEMINI will perform songs off his new EP, "STILL BLUE," which was released in December of last year. It garnered a lot of attention with its mellow vibes and unique sound. Along with the EP, GEMINI released a music video for one of the more upbeat songs on the album called, "Rollercoaster." The "STILL BLUE" tour began on March 16th in Toronto and will end in Vancouver, BC on March 27th. This month, BroadwayWorld was given an opportunity to have some questions answered by GEMINI through a virtual call. He spoke about his music, inspirations, and "STILL BLUE" tour! His answers were translated from Korean to English by a translator. Read the full interview below!

To start, GEMINI was asked about his new EP, "STILL BLUE" and the melancholic vibes of each song. When asked about the creative process for it, he said, "I was in a very rebellious phase with my music and there were a lot of things I wanted to express. I wasn't able to do it at first, but when I met my producer, he was able to bring my vision to life." With this vision, GEMINI wanted the EP to sound like one song all together so it would tell a story. "I don't think there is an end to this album" he says. GEMINI elaborated by saying, "there is a beginning and a middle. When my next album comes out, it will pick up where this one left off."

To continue, GEMINI talked about the track that changed the most from the beginning to the final release version. He said, "they all changed a lot, but the second song, "Bad," changed the most! "Bad" is a song that I made 1-2 years ago and I just wanted to recreate the song to sound more new and fresh."

The EP definitely had more experimentation compared to previous songs and EPs. Gemini stated that it was the movie, "Fight Club," that inspired the track listing and overall vibe of the EP. He said, "I really like the movie "Fight Club." The movie has a very melancholic feel! I don't think that feeling is sad and I think it is a feeling you can really enjoy." GEMINI said that his favorite song off the EP changed everyday but was currently "Love Is Banned." He wasn't sure why, but said he loved listening to it on a daily basis when he was on his way to his company's office. When asked about this writing style, GEMINI described it as "spontaneous." Through jam sessions with his producer, he said that they were able to come up with many melodies that acted as a base for a lot of his songs.

Looking back, GEMINI always wanted to be a part of the hip hop and R&B scene. Drawing inspiration from many artists, GEMINI knew he would be able to make his dreams come true just like them. Before he started music, he listened to a lot of Frank Ocean and still listens to him now along with artists, Tame Impala and Steve Lacy. Being a singer, rapper, and producer, GEMINI has shown a lot of versatility as an artist. When we asked him about where his love for music stemmed from, he said:

"I always wanted to be a singer. When I was in elementary school, they had us write what our dreams were. I wrote that I wanted to be a singer! When I started to watch MTV, I saw a lot of pop artists and their music videos. After watching them, I got very inspired which further built up my love for music."

When asked about the "STILL BLUE" tour, GEMINI said:

"This is my first North American tour and I am very nervous but looking forward to what's to come! Since it is the "STILL BLUE" tour, I really wanted to portray that feeling and atmosphere. I've been thinking about rearranging and remixing some of my older songs to fit the ambiance of the tour. I am preparing a lot for all my shows and I just wish that my fans will come, have fun, and enjoy themselves. I hope to see all of you soon!"

GEMINI's TOUR SCHEDULE is as followed:

GEMINI will play in Vancouver, BC at the Hollywood Theatre on March 27th, 2023. Tickets are available at the link below!

Photo credit: @AREA, MODO LIVE, and UNBOUND ENTERTAINMENT 2023