Mei Semones is Doing What She Wants, and Wants the Same for You

Words by Matthew Spence:

Dope, you guys made it! And on time too, granted, it always helps to tell people the scheduled time is 2 hours earlier than actuality, but either way. I see you read my notes. Everyone has their IDs? We’re all dressed to impress and ready to FUCK SHIT UP… at our local library… Don’t boo me; you still showed up! Now, rendezvous at your favorite library—local, silent, or SpongeBob’s—and jolly stroll through each section (because there’s always that one person who puts the book back in the wrong section) from A to Z with your page-turning finger. You can bet your soul and a nickel that you won’t find a useful book on “How to Musician for Dummies,” whether authorized or unauthorized. And that’s a shame. Because here at the Cherry Library, we’ve inherited the musical Bible, so to speak. Kept in a secluded section to make sure it doesn’t get into the wrong hands. “How to Be a Musician: An Unauthorized Guide to Dopeness.” It’s like a never-ending book that people add more notes and examples to. Now, when we combine and activate our Wonder Twins powers, we can stop the wondering and wandering for the answers. Obviously, there’s no definitive right way to be a musician. Every artist creates differently, thinks differently, and sleeps differently; some only see blue while others smell it. And when mixing the creative melting pot, learning about your favorite artists —whether through books, interviews, or within or outside of the music—you’ll catch on to a universal trait that stretches like elastic to many artists from every corner of the globe: unfiltered passion.

Think about it, there are so many genres and subgenres within those genres that you can stir up a bowl of alphabet soup, subtract the vowels, and still manage to spell a genre of music. Yet, no matter the sound or the upbringing, you can’t simply teach the passion. You can probably have it installed in you by 2035, but until then, you can’t teach it, but you can most definitely inspire it.

 

And its result is an example: Damn, how did we get here?”

A true butterfly effect of what the power of music/art can do. Listening to the right song at the right time can knock down the first domino, blink three times, and now you’re creating art that may inspire others. How to Be a Musician” isn’t about get-rich-quick tricks or the neurological science behind why you make music, but a collection of stories and a great frame of reference for showcasing the countless talented artists of the 20th and 21st centuries that continue to push forward by creating what they want, all with an intimate bond with the craft of their outlet. It’s a free-roam sandbox to do what you want. Now, more than ever, we have access to so many artists who could and who are adding their name to the Gen-Z portion and can have their own chapter in the book. One nominee, Mei Semones.

 

If you’re unfamiliar with that name, don’t worry, yo, ’cause she’s a Brooklyn-based indie J-pop talent you’re gonna get used to pretty soon. Building her way up to Indie Darling status, project by project. Now, in May of this year, she released her debut album, “Animaru,” not only pushing forward in her artistry but also exploring what more she can do with her sound that involves the likes of bossanova, jazz influence, and alternative; and her songwriting that dual-wields two languages (English and Japanese) like two keyblades.

 

Crafting not only a remarkable debut album but also cementing why she’s deserving of the spotlight that’s been getting brighter and more over the past few years. As of 2025, she’s creating sound waves that people are flocking to and will flock to sooner or later.

With her blend/influence of jazz, bossanova, alternative music, her heritage, and local scenes, Mei Semones’ music is colorfully magnetic and eclectically dynamic. Reeling in listeners with her melodies that can range from feeling sonically cuddly to a bit confrontational.

 

All delivered with her guitar skillset that goes beyond the hardest level on Guitar Hero. Mei’s jazz guitar background helps her hold her own to go lick for lick, riff for riff, and melody for melody with your favorite guitarist. Gaining a following of listeners across many music circles, she feels like the perfect example of the artist who you put your homie on to. Vice versa, etc. I wonder who put Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers onto her music, as he made it clear that he’s a proud fan of her work. Her music just elucidates what you can do with your heart and love of music. She creates while doing her best to keep a peace of mind, like many people in a lot of fields. Mei is another great case of an artist in a class I call “Fortunately Introverted, Miraculously Extroverting.” A bit shy and introverted, yet doing the most extroverted thing ever. However, the priority is the art, not necessarily the attention they may get from it. “Making music is what I wanna do and is what I love,” as she elaborated to me in the interview. And with her jazz background, it makes sense that she has the artistic passion of many of her influences.

