Music in the Streets: Gwangju’s Busking World Cup 2025

GN: If “Maura Delgado” is a stage name, how did that name come about?

Maura: Maura Delgado is not only my stage name but also my legal name. Initially I thought of choosing a more artistic moniker but realized that my own name would suit me best. I learned that creating music and living in it, and from it, is who I am. Therefore, I choose to be fully me on and off stage, which to me also meant keeping my legal name as my artistic one.

GN: How did you start off making music?

Maura: Music has always been a part of my life. I didn’t grow up making music, but I did grow up with music. Being the only one who could sing in the family, I was always the one singing in family gatherings and school activities. But it wasn’t until I was invited to participate in a project (The Camp 2021) that I took my first step into the music world. There, I had the chance to create music and record for the first time. It was love at first sight. From there, I had a lot of challenges until I got to where I am today, where I am finally able to pursue my music career.

GN: Why did you go into busking rather than doing gigs in bars and other places?

Maura: Luckily, I am able to do both. I still do other gigs. However, I have this feeling in my heart that my voice deserves to be heard by different cultures and different places, which is why I decided to go into busking. To me, it’s a way of pursuing what I believe in – it’s a way of making a change in me.

GN: How did you hear of the Gwangju Busking World Cup last year?

Maura: In 2024, I was blessed to be accepted into the Atlantic Music Expo in Cape Verde. That was my first experience with a showcase, and guess what, I fell in love. There, I met many people who in a certain way directed me to the Gwangju World Cup, more specifically Cape Verde’s Minister of Culture and Creative Industries, Augusto Veiga.

GN: What do you expect from this year’s Gwangju Busking World Cup?

Maura: From the bottom of my heart, I expect only great outcomes from this experience. Of course, I expect the best performance from myself, but also I am hoping that I get to meet great and talented people. This being my first time in South Korea, it’s already a big thing to me, and the fact that music is what is taking me there is a huge thing. So, I already know the experience is going to be worth it.

GN: What would you want to say to other busking groups out there that are curious about the Gwangju Busking World Cup?

Maura: I would tell them to take a chance on themselves. You have to trust and believe. When I applied, I prayed and trusted I would get picked… look at me now. Don’t doubt yourself, and even if you do, still do it. What is meant for you will come to you, you just need to do your part.

GN: What would you like to say to Gwangju residents and other potential attendees for this year’s event?

Maura: To the Gwangju residents, I would like to say thank you for welcoming me into their home to show my talent. And I am truly hoping we get to experience each other in the best way possible. And to the potential attendees, I would say, allow yourself to enjoy it to the fullest, as an artist but also as an individual. At the end of the day, the artist we become and the art that we make comes from the adventures we allow ourselves to experience.

Gwangju News (GN): Your group is called “Helicopter Secondhand.” How did that name come about?

Cha: In our hometown, which is in a remote district, besides the sound of airplanes, there’s also the sound of helicopters, which excites the kids. It’s a strange sound. Most helicopters in the Thai military are secondhand, so we used that as our band name.

GN: How did you guys meet each other and how did you start off as a band?

Cha: We have been old friends for over 10 years and have always jammed together, so it wasn’t difficult to get the band together to get serious.

GN: Why did you go into busking rather than doing gigs in bars and other places?

Cha: In Thailand in the past, bars, pubs, and other establishments were not yet open to the kind of music we play. There was no space for original music in the style of world fusion music like ours. So we busked to let foreign tourists see it first.

GN: How did you hear of the Gwangju Busking World Cup last year?

Cha: We are always following Gwangju Busking World Cup’s social media.

GN: How is performing at the Busking World Cup different from regular busking at home? What brought you back again?

Cha: The Gwangju Busking World Cup was a very interesting and rewarding experience for us. We got to see and hear music from many talented bands from many countries, listen to music from many cultures, and make friends that we may build on in the future. The weather, food, and beer in Korea are also excellent. So we would like to come again if we have the chance.

GN: Did you also travel to other cities or countries for busking, or do you stick to your home base?

Cha: It’s our dream to travel with our own music, but it requires a large budget, so we have to work hard to create our own original work in order to travel with our own music as artists.

GN: What do you expect from this year’s Gwangju Busking World Cup?

Cha: Besides being able to travel across the ocean to play our songs for everyone and meet new artists, we also hope that if we win the prize money this year, we’ll use it to work in the studio, to create our own full-length album, and to release a vinyl record.

GN: What would you want to say to other busking groups out there that are curious about the Gwangju Busking World Cup?

Cha: We were so happy to meet everyone and all the bands. Besides seeing amazing performances from each team and learning about different musical cultures, we also made new friendships. We were so happy to meet everyone.

GN: What would you like to say to Gwangju residents and other potential attendees for this year’s event?

Cha: Thank you to the people of Gwangju for being the hosts and welcoming contestants from various countries. I hope everyone enjoyed the music and that this event will help promote Korea’s city of arts and music to other foreigners.

The Author/Interviewer

David Jona Richter, born and raised in the extreme south of Germany, is a current graduate student at Chonnam National University. Before coming to Korea in 2022, he spent three years in the U.S. Midwest city of Chicago. Besides his studies, he tries to engage in local communities in Gwangju and elsewhere in Korea.