We live in a frenetic world where we often need things that make us feel at peace. Listening to yuzuha’s (@yuzuha.jp) songs it is easy to feel a warmth that makes us see life in a much more tender way.
Sweetness and innocence are attributes still very relevant in Japanese culture. Although yuzuha represents this kawaii spirit, her musical and aesthetic style has always been influenced by rock. This contrast has become one of her hallmarks.
Supported for some years now by the XPEED collective (@xpeed5), yuzuha has just released “click on u” her first single since the 2020 EP “feather”.
Chorareii: First, introduce yourself!
yuzuha: I’m yuzuha, I turned 22 a while ago! I like music, literature, movies, fashion, and many other arts, but lately, I’ve been watching a lot of anime. I even wrote my graduation thesis on Kunihiko Ikuhara. I also like nature, tea, and stuffed animals.
Your music and your style convey a lot of sweetness and purity. Is it easy to find those qualities in the world around us today?
I think that mascots are sweet and pure. They can find the cold places in my heart and heal it. Lately, I have especially loved Koupen-chan!
If you open your heart, animals and plants will also heal you. If you open your heart, you can become a healing person for others. Then you will find sweetness and purity in the world in front of you.
You have been described as a “rock singer” by some media in the past, do you consider yourself that now?
I don’t think so at all! I don’t have a word to describe myself, so recently I have been calling myself “kira kira translator,” I’m translating light into sound.
Tell me how did you start in music. Is it true that you studied music?
I played double bass in the brass band when I was in junior high school, that’s when I first learned basic music theory. I majored in Aesthetics at university and took music classes there too, but I think I took more classes in literature and film.
I didn’t start making music until I was a university student. Until then, I didn’t know anyone around me who made music, and I didn’t have the idea of writing music myself, so I was looking for other ways to express myself. I’ve always loved music, I don’t know why I didn’t realize it!
Your latest release is called “click on u.” Do you think that technology has made us be more or less connected to each other?
Thanks to technology, the possibilities of our future have increased a lot. I think it’s up to us whether we can bring about an exciting future or not.
You can’t see the future coming if you think it’s someone else’s problem. In the last two years, I’ve realized this, and I wanted to make a song with the essence of trance and a sense of anticipation for the future.
Your first ep “feather” was released in 2020. What emotions and thoughts did you want to convey with this ep? Do you feel different now?
“feather” is all about the fragility of life and the sparkle in it. Since I released it, I have had a lot of experiences with people and amazing artworks that have brought a new wind inside me and updated me a lot.
I can feel more clearly what I was expressing in “feather.” I’m more conscious and outgoing and I enjoy and think more than before. This is reflected in “click on u” and the songs I am about to release.
Your music is released by XPEED, how did you get in touch with this collective? What vision do you share with them?
“embrace” was inspired by the members of XPEED who heard the demo and invited me to join. We had the same vibe and became friends very quickly.
We share the same musical roots in rock, but we also share a kind of purity that makes it possible to work together. We care about the beauty of music and other art forms, the beauty of life and the universe, the importance of the unseen.
As both you and XPEED come from a rock background, I would like to ask you, what do you think rock means to today’s generation? What does rock look like for young people in 2022?
I don’t know what other people think about rock, but for me, rock music can release the oppression that we have in our daily lives. Rock is about transforming anger and sadness into positive power so that we can gradually break out of our current situation.
Personally, the rebellious spirit of rock music helps me a lot. We all have our weaknesses, but when I listen to rock music, I feel like I can fight them. I think that kind of power is very important to enjoy life.
For now, you are the only female artist whose music has been released by XPEED. How does that make you feel?
I think my femininity influences the soft light-like image I see beyond the sound. I think that softness is a characteristic of my sound.
The underlying experience of living as an insecure Japanese girl is also something that makes me different from the other members of XPEED. I hope I can be a catalyst for people who are like me to believe in themselves.
Tell me about things you would like to do in the future.
I want to do theme songs and background music for anime, and I would like to become a character myself!
I would also like to tackle environmental issues and child poverty through my music.
Listen to yuzuha’s music and follow her on social media
(⊃｡•́‿•̀｡)⊃━━☆♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪*･｡*･