 

She’s a class act on the list of many who get out of their shell to create and perform and immediately go home after the show. Respecting and pampering her boundaries and possibly evading annoying interactions, she’d probably have to entertain sometimes.

 

 

Surrounded by music as a kid, due to her dad being a musician himself, Mei wasn’t foreign to a musical landscape, but her music entry started a little bit earlier than some, as at 4 years old, while balancing the tasks of coloring and staying in the line, she would be learning to play classical piano (thanks, Grandma!). But in a few years later, on a bomb-ass movie night, her musical palate would get a refreshing mixture when she watched Marty McFly introduce not only just the confused teens of Hill Valley High School but also 11-year-old Mei Semones to good old rock and roll. Back to the Future

 

 

Now, I’m not sure where it ranks in her top 5 favorite films; hell, I don’t even know what she’ll rate it on Letterbox, but that iconic scene rewired her musical brain to think musically haywire. By the time she was a pre-teen, she picked up and dug into her 90s alternative crates, listening to bands like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins and trying to learn their songs on guitar. By the time middle school rolled around, she began writing songs. Transitioning to high school, the teen was taking influences from jazz greats like John Coltrane and much more, ultimately leading her to join her school’s jazz program. However, by the time junior year came, there wasn’t a conventional career path she was driven for; music was not necessarily the only option, but just the one thing that had her interest the most. Music was the pursuit of happiness, and when graduation time came, she decided to pursue it further with the education system: she applied, auditioned, and got accepted into Berklee College of Music. Walking the stomping grounds of icons and legends like Quincy Jones, St. Vincent, John Mayer, etc., is where she found herself and her sound. Revising her and honing her songwriting and guitar playing by fusing jazz elements into her attempt at pop songwriting. Establishing her bilingual approach to lyrics, with some lyrics being English and others in Japanese.

 

Sweetening the deal, she met her bandmates and became engulfed by the Boston music scene. With the release of an official debut single, “Hfoas,” in 2020, Meis’s debut project wouldn’t be seen until 2022, the Tsukino EP. Those 5 tracks would get the attention of her current label, eventually releasing her second EP, 2024’s Kabutomush. With two EPs under her belt, May 2, 2025, would be a special calendar date marked for her on Bayonet Records, and she released her debut album, Animaru.

 

 

Tackling themes of doing what you feel is right, love, and so on and so forth, it’s a debut that can soundtrack one’s world in a time of need and comfort. Animaru isn’t just a collection of songs but what feels like a tour guide of her world, led by intricate yet colorful melodies and personable lyrics to help guide you through the underbelly of her thoughts and emotions, as well as the sunny side of her mind. But don’t be afraid to do some free roaming away from the group, while the interchange of English to Japanese may throw people off in some form. That’s ok, because that gives more free range to let you focus on the emotions of her words and lyrics.

The album opener “Dumb Feeling” feels like a serotonin boost and immediately showcases the enjoyment you’ll get with the rest of the project and amplifies why she’s one of the most musically addictive artists out right now.

 

The tracks “Norwegian Shag” and “Rat with Wings” are two individual songs that segue so seamlessly into each other that it feels like a crime to not have them play together as one whole song. It feels like one big story, from the prologue to the conclusion. Yet, if you do split it in half and listen to one in a playlist, they’re still amazing.

 

 

Musically, acoustic guitars are a bit more present than electric, and don’t worry, it’s not a truly unplugged album. Electrics still play a role throughout. Think Nirvana’s “Unplugged” episode (if you know, you know). Don’t believe the hype? Just look at the other rave reviews from big-time players in music reviews/journalism. There’s no debate that Animaru is an Album of the Year contender and will end up on countless year-end lists (including mine).

Sometime in April (a week or two before my birthday), before the release of Animaru, I got to chat with Mei for a quick interview. From talking about her album, music, and other stuff that may or may not make the interview. It was dope. Enjoy. (Two introverts get on a video call, right?)

 

Have you stopped to embrace everything (gearing up to release her debut album, cosigns from many, seeing people covering her music, etc.) lately?

I don’t know if I have technically stopped to do that. I feel like just everyday it’s something that I’m working towards in thinking about. I’m definitely grateful for and happy to be where I am, now doing it full time and all that, but I guess there hasn’t been a specific moment where I thought about all of those things together. I’m like one of those people who just stays busy, you know. I like to be doing stuff every moment of the day, so it’s hard for me to stop and think.

