Last Updated on 2025-10-09 by a-indie
Musical Roots and Influences
Three Life-Changing Albums
-Yuuki Takita: I understand that in your teens you loved listening to early 2000s pop-punk and emo hits, and that influence can be felt abundantly in this album as well. If you were to name three albums that influenced your music, which would they be? And for each one, could you tell us what aspects influenced you or share any episodes about them?
Jimmy Eat World “Bleed American”
This one is a fav for obvious reasons but mostly because it was mine and my brother’s favorite alt rock album growing up. We bought the album at Barnes and Noble and we fought over the CD so much, our boomboxes scratched it up so bad it would stutter and skip, so there’s some permanent damage on there. The songwriting and melodies on this album are phenomenal, Jim Adkins voice and lyrics are so memorable and striking. The guitars and the rhythm section are so well thought out and instantly legendary. The flow of the sequence is also perfect. I often revisit this album from time to time and still experience the same catharsis I had when I first heard it.
blink 182 “blink 182” (self titled)
I can’t even begin to describe how important this album was for me. I was OBSESSED with this band, everything about them – their style and attitudes and their band lore. I remember watching the music videos for “Feeling This”, “I Miss You”, and “Down” on MTV before going to school. Even though I was pretty young, I understood that it was a clear departure from their earlier albums and there was something so special about them going in a darker direction. I love their experimentation with production and arrangements, and I remember obsessing over the booklet/liner notes in their CD. Every song is a hit, that Robert Smith song..hit.
Paramore “Riot!”
This just speaks for itself – it’s a powerhouse record made by exceptionally young and talented people. The energy throughout this record is unreal and Hayley’s vocals just soar. I read that she thinks it’s their worst album but it’s hard for me to ignore how influential it was for emo music during that time.
Artists Who Resonate
-Yuuki Takita: Moving on, are there any artists you feel empathy or affinity with recently? I feel that Korean-Canadian artist Luna Li and Australia’s Hatchie, for example, have been influenced by you.
Funny you mention those two, I sang on a Luna Li song and I just co-produced Hatchie’s next record! I definitely feel an affinity with Lexi from Mini Trees. She sang on “Cards On The Table”, that was a real highlight for me. I feel very connected to her songwriting, her voice, and her attention to rhythm. I think she’s one of the most talented, hard working people in music right now.
The Expanding Asian Community
-Yuuki Takita: Recently, I’ve had opportunities to interview artists with Asian roots like SASAMI, Mei Semones, and Laufey, and beyond those artists, there’s clearly more activity from artists with Asian roots and a larger community than before. How do you feel about this situation?
I feel great about this situation! I love Sasami as a person and a friend, she’s an incredibly skilled songwriter/musician.
The 2016 tour I opened for Mitski and Japanese Breakfast changed my life and ultimately showed me how important it is to be in community with other marginalized folks in music.
About the Latest Work “BELONG”
The Meaning Behind the Title
-Yuuki Takita: Now let’s talk seriously about your latest work “BELONG.” First, could you tell us the reason and meaning behind choosing “BELONG” as the title? I think it reflects questions like “where do I belong within the indie rock ecosystem,” but I’d be happy if you could tell us in your own words what emotions and atmosphere are reflected in this. Also, what answer did you arrive at regarding the question of “where do I belong within the indie rock ecosystem”?
“Belong” doesn’t show up in any lyrics or titles, it naturally kept coming up as I was writing and recording. It’s a word I think of often, especially when I’m in unfamiliar spaces or if I feel unsafe or not heard. I’m very shy and consider myself an extroverted introvert, so my social battery runs out very fast and I need to recharge for a while. I find this job to be socially demanding and that can be emotionally draining for me. I overthink my place and role in people’s lives either professionally or in interpersonal relationships, I try to work on my imposter syndrome. I think I’m a jack of all trades type person so I find my strengths lie in collaboration and working with and understanding others because I just find people fascinating, flaws and all. I still don’t know where I belong in the indie rock ecosystem because it’s not a priority for me anymore, I am who I am and that’s chill.
Collaboration with Hayley Williams and Jim Adkins
-Yuuki Takita: This work features Hayley Williams and Jim Adkins as guest vocalists. What kind of discussions and visions did you have while creating songs with them? Could you share any memorable episodes?
Working with Hayley was a true serendipitous moment due to her busy schedule – I opened for Paramore in 2018 for their summer After Laughter tour and she kept in touch with me through the years, checking in about my new album and offering to sing harmonies on a song. She eventually introduced me to our mutual producer friend Steph Marziano, who helped write and produce some songs on my record. Steph and I took a 3 day trip out to Nashville in 2024 with hopes that Hayley would sing on a song and we successfully locked her in on a song we wrote the night before. She was so sweet and so professional, offering crucial ideas for her parts on the song. I’m forever grateful for her kindness and time she spent with us. It’s genuinely crazy to have Hayley Williams on one of my songs, I feel like I won the lottery.
Float was one of the first songs I wrote and towards the end of tracking I remember feeling the urge to have a guy sing on the song, I kept hearing Jim Adkin’s voice and nobody else’s. I’ve never met him but my manager made the connection happen once the idea hit me, he was also very kind and professional throughout the process and on the phone. He immediately understood the assignment and recorded beautiful harmonies that are so distinctly him. Another bucket list collaboration from my wildest dreams.
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