You’re Witnessing the Rise of G. Nine

After years of experimentation, the Korean singer-songwriter has found his place in music. But he says, “I'm not entirely satisfied with where I am right now. I know there's more to explore and accomplish as an artist.”

G. Nine is trying to capitalize on an event that’s happened to him twice before. 

This year, the South Korean singer hit viral success with his single “red flags”, a song that he released in April before it skyrocketed to over 1 million streams. The song’s success, which is now part of his EP “closure”, came as a surprise to G. Nine, who friends sometimes call “G.”. But it was accompanied by a strange feeling of deja vu. Six years ago, the singer watched in bewilderment as “she said”, a song he released on SoundCloud at 16 years-old, blew up unexpectedly. “I was just an ordinary kid so I watched the view count grow and felt a mix of excitement and bewilderment,” he told me with a laugh. “I didn’t know how to promote it further.” 

There was no real way to promote the song either because in 2017, viral success only lasted as long as a song was being played on SoundCloud or Spotify. It’s not like G. could make a sound from it to use on TikTok. The song’s popularity bolstered his confidence, though, and encouraged him to continue to drop new music. A year later, “gallery”, another song from SoundCloud, exploded in popularity. This time, the Korean music community was beginning to take notice. But G. felt cheated out of this success because neither song was released officially, meaning he could never earn a dime off their streams. “I was sitting  there crying and regretting not releasing those two songs,” he said.

When G. dropped “red flags” in the spring, he had no reason to believe it would do better than his previous releases. His music numbers were growing steadily each year, but nothing had replicated the white hot success of those SoundCloud singles. But then, the third time seemed to be the charm. In July, “red flags” was picked up on TikTok, and almost overnight became an underground hit in the R&B scene. 

G. wasted no time capitalizing on the success. “I promoted the fuck out of the song and was able to get a good result overall,” he said. The success of “red flags” convinced G. that it was also time to pull together an EP.  

“Originally, I was just going to release a few singles this year. But when ‘red flags’ blew up, it sparked an idea to bring together the other three scheduled singles, namely ‘i see you,’ ‘eventually,’ and ‘closure,’ as they represented the musical era I find myself in at this moment,” he explained. “I wanted this EP to serve as a turning point in my music, a declaration that this is where it all begins or like a glimpse into what I have in store for the future.”

Whether you’ve followed G.’s music since his debut in 2019 or when he first went viral, you’ll know that his music has evolved greatly over time. I’d been a fan of G.’s music long before we met, but the maturity of “closure” surprised even me: the way his deep voice carries over the production like honey; the subtlety and sincerity in the songwriting. This is, he says, his most authentic work to date. 

What first drew G. to music was hip-hop, particularly the popular South Korean competition show “Show Me The Money”, and BOBBY, the season three contest who became a rapper in iKON was his favorite rapper. “When I saw his performance on TV, it gave me chills and made me want to be like him or make music like him,” he remembered.

BOBBY’s incendiary performances inspired him to make covers of his favorite rap songs with his friend Roman Kayz, a Korean singer-songwriter who he met in fifth grade after both boys’ families moved to Thailand. Roman and G. attended an international school, where they learned English and developed a close bond over music. When he looks back at music from that time period, G. joked that he’d probably title the mixtape "finding myself” or “experimenting in progress”. 

“There wasn't a sudden turning point that hit me and made me completely into a different person but as the time passed by, it allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of myself and the world,” he said as he thought back to when the music began to change. “That growth was mirrored in my music. It was a continuous journey of self-discovery and reflection that shaped my artistic expression.”

What really happened, G. estimated, is that he grew up. And as he matured as a person, the music naturally became more sophisticated. G. was beginning to understand his artistry, and the kind of musician he wanted to be known as. “I wanted my songs to feel more real, have more real emotions, more raw and more frank or honest lyrics,” he said. “I became more focused on capturing genuine emotions and conveying raw honesty in my songs.”

“I didn’t know what kind of music I should stick to or what my voice would fit best in and what people would like,” he said. So, he tried whatever felt right. He was adventurous with the music that inspired him, and unapologetic that he might change his mind later.

“But I am not embarrassed about my earlier songs. When I look back on my earlier songs, I see them as a crucial part of my musical journey,” he insisted. “Each song I cremated during that period was like a piece of a puzzle, slowly revealing the bigger picture of who I am as an artist. Without that phase of exploration and experimentation, I wouldn't be who I am now.” 

Most importantly, G. was free to try new sounds and textures that pointed him to where he is now. “While [that music] may not align perfectly with my current artistic direction, they provided me with the necessary foundation and experience to grow as an artist,” he said. “I gained a deeper understanding of my strengths, preferences, and the type of music that truly resonates with me.” 