Animaru, why that title?

The reason I picked that one specifically is because one of the main themes on the album is trusting your instincts and following what feels right for you, and that’s kinda what the song “Animau” is about. Animals, they follow their instincts. They eat when they want, sleep when they want, that type of thing. I thought that was appropriate for that to be the title of the album. Also, I think it has a nice ring to it as a word.

 

What songs in particular are you excited for people to hear from the album?

Definitely, to say the whole album, I love all the songs, but if I had to pick a few in particular, I’m excited about Tora Moyo, also the title track, and there’s a song called “Rat with Wings” on the album I’m excited about.

Love is a motif throughout your songwriting. With that in mind, what is your love language?

I don’t know; that’s a good question. Maybe…gift-giving a little bit? But also, physical touch and also trying to be there for someone, you know, when they need something.

Describe your sound in 3 words.

Maybe soft, dynamic, and what’s another word… straightforward.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how introverted are you?

I’m pretty introverted, I think, like an 8 or a 9 even. I don’t know; I’m not really extroverted at all. Maybe in some ways, I guess artists kinda have to be extroverted because you’re performing and playing music in front of people. But, in terms of my life, on average, my social life, I’m not, like, going out and hanging out with people really that much.

 

Teaching at Berklee for a day: What song of yours would you play for a lesson?

That’s hard, I guess; it depends on what I’m trying to teach. In general, maybe either ‘Dumb Feeling” or “Zarigani,” cause I feel those songs have a good amount of chords that would equal to talk about how they’re moving and everything.

When it comes to interchanging between English and Japanese lyrics, do you ever worry/think about people missing the full context of the song, or is it that no matter how they experience the song, it’s fine?

Yeah, I’d say probably more towards the latter of the last thing you said. I’m not too particularly concerned about whether people understand what the lyrics mean or if they’re missing anything. If you like the music, you like the music, and I think that’s great. You like the song; it doesn’t really matter if you understand the lyrics. It’s more about the feeling behind the music, for me, personally.

Do you feel you have a balance of being meticulous and being organic/going with the flow?

Yeah, I’d definitely say there’s a balance or trying to find a balance there. In terms of my writing, it’s kinda like what you’re describing. I’m not really planning it out in a sense of like, “OH, I’m gonna blend all of these different genres; it’s gonna be crazy” <laughs>. More just trying to write songs that I like; I’m more meticulous in that way. I wanna make sure this song is flowing in the exact way I want it to, and it’s a song I’ll love for the rest of my life. So, I’m meticulous in that sense, but I’m not looking at myself as some visionary. I’m just writing music that I like, and that’s natural for me.

What’s a song you’ve written that makes you go, “Damn, why did I make this so hard to play?”

Yeah, I guess “I can do what I want” is definitely one of the harder songs to play that I’ve written; that’s one of the main ones that comes to mind. I mean, every song has its challenges, but that’s the main one that’s technically difficult to play, but the more I play it live, the easier it gets, you know? Especially with this past tour in Europe. I’ve been playing the song solo, which is a scary thing to do; it’s so different, but it’s good practice to keep it together.

How do you relax when the pressure is high?

I’ve been watching YouTube before going to sleep, which is nice, and I watch TV sometimes. I know, that’s boring <chuckles>, but in terms of winding down, yeah.

Creative Burnout vs. Imposter Syndrome. What affects you more?

Honestly, I don’t know if I really have either of those issues that often, but maybe, if I had to pick between the two, more so impostor syndrome.

What do you hope people take away from the album?

I hope that inspires people to do what they wanna do in their own lives, cause making music is what I wanna do and is what I love. I hope listening to the album inspires people to do what they love and pursue their passions and stuff!

Future Plans?

Continuing this headline tour, and I think we’re gonna try to do some international touring, like hopefully Europe and more stuff in Asia, and getting ready to work on the next project as well.

 

Animaru is out now on Bayonet Records. Stream wherever you like to listen (along with the rest of her catalog) and perhaps pick up a physical copy wherever you like to buy records!

 

Cherry Fact: On New Year’s Eve, if you play Zarigani at 11:56:18 exactly, when the clock strikes midnight, you’ll start off your new year with Mei saying “BE QUIET.” You’re Welcome!