Some artists don't just make music — they carry a world with them. When I discovered YUZU's story, I didn't feel like I was reading an interview. I felt like I was following a path, one built step by step, moment by moment, with the kind of sincerity that makes you stop and pay attention. Her journey doesn't start with fame or strategy. It starts with curiosity, with a desire to understand herself, her culture, and the people she meets along the way.

What touched me first was the honesty in her words. She doesn't pretend her career was easy. She doesn't hide the doubts, the financial struggles, the long hours spent in cafés trying to create something meaningful. She talks about those moments with a calm simplicity, as if they were part of a natural process — not obstacles, but experiences that shaped her. That honesty creates a connection immediately. You don't just learn about her; you feel close to her.

Her relationship with tradition is just as striking. She doesn't treat the shamisen as a relic or a symbol. She treats it as a living companion, something capable of evolving, adapting, breathing inside modern music. She blends J-pop with the sound of her roots, not to impress, but to share. She wants people to feel joy, curiosity, and warmth. "Kawaii brings peace to the world," she says — and when she explains it, the phrase stops sounding cute and starts sounding true.

Another thing that stands out is her way of traveling. She doesn't move from country to country like a tourist or a performer chasing stages. She moves like someone searching for human connection. New York changed her rhythm. Ukraine changed her heart. Türkiye changed her perspective on cultural exchange. She listens to people. She learns from them. She carries their stories with her, and those stories become part of her music.

Meeting YUZU through her words feels like meeting someone who walks through the world with open eyes and an open heart. Someone who doesn't chase perfection, but meaning. Someone who doesn't chase fame, but connection. Someone who believes that music can still bring people together, even for a moment.

This interview is more than a conversation. It's a window into a journey shaped by courage, curiosity, and kindness.

YUZU Performance
Frédéric Coune (Paris) • © YUZU
1. Could you introduce yourself to international readers who are discovering you for the first time?
YUZU: I'm YUZU, a Japanese singer-songwriter and shamisen artist. My music combines traditional Japanese music and modern J-pop, centered around singing while playing the shamisen, a traditional Japanese instrument. I've performed in around 30 countries so far.
2. What inspired you to start the "音楽で海外へ行こう" journey?
YUZU: I started my solo career in 2014. At that time, I was singing and playing the keyboard — I hadn't started playing the shamisen or exploring traditional Japanese music yet. Honestly, making a living from music felt almost impossible back then. I was just trying to get by, often sitting in inexpensive cafés with my laptop and working on my music. Around that time, I met Akim Funk Buddha, a New York-based hip-hop performance artist. When I told him I wanted to take my music abroad, he said, "If you come to New York, you'll do great." That made me curious about New York, so I saved up money and traveled there for the first time in February 2015. And he was right — I immediately felt that New York really suited me.
3. How would you describe your musical style and the emotions you want listeners to feel?
YUZU: I would describe my music as a mix of traditional Japanese music and modern J-pop. Akim Funk Buddha once described my style as "Urban Folk," and I think that captures it very well. My latest album, "Kawaii Sensation," is based on the idea that "Kawaii brings peace to the world." "Kawaii" is such a happy word in Japanese, so above all, I want people to hear my music, have fun, and feel a little happier together.
4. Many artists dream of reaching audiences abroad. What does "going overseas with music" personally mean to you?
YUZU: Ten years ago, "going overseas with music" was really just a dream for me. In 2022, I finally had the opportunity to move to New York, where I lived for about a year and 10 months. Today, I'm actually traveling around the world while performing music. In that sense, I'm living the dream I had ten years ago. But along the way, it has come to mean much more to me than simply traveling. Being a musician has given me friends all over the world and allowed me to communicate with people who actually live there.
5. Are there any countries or cultures that particularly influence your music or that you dream of performing in?
YUZU: Outside of Japan, two places have had a particularly strong influence: New York and Ukraine. Living in New York from 2022 to 2024 helped me learn rhythm and improvisation. Ukraine, which I first visited in 2025, completely changed my perspective because of the young people I met there who were bright, strong, and creative. As for somewhere I still dream of performing: Latin America! I've never been there, so I'm extremely curious.
6. What challenges have you faced as a Japanese artist trying to reach international listeners?
YUZU: The biggest challenge is money. Making art financially sustainable is difficult, and the weak Japanese yen has made overseas touring expensive. Surprisingly, language itself has not been one of my biggest difficulties. And there is one very practical challenge: traveling with a shamisen! It looks unfamiliar on an airport X-ray, so I get stopped at security surprisingly often!
7. Can you tell us about your recent activities or projects you're preparing right now?
YUZU: I released my latest album, "Kawaii Sensation," in January 2026, and this year I've been taking the project on tour across Europe. Looking ahead to 2027, one of my biggest projects will be recording a completely acoustic album — really just my voice and shamisen. Now that AI has made highly polished music so abundant, I've started to feel a little tired of perfection. For my next project, I want to explore imperfection, space, and the reality of being a traveling musician.
8. When you create a song, what do you focus on the most — lyrics, melody, storytelling, or emotion?
YUZU: This might be a disappointing answer, but I'm actually quite strategic when I write music! I often work backwards from what I need for a live performance: What kind of song is missing from my setlist? What kind of moment do I want to create on stage? But if I had to choose between lyrics, melody, storytelling, and emotion, perhaps emotion is ultimately the most important because it comes from real experiences.
9. How do you imagine your future as an artist? Do you see yourself collaborating with international musicians?
YUZU: My dream is to remain a performing artist for my entire life — and to keep traveling for as long as I can. I'm fully prepared to keep shouting 'Say Kawaii!' on stage even when I'm 80! International collaboration is already an important part of my journey. From performing with traditional Balinese dance groups to collaborating with Fendika in Ethiopia, I love learning something from each place I visit.
10. What message would you like to share with fans around the world who are discovering your music?
YUZU: If my music inspires curiosity about the shamisen, that would make me very happy. But I also want you to teach me about your culture. I know some of you may be going through very difficult times — like Ukrainians now living abroad, or people from Syria and Sudan. I want you to know that you are not alone. That is what 'Kawaii brings peace to the world' means to me. Maybe music cannot solve every problem, but it can give us a moment to smile together.

Discover YUZU's Artistic Odyssey

Blending traditional Japanese shamisen roots with global J-pop and modern street culture, YUZU redefines international connection and cultural exchange across more than 30 countries.