Life & Work with Rin of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rin.

Hi Rin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi! I’m Rin Nagaya, aka 123, an award-winning music producer, singer, songwriter, DJ, and dancer based in Los Angeles. I was born and raised in Japan and moved to the U.S. at 18 to attend Berklee College of Music, where I discovered my passion for music production and DJing.

While I was at Berklee, I won the Grand Prize and Lennon Award in the 2023 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, becoming the first Japanese artist to receive the award. I graduated in 2024 and moved to Los Angeles to build my career.

Today, I work across a range of projects, producing for artists, commercials, brands, and choreographers, while also DJing and releasing my own original music and remixes. My sound blends hip-hop, electronic music, soul, and Japanese influences, with strong inspiration from house music and ’80s hip-hop.

Being both a producer and dancer, I naturally think about music through movement, storytelling, and connection. I especially love combining unexpected musical ideas and influences to create something fresh and meaningful. My goal is to make music that moves people, both physically and emotionally.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I moved to the U.S. alone when I was 18, with limited English and very little knowledge about the music industry. Starting at Berklee was especially challenging because I was surrounded by incredibly talented musicians, and at first, I often felt like I was behind everyone else.

There were many moments when I questioned whether I was good enough or whether I had made the right decision. But those challenges pushed me to learn quickly, become more independent, and develop my own perspective instead of trying to catch up to everyone else.

Looking back, those difficult experiences became an important part of my growth. They taught me to trust my own voice and keep moving forward even when I don’t feel ready.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My work is very rooted in experimentation. I’m constantly collecting sounds, rhythms, and ideas from different places and trying to figure out how they can interact in a way that feels unexpected but still musical.

As a producer, I’m particularly interested in creating strong grooves and memorable sonic details, while also paying close attention to the emotional character of a track. I enjoy working collaboratively and adapting my approach depending on the artist or project rather than trying to make everything sound like me.

One thing I’m especially proud of is being able to move between very different types of work, from artist records and songwriting to commercial music, DJ sets, and more visual or movement-based projects. I think that versatility has helped me develop a broader understanding of how music functions beyond just the recording itself.

What sets me apart is probably my curiosity. I don’t want to stay inside one genre or creative role. I’m always asking, “What happens if I put these two things together?” and that mindset is a big part of how I create.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Risk-taking has been a major part of my life. I’ve always been someone who would rather fully commit to something than keep a safe backup plan. In a way, I’ve never really had a Plan B, and I think that has pushed me to move faster and take my goals seriously.

When I was in high school in Japan, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in music and move to the U.S. to study at Berklee. Teachers, friends, and even my family tried to convince me not to do it. At the time, I had very little experience in music, knew very little about living in the U.S., and there was no guarantee that I would be able to make money from music. From their perspective, it was a huge risk.

But I think that uncertainty was exactly what motivated me. Because I had committed so much to that decision, I had to figure things out and keep moving forward instead of waiting until I felt completely ready.

Looking back, I don’t think taking risks means being careless. For me, it means being willing to choose an uncertain path when it feels meaningful, and then taking responsibility for making that choice work. Today, the same people who once worried about my decision are some of the people who support my career the most. That experience taught me that sometimes you have to be willing to believe in something before other people can see it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/123makingmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rin.nagaya.2025/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@123rinnagaya5
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rin-nagaya/tracks

Image Credits
Rene Mascarenas