Meet YOKO GAALAAS

We recently connected with YOKO GAALAAS and have shared our conversation below.

Hi YOKO, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose — to live in the music world — has always been there for me since I was very young, I believe. My parents discovered I had perfect pitch when I was 2, and from then on, I started learning the piano and solfege. Later, I also learnt to play the flute and pursued vocal training during my teenage years.
I always find the purest joy when I engage in any musical or sound-related activity, and I’ve come to realise that I am incredibly fortunate to have discovered early on that music is my ultimate life purpose.
The difference between now and then is that I now often seek “sub-purposes” in my life. Or, more like, I tend to evaluate things around my musical life more than I did before. For example, “Is this going to be my new hobby that will inspire me to continue my music journey vibrantly?” or “Is this a life-changing decision I should make immediately, or is it still premature… how will it affect my music career or work?” and so on.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve learnt that even small personal interactions can become part of my creative fuel or motivation, and quite often I find myself looking for those “sub-purposes” in every opportunity I get — since time is not infinite, I try to make the most of it. Although I constantly face the challenge of determining whether the things I encounter truly hold meaning or purpose that will help me grow, I believe that ultimately everything happens for a reason serving my life purpose, music. It might sound corny, but a lot of times I sense that this is a wonderful guiding principle in my life.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am primarily a composer and music director for motion pictures and video games through my own company. Basically, a creator of soundtracks for films, TV shows, commercials, video games, and other types of media including theme park and fashion shows.
As a composer, I specialize in crafting melodious layers of sound and harmonies thanks to my perfect pitch, as I mentioned earlier.
My Japanese background with a touch of British upbringing certainly influences my musical tonality, allowing me to weave rhythms and harmonies rooted in these cultures and their history.
My music director role differs significantly. I closely collaborate with project developers to set and manage music or sound strategies, supervising the creation and implementation of music and sound — either by myself and/or other artists. This involves budgeting, workflow management, and a variety of communicative and logical tasks.
Serving as a liaison between the production and artist/performer teams is demanding but deeply rewarding, and I enjoy the diverse and multifaceted nature of this position.
It’s especially rewarding when it comes to bridging the global team.
For instance, when I worked on one of my most recent projects ‘CAPCOM Fighting Collection 2’ by CAPCOM from Japan as music director, I contributed to producing 20 tracks altogether for a compilation of 8 awesome game titles. And during the long production period, my work duties were consistently in bilingual mode as there were US creators/performers and a Japanese audio production team working together throughout the project.
Although challenging at times, seeing the whole team pleased with the result was extremely satisfying, and it made me proud for sure.
I’ve also got to work as a music writer for this project — the excitement of composing for games I loved as a child was very special indeed.
By the way, the most intense international project I had was ‘Trek to Yomi’, with team members spanning the US, Japan, Scotland, Italy, and Poland. Simply scheduling meetings across so many time zones was an adventure!
Despite the intercontinental crew, the in-game music that I composed stayed authentically Japanese — delving into traditional scales, tuning, and performance tactics to ensure the music still suited the video game world.
And as they say “there is always a rainbow after the rain”, I gained more confidence in producing traditional Japanese music for modern platforms after overcoming stormy challenges and obstacles through this project. A meaningful personal achievement for sure. I also managed to build a long-lasting friendship with the game director now based in Italy, which is certainly a huge plus!
Looking ahead, I look forward to expanding my global collaborations further, and I am grateful to be living in the creative world where borderless connections are possible.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Staying humble, remaining curious, and never giving up but also keeping flexibility at the same time in order to sustain the journey.
These qualities help me more than any other skills or knowledge. It’s important for me to continue to hold a good mindset to navigate the unpredictable and ever-evolving industry I’m in.
Staying humble includes being thankful for every opportunity and everyone I meet, friends or not, I cherish all the encounters. Every interaction offers a chance for growth, just as it does in any field, I believe.
Curiosity. Personally, it is very special as my curiosity consistently leads me to new worlds, fueling my creative energy and/or influencing musicality with fresh perspectives and ideas.
Flexibility, meanwhile, is something I strive for daily; how I can be flexible and versatile like the ocean flows — I see flexibility as a never-ending learning curve. Working alongside diverse artists, embracing feedback, shaping my career around everyday needs, and so on. Things definitely improve when I am more adaptable, and it is an ongoing endeavor. I would reckon this is a key for anyone, at any stage of their career.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

I see this as a happy challenge — I’m currently expecting my first baby, due in about a month.
Starting a family has always been something I’ve dreamed of alongside my music journey, and to be honest, I’m completely excited about this new chapter in my life.
Of course, it won’t be as straightforward as identifying notes in a chord, but just the thought of welcoming new life itself is a huge inspiration. I’m ready to rock ‘n’ roll this new journey with my husband and our baby.
Although parenthood hasn’t begun just yet, I’m doing my best to prepare myself for an adjusted workflow next year, which will likely include increased remote work.
While I cannot foresee everything, I would imagine balancing work and family would be one of the biggest ongoing tasks I will face constantly.
Luckily, I’m surrounded by creative friends who are parents themselves and continuing to thrive in their careers at the same time, and I already feel strongly supported that I have people around me who are willing to give me advice based on their personal experiences.
I bet there will be times when I will need help, and although I’m generally not good at asking for favours, I’m trying to consider this opportunity as a valuable lesson on a whole new level.
It will be an ongoing challenge for the next many years to come where I will need to prioritize things between my personal and professional life, however, I’m convinced it will also be my greatest source of inspiration yet for my music — and I truly couldn’t be happier with it.
My goal is to hold onto the three qualities I’ve mentioned above as much as possible, so I can keep growing as both an artist and a person, especially in challenging moments ahead.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/yokohondagaalaas
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yokohondagaalaas
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokohondagaalaas
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yokohondagaalaas
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/yokohondagaalaas
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3442348/

Image Credits

Kaori Suzuki
Shane Gaalaas