Today we’d like to introduce you to Yoyo Nagase.
Yoyo, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Truthfully, music did not play a central role in most of my growing up. My parents are immigrants from Japan and Taiwan, and they placed a lot of emphasis on hard work and studying for me and my brother. As a creative outlet, they did sign me up for classical piano and violin lessons, but I never got too into that. What I really was into was sports: baseball, soccer, and basketball.
I did start getting into pop music as a teenager, and there’s actually a funny story about how I would listen. When I would get home from school, I would spend my evenings studying, doing homework, and some computer coding. But my parents wouldn’t let me listen to music while I did work because they thought it was too distracting. So I would listen to the music sneakily by coding my own video games and setting my favorite songs as the soundtracks to the games. That’s how I listened to Jay Sean, Iyaz, and Sean Kingston for the first time as a teenager!
Throughout middle school, my interest in singing was growing, but I never really explored it. To be honest, I was really self-conscious about my voice. It’s a really vulnerable thing to sing in front of other people, so I only sang in private–my room, the shower, or in the house alone. First year of high school, my love for singing finally overcame my embarrassment, and I joined my school’s acapella group. It was there that I got more practice with singing techniques and performing in front of other people, which was a huge step for me.
Fast forward to the pandemic–I didn’t want to do another year of classes on Zoom, so I decided to take a gap year. I had a lot of time on my hands, and I started to play around in Logic. I immediately fell in love with the process of building song concepts from the ground up, and eventually, I was working on drafts that would become my first single “City Lights.” It still feels surreal that an mp3 file that I created right in my apartment is now on Spotify. The moment the song went live, I had an incredible rush of emotions: a mix of pride, excitement, and nerves. I also knew immediately that this was a feeling I wanted to chase–I wanted to keep releasing music.
After “City Lights”, I reached out to Seattle producer Jake Crocker and started working on my second song “rocket ship”. I have learned an incredible amount from him – the storytelling behind lyrics, the importance of simplicity, and the art of intonation. I will never forget the first time I stepped in the studio. I was so nervous that I could barely hold onto my lyrics notebook. Today, I work with many incredible producers such as producer Axel Hejlsberg and write music almost everyday. I can’t wait to share what I have been working on with everyone!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I sometimes struggle with self-confidence and anxiety when it comes to my music. Since singing became a part of my life so late in the process, it was incredibly difficult to develop the confidence to release my first song “City Lights.” Growing up, I never thought about being a singer. I didn’t have voice lessons and as a result, I never fully loved my voice. During the pandemic, whenever I made any demos, I only showed it to my roommates and even then, I was hesitant. In fact, I started to like my music less because of the stress I felt hearing my own voice recorded. The thought of putting myself and my music out there to one stranger much less the world was greatly anxiety-inducing.
One time I sent a demo to my little brother. He works in marketing, and he told me that I made good music and there are billions of people in the world and there are bound to be a few who will love it. It took some time to internalize his words, but eventually it has been my guiding light whenever I feel the anxiety building up again. I now remind myself that no one expects perfection in a song but instead looks for a story they can relate to. Self-confidence can still be hard from time to time, but the little interactions I have with my friends, families, and fans make it all worth it. My grandmother was so excited to listen to my music that she shared it with all her friends. People from all over the world have messaged me about how much they love my music. These small moments make the whole process worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a singer/songwriter, I am most proud of my ability to tell a relatable story with my lyrics. In my first song, “City Lights”, I reflect on the incredible feeling that I have when I get to be with my girlfriend. The lyrics highlight the little moments like driving at night to more serious topics like love and the permanence of relationships. In my second song “rocket ship” I work through the confusion of a long-distance relationship with the constant feeling of love and yet, doubt. And wishing that somehow the space between us didn’t feel so daunting. The song that I am releasing on October 1st called “sunrise” is about finally getting back together, seizing that moment in every way possible, and leaning into the desire of hanging out 24/7. I am proud that I am able to have these experiences and describe them in my lyrics for others to relate to.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can find me on Instagram @yoyonagase, on TikTok @yoyonagasemusic, and on my website yoyonagase.com. I love collaborations and working with new people so really feel free to reach out!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: yoyonagase.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoyonagase/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YoyoNagase/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc6blU4BP4hGudBoT3_q0BA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yoyonagasemusic
Image Credits:
Vikram Dhawan TJ Noel-Sullivan
