Artist Profile: Peggy Gou on Hard Work and Why She Does It All

South Korean DJ, singer, songwriter, and producer Peggy Gou is unstoppable. She just played a sold out show in Brooklyn. She visited Cambridge to speak at the Harvard Business School. In between events, she sat down for an interview with The Crimson where she shared thoughts on her music and the values that drive her.

Gou’s career has exploded astronomically. Although previously well-known in dance and electronic music scenes, her recent hit “(It Goes Like) Nanana” marked her breakthrough into mainstream recognition. The groovy dance track was her first Top 10 hit in the UK, was in the Top 40 of the Billboard Global 200, and to this date has garnered over 500 million streams on Spotify.

Gou shows no signs of slowing down. For her, success is defined by her own ambitions.

“From outside, the world, they can think that I’m already successful. But my idea of success is that I’m not done yet,” Gou said.

This drive comes from a steadfast commitment to the quality of her music. She wants to create “timeless music,” the kind that “people love after 20 years.” More than that, she does not want to be constrained by conventional ideas of what a hit or a summer song should be. Her music is more organic, more personal.

“I think it is more important for me to keep doing what I believe, instead of just focusing on making a hit,” Gou said. “Because if I focus on that, I think I will lose what I have, you know, a lot of things that I value.”

Her dedication to her growth as a musician is visible in the release of her first full-length album, “I Hear You,” this June. For Gou, moving from releasing EPs as a DJ to releasing an album was “like a step to a musician.”

Although she had wanted to release the album four years ago, she was held back by her own perfectionist tendencies.

“Once the album is out, you know, it's going to be there forever, even when I die as well,” Gou said. “So I wanted to make it right, and when I finished it this year, it felt like the right time to do it.”

While she admits that at times she can be harsh on herself, Gou sees this constant self-reflection as a strength.

“Everything that I have done was a very good lesson for me, but it was only a good lesson for me because I owned it,” Gou said, sharing advice for young musicians everywhere.

Part of the album was born during the pandemic, a period in which Gou realized the importance of having sufficient time and headspace for creative reflection and inspiration.

“I know it was a very difficult time for a lot of people, but for me it made me realize so many things that I've been missing, I've been taking for granted,” Gou said, reflecting on her time back in South Korea during the pandemic. “I was listening to music again, differently, appreciating music a bit more.”

She’s taken these lessons with her even as she tours internationally and performs sets at Boiler Room events. She never loses sight of her aim: creating good music.

“I do say a lot: creative people need to do, sometimes, need to do nothing to be able to be creative”, Gou said. “Touring is great to connect with fans, and, you know, it's fun, but I don't want to forget my real job.”

Nevertheless, being a DJ remains a euphoric, magical experience for her — a moment where she will “forget everything” no matter how sad or tired she is. It is something she struggles to describe.

“I get super excited. I still get nervous, believe it or not,” Gou said, sharing a rare moment of insight into what goes on behind the DJ booth. “But those two hours always make me feel like I'm so glad I this is why I'm doing what I'm doing.”

Another key aspect of her creativity is her identity. She is proudly Korean and even as her platform becomes more international she continues to feature Korean vocals in her music. Gou makes it clear that the decision to sing in Korean comes from love of her heritage.

“Since I was 15, I moved to London, and my parents taught me to, always told me, not to lose the connections, and this was why I didn't want to lose the language,” Gou said.

At the time, she did not know of anyone else who had sung in Korean in electronic music, so she took the opportunity to try it out for herself.

Her creative choices have paid off. In the international song category at the 2024 Brit Awards, she was the first Korean artist to be nominated.

Looking to the future, she wants to see more Asian artists as the electronic music scene continues to grow in Asia and beyond.

“House and techno music is growing faster than when I just started. It was always EDM, even in Asia,” Gou said. “We didn't really have house and techno scene before, but when I go now it’s the opposite. So I do feel like we are in a good path. So I just hope that this keeps on going.”

When asked about her own future, Gou maintains a level of mystery. It’s not just because she wants to be private. She wants to give herself the flexibility to change her mind and pursue what interests her in the moment.

“I don't talk about my next plan. It's something that I always keep to myself” Gou said. “We have a saying in Korea that people's minds change 12 times per day. So I could tell you that I want to do this. I'm going to do this today. That might change after one month. That's why I do have plans in my head, but it's something that I would like you to find out.”

Still, Gou does let on one update about her life — she’s moving to London. Always looking for new inspiration has led her to look for a change in environment.

“I just moved my house to London, and I'm working on the studio,” Gou said, sharing about her next steps. “When that's ready, I want to work on something else, and maybe something a little bit different to the album that I just released.”

It is hard to predict what’s coming up next for Gou. One thing is for sure: she’ll make sure it’s unapologetically hers.

—Staff writer Sean Wang Zi-Ming can be reached at sean.wangzi-ming@thecrimson.com.