G. knows that for fans, too, seeing his evolution is illuminating. As he’s grown up, so have many of the listeners who found him on SoundCloud. “I feel like [the older music] allows my fans to understand the path I have traveled as an artist and deepens their connection to your music,” he said. Then added with a laugh, “So basically it’s like a biographical documentary but it's through music.”

G. considers himself an “extreme introvert”, so the creation of “closure” all happened in his bedroom. 

“I feel so comfortable in my space,” he said. “It allows me to pour my emotions and creativity into the songs.” G. kept the circle tight while working on “closure”. He wrote all of the tracks here himself, except for “i see you” and “red flags”, which he co-wrote with Roman. The EP was produced by G.’s friend FNDGuitar, who he communicated with online and through DMs.  “Their input and encouragement played a significant role in shaping the final product,” he said. 

G. was heavily influenced by alternative R&B as he produced the EP, too. “I don’t want to sound like a simp, but I fell in love with Daniel Caesar's music earlier this year,” he laughed. “His approach to songwriting struck a chord with me, and I found myself drawn to the way he conveys emotions through his music.” 

G. is wary of imitating any certain artist, but Daniel’s music helped him narrow down the kind of art he wants to make. “It has helped me refine my artistic path and find my own unique voice within the vast musical landscape,” he added. 

“closure” is a short EP, with four tracks that clocks in just under fifteen minutes, but G. was meticulous in its creation. He dedicated a significant amount of time to recording and songwriting in an attempt to perfect the music. “I went through multiple iterations, deleting and rewriting parts until I felt they truly captured the essence of what I wanted to convey,” he explained. While the songs cohesively form a narrative, G. was intentional in giving each track a distinctive emotions and themes. But he wanted to include “an intentional twist” for listeners that, if you pay attention to, you can piece together a storyline. As a result, the EP opens at the end of the relationship and retraces the steps to when a guy first meets the girl he fell in love with. 

On “red flags”, the first track in the story, G.  wrote about the side effects of one-sided love. In this song, the narrator hasn’t confessed his feelings yet, and as a result is stuck in an unrequited yearning. “It sets the stage for the journey that unfolds throughout the EP,” he said. 

“The second song, "i see you," portrays the moment when two individuals become a couple,” he said, explaining that it’s a “celebration of their connection”. While “red flags” took off, I was most drawn to “i see you” because of the intimacy in the lyrics. 

By “eventually”, though, the best parts of the relationship have passed and what’s left is a bittersweet feeling. “This is where the story takes a turn, and the relationship comes to an end,” G. said, adding that though they agreed to break up, “the emotions are still raw and difficult to process.”

“Closure”, the story’s final track, represents a sense of healing and finding a new perspective for G. “This represents the phase after the breakup, where peace and acceptance finally come into play,” he said. ‘It's a sense of finding closure and moving forward.”

Last week, as Spotify Wrapped playlists circulated out to fans and artists, G. realized that he doubled his streams in just one year, bolstered in part by “red flags”. “You’re witnessing the rise of G.Nine,” he wrote to his followers as he shared he now has 2 million streams. It’s not lost on G. that his most successful year came after he finally found his artistic voice. “The reason my earlier songs sound different from the ones on the EP is because I was a bit lost and unsure of my artistic direction at that time,” he reflected. The earlier music, G. told me, “pushed my creativity to the limits”. If his teenage years and early twenties were for experimentation, right now, G. would like to develop a style that is entirely his own. 

“I don't want to make mediocre or cliché R&B songs,” he bristled. “Other, thousands of R&B artists are already doing that. Instead, I want listeners to recognize my distinct sound and say, ‘Oh, this sounds like a G. Nine's song!’”

There’s already plans for new music next year with the possibility of releasing another EP. But mostly, G. is eager to carve out his own path as an artist; to show people that really is no one else like him because of his sensitive, almost cinematic, songwriting. And his voice – there’s something magnetizing about it. 

“While I appreciate the recognition and success I've experienced so far, I'm not entirely satisfied with where I am right now. I know there's more to explore and accomplish as an artist,” he told me. “But this year has been incredibly significant for me. It has served as the groundwork for what is to come in the future. The experiences and growth I've experienced have helped solidify my artistic image and vision. I've learned so much about myself as an artist and what I want to convey through my music.”

There has always been a restless energy in G. to prove himself. As he’s released music, shifting from hip-hop to R&B, he’s told us about himself: how he’s matured to become a confident artist; how he has dealt with heartbreak or first love. That fire has only grown this year.

“I have this inner drive and determination to keep growing, learning, and refining my craft,” he added. “I know that there's always room for improvement, and I'm excited to see where my journey takes me.”