Life & Work with Manami Osaka of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Manami Osaka.

Hi Manami, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started playing classical piano in Japan when I was four years old, and music has been at the center of my life ever since. Growing up, I was immersed in classical music, studying piano as well as taiko and percussion. I eventually earned my bachelor’s degree in Classical Piano Performance from Tokyo College of Music.

For a long time, I thought my future would be centered around performing. But as I grew older, I became increasingly fascinated by the way music could tell a story beyond the concert stage. I was especially drawn to music for film, television, and games and how it could shape the way we experience a character, a world, or an entire story. That curiosity eventually led me to composition and, ultimately, to Los Angeles.

Moving from Japan to the U.S. was a major turning point for me. I came to Los Angeles to study music and began building a new career here from the ground up. At Los Angeles College of Music, I completed both an Associate degree and a Master of Music, developing my own voice as a composer while also gaining a deeper understanding of the industry.

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects across film, television, and other visual media. In addition to composing, I’ve contributed to projects through orchestration, arranging, and music production. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to work on projects including Netflix’s *My Melody & Kuromi*, as well as television productions for Peacock and Telemundo. These experiences have taught me so much about how music for visual media is created and how collaboration between many different people ultimately brings a project to life.

At the same time, I’ve continued to develop my own voice as a composer. My background as a classical pianist still plays a big role in the way I write, but I also love combining orchestral sounds with electronic elements and modern production. I’m especially interested in creating music that builds a strong emotional connection to a story, whether it’s for film, television, or games.

Today, I’m based in Los Angeles and continuing to build my career as a composer for film, television, and games. I still feel like I’m in the middle of the journey rather than at the destination, and that’s part of what keeps me excited about what I do. There are always new stories to tell, new people to learn from, and new ways for me to grow as a composer.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. When I first came to Los Angeles, there were so many things I had to learn, both musically and in terms of language and communication.

Because my background was primarily in classical piano, I knew very little about music production when I first came to the U.S. Even basic tools that I now use every day, like compressors and reverb, were completely new to me at the time. Even though I had studied music for many years, stepping into the world of composition and production made me feel like a beginner all over again.

One of the biggest challenges was communicating in English. There were many times when I knew exactly what I wanted to say in my head, but couldn’t fully express it in English, whether I was talking about music, asking questions in class, or collaborating with other musicians. I was very fortunate to have teachers and friends who helped me along the way. By asking questions, learning from the people around me, and not being afraid to admit when I didn’t know something, I gradually became more confident both in music production and in communicating in English.

Building a career in Los Angeles after leaving Japan has also been a challenge in itself. I had to build relationships from the ground up, introduce myself and my music to new people, and find ways to turn those connections into opportunities.

But being in that kind of environment taught me not to simply wait for opportunities, but to take action and create them for myself. Reaching out to people, meeting someone new, sharing my music, and continuing to move forward even when something doesn’t work out have all become important parts of my journey. I think those small actions, one after another, have gradually led me to where I am today.

There are still many uncertainties, but I’ve learned that the more experiences I gain, the more they gradually turn into confidence and a stronger sense of direction. I may not always know the right answer from the beginning, but I believe in taking action and gaining experience. Each experience makes the next step feel a little more certain.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m currently based in Los Angeles and work primarily as a composer for film, television, and games. Orchestral music is one of my main strengths, but I also often combine it with electronic and hybrid elements, allowing me to create across a wide range of styles depending on the project and the story. In addition to composing, I also work in orchestration, arranging, and music production.

What matters most to me when creating music is not simply making the music stand out, but thinking about what it can bring to the story and its characters. Music can completely change the way we experience the same scene. I’m especially drawn to the idea of expressing emotions that a character may not be able to put into words, or capturing the atmosphere and identity of the world they inhabit.

A big part of my musical identity comes from my background as a classical pianist. Growing up with classical music gave me a strong appreciation for melody, harmony, and orchestration, while today I also love combining those foundations with electronic sounds and modern production.

At the same time, classical music was never the only music I listened to growing up. I was exposed to a wide variety of music from an early age, including J-Pop, K-Pop, and Western pop music. Being surrounded by music from different countries and genres has shaped the way I think about music today and has encouraged me not to feel limited by a particular genre or cultural boundary. I think one of my strengths is being able to bring together the traditional musical foundation I developed through classical training, the instincts I’ve absorbed from many different styles of music, and the sounds and production techniques used in contemporary music for visual media.

Studying music in Japan and later developing as a composer in Los Angeles has also had a significant influence on my musical perspective. Rather than defining myself through one particular style, I try to naturally incorporate the different experiences and musical influences I’ve gained from both environments into my work.

What I’m most proud of isn’t necessarily one particular project, but the fact that music I’ve contributed to has become part of finished productions and reached audiences around the world. I find a lot of joy in collaborating with directors, producers, composers, musicians, and other creatives to help bring a story to life.

Ultimately, my goal isn’t to create music simply to showcase my own style. I want to create the music that each story needs, while allowing my own musical voice to exist naturally within it. That, to me, is the kind of composer I want to continue becoming.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think the landscape of music for film, television, and games will continue to change significantly over the next five to ten years. New technologies, especially AI, are already changing how quickly music can be created, how we approach the creative process, and the range of skills expected from composers.

Being a composer today already involves much more than simply writing music. Music production, sound design, orchestration, recording, and the ability to understand visual storytelling are all becoming increasingly important. Moving forward, I think composers will need to be open to learning and adapting to new tools and technologies while still maintaining a strong sense of their own musical identity.

The idea of music crossing genres and moving beyond the boundaries of film, television, and games is not new. This has been happening for more than two decades. What I think will continue to evolve is the scale and reach of that crossover. Game music, in particular, increasingly exists beyond the game itself through concerts, streaming platforms, artist collaborations, and other experiences. Music can not only support a project, but also become part of how its world, brand, and community continue to grow over time.

At the same time, no matter how much technology evolves, I believe the human side of creating music will remain essential. Connecting with people emotionally, understanding a story, and communicating and collaborating with directors and other creatives are things that technology cannot simply replace. In fact, as the tools for creating music become more accessible, I think the question of not only “what” we create, but “why” we create it will become even more important.

For me personally, I want to stay open to new technologies and changes rather than be afraid of them. I want to keep learning while also focusing on how I can bring my own experiences, perspective, and musical instincts into the work I create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.manamiosaka.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manamiosaka_music/