Japanese singer, songwriter, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Ichiko Aoba never imagined her work would be heard and enjoyed by so many different audiences, let alone in the English-speaking world. But out here in the West, she has become steadily more and more beloved for her intricate songs, soft but potent, replete as they are with references (and reverence) for the natural world.

It isn't every day that an artist operating in a language other than English breaks through in the West; for every Bad Bunny or BTS, there are surely countless who go generally unheard in our English-dominated music sphere. But Aoba's music, beyond its being performed in Japanese, faces the secondary challenge of being gentle, patient, often incredibly spare, and sometimes so quiet as to be little more than a whispering breeze.

Aoba's last album, 2020's Windswept Adan, was the rare Japanese singer-songwriter album (a genre that's, of course, typically reliant on understanding what the singer is songwriting about) that received widespread acclaim from Western reviewers and listeners. It was by far her most well-known album yet in the states, and now, with 2025's Luminescent Creatures, she continues that trajectory.

A set of songs deeply inspired by the ocean, water, the natural world at large (and our place within it as humans), Luminescent Creatures continues Aoba's penchant for sparkling, dreamy songs, her feather-light (and very pretty) voice set atop a blend of acoustic guitars, electronics, and beautiful orchestrations. Her songs transport you; they always come with a strong sense of place.

This winter, Aoba graciously agreed to chat with me about it all, communicating via email with help from an interpreter. We talked the new album, nature, mythology, and her gratitude for how far her music has reached.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

TND: ⁠First of all, thank you for giving us your time and congratulations on your album. I’m curious: What are you most excited about with regards to this specific record?

AOBA: Thank you. I’m so happy that this album that I spent so much time on is finally reaching all of you. I feel as though the making of Luminescent Creatures began while we were still working on Windswept Adan. Keeping that same world, but interweaving some very personal experiences. I hope that each and every one of you is able to see this album as your own story. 

TND: ⁠I know you were heavily inspired by the natural world — especially the ocean — on this album. What is it about nature that you think feeds that well of creativity for you?

AOBA: I think it contains so much more than we can even imagine. For example, we refer to the ocean, mountains, fields, rivers, valleys, forests, or any other number of things as nature, but originally ‘nature’ was not separate from us humans. It is always open to us; in the same way our bodily fluids are of the ocean. In much the same way our bodies contain the same ratio of water to solid matter as the Earth. Thinking like that, there are moments where I can’t help but forget that I’m a human. I am instead gently reminded that I am but a part of this star. 

TND:⁠ ⁠I’m drawn to the fact that your music obviously faces a language barrier here in the West and yet has generally been very warmly received, and how you take a lot of inspiration from the animal and natural world, which also speaks a language none of us understand… What do you make of the ability for meaning and beauty to transcend language?

AOBA: Language is just one of the many boundaries, including borders between countries, race, sex, and religion, that we have created for ourselves. As we live our lives, those boundaries become ingrained in us, and we start worrying about what boundaries we fit within, or start worrying about what boundaries others fit into, leading to a lot of pain and questioning. But I want you to remember where we came from. Once, the concept of words was foreign to us. We were just born, realized our singleness, and reached out, looking for love, over and over. I feel that music is very close to that original act of looking for love. I truly believe that it has the magical ability to gently melt all of those boundaries that we spend so much time worrying about. I hope that my music is able to add even one more happy moment to the brief time that we are able to take the form of humans. 

TND:⁠ ⁠What do you think we can most afford to learn from the natural world as human beings?

AOBA: Something I don’t want to ever forget is that the wind, the sea, the warmth of the sun… those are home for us. If it wasn’t for this planet, we may never have been born. I want all of us who are alive in this day and age to remember how precious it is that we’re alive right now. 

TND: Is there anything in Japanese folklore or mythology you draw inspiration from? I ask because there’s such a reverence for nature and almost a mysticism to your work, which there often also is in mythology.

AOBA: I’m very interested in Japanese folklore and mythology. Rather than be drawn too deeply (or brainwashed) by the stories themselves, I feel myself drawn to the stories, and the endless creativity that birthed them. To think that we’re creatures who leave such wonderful stories truly makes me realize how precious we are. 

TND:⁠ ⁠You’ve been releasing music for a while now, but it felt like there was a bit of a "boom" for your work in the West when Windswept Adan came out. Did you feel that? Did you notice any shift after that record?

AOBA: Windswept Adan was released in the age of COVID-19, just as music streaming services really started to expand. I feel really lucky that the album reached as many people as it did. In retrospect, I feel that the pandemic was an opportunity for a lot of people to take a look at their lives. What does it mean to be with someone else? What is solitude? Perhaps life and death are much closer to one another than we thought. Windswept Adan was heavily inspired by that situation. Through the story of Windswept Adan (and, essentially, the soundtrack), I was able to resonate with so many listeners – all of whom were in varying situations. I really feel that that’s a miracle. 

TND: What excites you most about working with the Wordless Music Quintet [who Aoba is touring with]? What do you most enjoy about that process?

AOBA: I’m very much looking forward to working with them for my shows in Los Angeles and New York later this year. Even if they’re looking at the same score, each performer’s different background means no two people will play it the same. This album was meant to contain and affirm the infinite possible idiosyncrasies of humanity, and so I hope the Wordless Music Quintet can enjoy performing the music.  

TND: ⁠You’ve mostly kept your live performances very intimate. Have you ever had a desire to have a “larger” show, or do you enjoy the closeness with the audience?

AOBA: Regardless of space or scope, my closeness to the audience never changes. My feelings towards the music haven’t changed since I first started performing solo. To feel the history of a venue, to feel in harmony with a space; I want each performance to be special. 

Luminescent Creatures is out now via hermine & Psychic Hotline. Order it here.

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