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Japanese-American singer, songwriter, and producer SHIMA knows the value of carving out your own path. After turning down the chance to be a Jpop idol – she trained for years in Tokyo with a five-piece girl group called FAKY – SHIMA headed stateside, studying music production and making beats on her dad’s old MacBook. SHIMA was determined to trade her overly manufactured pop past for something more authentic, eclectic, and meaningful. Her journey took her to Miami, LA, and plenty more underground hotspots where genres merged and SHIMA found her singular sound, one that blends mesmerizing basslines with electronic funk and a bit of Japanese folklore. Her latest track, “Maitake,” turns a Japanese children’s story about dancing mushrooms into a playful fantasy soundscape complete with flute melodies and rhythmic percussion. And she plans to spin it everywhere, continuing a tour run that’s taken her to festivals like Coachella, Electric Forest, and more.
Uproxx linked up with SHIMA on the road to get her unique recs. From the cliffs of Sardinia, Italy, to late-night Ramen refuels, and which countries inspire her sound, the promising artist gave us her read on the undeniable connection between music and travel.
What’s the one venue every music lover has to experience once in their life, and why?
I’ve never actually been there, but Tomorrowland has been a huge bucket list item of mine forever. It just feels like one of those things everyone needs to experience at least once.
Which city has the best nightlife?
Tokyo, for sure. I’m biased because that’s where all my friends live, but it’s such an international hub of underground scenes for all types of music, from dancehall to amapiano to techno to jazz. People really appreciate culture. You also don’t need money to have fun.
What’s in your carry-on bag?
I always have my laptop and headphones with me because I’m constantly tweaking my sets until the last minute.
If you weren’t DJing, what city would you travel to just to experience the music scene?
Probably Brazil. Cultures with a big emphasis on dancing tend to have the best dance music. I feel like I would find endless sources of inspiration.
You land in a new city, what’s the first thing you do?
Try some local food.
Have you ever played in a truly wild, outdoor setting? Where was it?
It wasn’t an actual set in front of a crowd; it was just to film, but the craziest place I played was on the edge of a cliff in Sardinia, Italy. Getting all the equipment up there and setting everything up was a mission.
Which city has the best late-night food after a set?
Again, Tokyo. Nothing beats post-set Ramen.
What’s your dream festival to headline, or place to perform?
I would love to headline Electric Forest one day. I have a special attachment to EF because it was the first festival I ever went to. They’ve also just cultivated such a great crowd and culture.
If you could only spin one set in one city for the rest of your life, where would it be and why?
It would probably be some type of chill sunset rooftop set somewhere warm, because I will never get tired of that vibe no matter how old I get.
Where’s somewhere you’d still like to travel and why?
I’ve still never been to Africa, so that’s been on my bucket list for a while. I’d probably go to either West Africa or South Africa, because a lot of music I like comes from those regions.
AloJapan.com