TOKYO’S HOTTEST BABE: GATA MEETS NENE
“I wanna go to Berghain!” NENE reveals as we prepare for the interview. This passion for exploration and fun perfectly encapsulates the energy and enthusiasm that radiates from the musician, who makes up one-half of the genre-defying music duo Yurufuwa Gang, alongside her partner, Ryugo Ishida.
NENE is, first and foremost, an entertainer. Her music videos inundated with madcap visuals and punchy graphics, are just one small part of the energetic and surreal universe that Yurufuwa Gang has cultivated. The group’s frenetic, hyper style—blending seemingly disparate elements of musical history—showcases a common theme that unites all great artistry: a disdain for rules and conventions.
Since their formation in 2016, each one of their tracks has played with the notion of genre. By melding hyper-pop, drum and bass, and UK garage, the duo has created a sonic palette that refuses to be pigeonholed within the hip-hop genre. Their lyrics wear the brashness and rawness of their mindsets on their sleeves. Listening to their songs is like hearing a battle cry for the misfits and outcasts of the world—a mantra that being different is synonymous with being special.
For NENE, the realization that standing out from the crowd was a positive and transformative moment. In a society like Japan, which values conformity and order above all, this epiphany is a testament to the strength of her unique character.
The past year has seen an evolution in the musical journey of NENE—daring to strike out on her own and produce a trilogy of tracks, separate from her partner Ryugo. This solo journey has seen her produce tracks with Japanese Hip Hop royalty, Awich on Honey Buns, Young Coco on Yummy and her latest single HEAT, released last month.
Below we chatted to the artist about the rebellious spirit that underpins her music, as well as her love for the cinema of Quentin Tarantino, and how Japanese spirits (yokai) can be surprisingly sexy.
GATA: Hi Nene! We just listened to your latest track HEAT and we loved it. What do you think is hot right now?
NENE: NENE!
GATA: What it was like going to school in Japan, as a rebellious creative?
NENE: First of all, I didn't have friends who I got along with, and no matter how hard I tried, I didn't fit in with the people around me, and then, gradually, I realized, "Oh, I'm special, I'm not normal!" then I was able to let go of all that feeling and enjoyed going to school.
Actually, I was trying to act like a good girl by following all the rules. (my classmates were really scared of me, though lol.) School trained me to be strong-minded enough to enjoy any situation in my own way, but I obviously dropped out during high school.
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“As for breaking the rules, I’ve been breaking them since I was little lol.”
GATA: When you were younger, what gave you the confidence to break the rules and express yourself?
NENE: As for breaking the rules, I've been breaking them since I was little haha. As for expression, my parents bought me a computer, and when I got home from school, the first thing I did was open YouTube and watch all the western music videos. I thought, "Wow, that's nice, everyone seems to be more dressed up and free."
I got tattoos when I was in high school, but by then I was already influenced by seeing cool foreign women with tattoos on Tumblr and blogs like that. The Internet is amazing!
GATA: What's the strangest thing that you've experienced in your musical career so far?
NENE: I have such a thing called the “God thing”. It can happen at a live show or when I'm writing a song. When “God things” happen, I don't remember much of what I was doing when I wrote the song, but the song is ready in just a few minutes.
GATA: You mentioned in past interviews that you're fascinated by "things on the fringes and the strange" such as yokai (Japanese spirits). What's your favourite yokai?
NENE: Rokurokubi, because they’re kind of sexy.
“[In school] I didn’t have friends who I got along with, and no matter how hard I tried, I didn’t fit in with the people around me, and then, gradually, I realized, ‘Oh, I’m special, I’m not normal!’”
GATA: Your musical style has touched on hyper-pop, UK garage and hip-hop; what music is influencing you now?
NENE: I'm really clueless about genres, I don't even try to understand them, I just happen to come across them, or my friends tell me about songs that they like, and I like all genres. What I'm getting inspired by and into now is hip-hop, and also rap music!
GATA: How would you describe your fashion style?
NENE: I always decide what I want to wear based on my mood on the day I wake up, so I guess my fashion style is “freestyle”.
GATA: You mentioned that you love Tarantino films, do you have a favourite scene or character?
NENE: I like True Romance so much that I have it tattooed on my neck. Ryu-kun (Nene’s musical partner in Yurufuwa Gang) has "TRUE" on his neck and I have "ROMANCE" on mine. My favourite scene is when Alabama runs away with Clarence in the car. I also still love Pulp Fiction. I like Mia Wallace so much that I even put it in our lyrics.
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“I have such a thing called the ‘God thing’. It can happen at a live show or when I’m writing a song. When ‘God things’ happen, I don’t remember much of what I was doing when I wrote the song, but the song is ready in just a few minutes.”
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GATA: Your audience is very young; what do you think about the current youth generation of Japan?
NENE: There are so many kids who express themselves well and the future is bright! I am happy that I have many opportunities to meet such young people. However, there are also many who are a bit loopy, so I want them to listen to my songs and Yurufuwa's songs.
GATA: What do you think is the weirdest part of Tokyo?
NENE: The city is really cool and futuristic, but too many people are old-fashioned in their thinking.
GATA: If you could work with anyone in the industry, who would it be?
NENE: Nicki Minaj!
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GATA: What advice would you give to young people who want to be artists?
NENE: Believe in yourself, don't stop expressing yourself, be free to the fullest and have fun with all your might! You only live once!
Do you have any exciting plans for the future that you can share with us?
NENE: My solo tour is starting now, so please come and visit me. I'm going to be doing some hot shows. Also, I have some great plans for next year for us and for everyone, so please look forward to it!
Creative Director: Marta Espinosa
Photographer: James Elliott
Stylist: Dominika Szmid
Makeup: Eriko Mori
Assistant: Margo Leismüller