Interview: Yoyo Nagase

Hi Yoyo, thanks for taking the time to talk to us about your upcoming single "Daydreaming!" Tell us about the song.

Thanks for having me on! “daydreaming” is about really liking someone romantically but not having the courage to tell them. The lyrics discuss moments of sudden courage paired with last-minute doubt. I hope that this internal dialogue and contradiction is something that my listeners are able to relate to.

Is this song different or similar from others that you've put out? In what ways?

This song has a similar stylistic energy to my other song “sunrise” as they both feature a big chorus and an upbeat sound. However, they convey a different set of emotions. “sunrise” was about having your best moments and sharing those with your friends, while the setting of “daydreaming” lives almost entirely in an imaginary world. It is also very different from my future projects because the song is the last that lives entirely in the genre of pop. I have been working more in the R&B space with my new songs – but I still love the sound of “daydreaming” just the same.

What other music or artists shaped the sound of this song as you were nailing down the sound?

For this particular song, I was most inspired by Jason Derulo. His ability to stretch his vocal range influenced me a lot. Since “daydreaming” is such an up and down song emotionally, I wanted the topline to reflect that. Jason Derulo’s sound helped me in building that emotion within the melody.

What era of music do you wish you could go back to and make music during it?

I would want to go back to my middle school days, which were around the late 2000s. I loved checking out CDs from the libraries and listening to Jay Sean or Akon. Pop music had such a high energy back then that I wish modern pop could emulate.

What is inspiring you right now?

I have been spending a lot more time in nature recently–particularly at the beach. The lyrics for a new song called “la la la”, which I have been working on with producer Axel Hejlsberg practically wrote itself while I was thinking about peaceful times near the ocean. The song has a meditative energy that I can’t wait to share with everyone.

Did you daydream a lot as a child? What fantasy worlds or stories did you jump to?

I actually did daydream a lot as a child–it was always hard to focus in class. I loved the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series growing up. I would always find myself staring out the window wishing that I was flying on a broomstick or controlling huge waves of water. 

If you had to sum up this single in three words, what 3 words would you use?

Indecisive, doubt, and hope

Got any goals for 2022 that you can share with us?

I have been working on a few really big projects. I am releasing a song called “rewind” sometime early next year. As mentioned above, “la la la” is also another exciting project that I am finishing up. My biggest project for 2022, though, is a collaboration between tons of different Asian American artists where they can have the space to tell their story. I am particularly excited about this one because the Asian American identity hasn’t been something that I have touched on in my music, despite it making up a big part of who I am. I can’t wait for the project to come together!

Thanks for chatting today Yoyo! 

Thank you so much! You can find me on Instagram @yoyonagase, on TikTok @yoyonagasemusic, and at my website at yoyonagase.com

Have a listen and connect with Yoyo Nagase: