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Nagisa Murakami × Yuma Abe: A Bond That Shapes Their Art

2024.12.19

#MUSIC

Singer-songwriter Nagisa Murakami has unveiled two consecutive singles, “Riyuu wa Nai” and “Uraniwa,” both shaped under the artistic guidance of Yuma Abe from never young beach. Balancing her role as a nursery school teacher, Murakami began captivating audiences with her acoustic performances in Tokyo’s cafés and live music scenes. Her folk-rooted sound and soaring vocals earned acclaim, leading to collaborations with acts like THE Love Ningen and kiss the gambler. In 2024, she lent her voice to Abe’s track “Fuyugoe” on HOSONO HOUSE COVERS and his solo album Hotel New Yuma. This creative partnership naturally evolved, with Abe stepping in to produce Murakami’s latest works.

Their bond goes beyond shared musical styles—it’s built on a steadfast commitment to their art. While their songs exude warmth and joy, at their core lies a fierce artistic integrity. From the defiant “Riyuu wa Nai,” which challenges the demand for easy explanations, to the introspective “Uraniwa,” emphasizing self-care, these tracks are deeply personal reflections by Murakami, amplified by Abe’s fresh perspective. We explore their journey, the collaborative process, and the unique outlook that fuels their artistry.

The Spark That Ignited Their Collaboration

How did the two of you meet?

Abe: I was the one who reached out. Last year, while recording for my solo work, I found myself wanting a female voice. Then, by chance, a video of Nagisa singing appeared on my social media feed. Her voice struck me as incredible. I watched a few more videos and noticed we had many mutual acquaintances, so I reached out to her through Instagram DM, and we started by meeting up for a meal.

What specifically about Nagisa’s voice drew you in?

Abe: It felt so natural, uncontrived—like her singing alone could transform the entire scenery. When I listened to her songs, I also noticed her unique approach to lyrics. It’s not often you hear someone write such words to those kinds of melodies and chord progressions. I was intrigued and wanted to know what was going on in her mind, which is another reason I reached out.

Yuma Abe
Born in Tokyo in 1990, Yuma Abe launched his career in 2014 as a founding member of never young beach. Deeply inspired by Tokyo’s cultural essence—ranging from Haruomi Hosono’s music to the iconic Tora-san film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi—Abe has crafted a distinctive sound and vision. In 2021, he took a new step by creating his own label, Thaian Records, debuting his solo album Fantasia that June. The journey continued in May 2023 with the release of the EP Surprisingly Alright under Thaian Records and Temporal Drift (U.S.). February 2024 marked a milestone as Abe embarked on his first North American tour, spanning 12 shows across 11 cities.

Which song left the strongest impression on you?

Abe: The first song that really struck me was Sodate!—it’s so catchy and refreshing. It gave me the same feeling I get when I listen to someone like Sachiko Kanenobu. That kind of atmosphere is rare these days, and I thought it was really special. So initially, we worked together on recording Fuyugoe, a song by Haruomi Hosono.

How much were you familiar with never young beach and Abe’s music before?

Murakami: I’ve been listening to never young beach since I was in high school, so I’ve always known about Abe. I also followed him on social media, so when the message came out of the blue, I thought, “Is this for real?” But, as Abe mentioned earlier, we had a lot of mutual acquaintances, so I guess that’s how he got to know me. I really like both his music and his personality, so I was really happy to have the chance to work together.

What were your impressions of each other when you actually spoke for the first time?

Abe: In a good way, I thought she was different—she’s someone who can speak up and say what she doesn’t like, and that alone made me trust her.

Murakami: From Abe’s music and the way he speaks, I felt that we both share a stubborn side. When we actually started working together, I saw him repeatedly facing himself in the studio. Watching him not hide the struggles he was going through, I was reminded that music isn’t just about fun. It turned out to be such a valuable experience.

Nagisa Murakami
A singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, Nagisa Murakami blends folk-rooted melodies with a supple rhythm and a voice full of undulating charm, creating a unique and powerful appeal. In 2022, she featured as a guest vocalist on THE Love Ningen’s track “Haruko to Ryohei,” and in 2024, she contributed as a chorus vocalist on works by Yuma Abe (never young beach) and Gusokumuzu. Her opportunities to collaborate are steadily growing.

Chorus Work on Yuma Abe’s Solo Album Hotel New Yuma

In addition to Nagisa, Sakura Fujiwara and Yuga also participated in the chorus of the song.

Abe: I wanted to try creating music with different people, and for me, the three voices I considered to be “great voices” were those of Nagisa, Sakura Fujiwara, and Yuka. It felt like a luxury to have all of them involved. That’s why, extending from that, I invited Nagisa to participate in my album as well.

Murakami: For the “Fuyugoe” recording, there were three of us doing the chorus, so the singing style was already somewhat decided before we entered the studio. For Abe’s album, though, I received directions throughout the recording, and I ended up using voices I wouldn’t usually use. There were several moments when I realized, “Oh, I can make this kind of sound too.” It felt like the focus wasn’t just on making it sound pretty but on the interesting quality of the sound itself. We even tried doing chorus parts similar to a call-and-response. I had a great time challenging myself with types of chorus I had never tried before.

“Hokeruna” is exactly like that, and Hotel New Yuma is filled with memorable sounds and choruses.

Nagisa Murakami participated in the chorus of M1 / 2 / 3 / 6 / 7 / 9

Abe: I believe this album is the one I’ve put the most effort into, and Nagisa’s voice was absolutely crucial to it. Her voice has this quality that reminds me of Brazilian music. In a lot of Brazilian tracks, you hear both male and female voices blending together, creating this sweet yet earthy vibe—there’s a certain rawness, a kind of laid-back charm, you know? (laughs) If Nagisa hadn’t contributed her vocals, the impression of where this hotel is located might have shifted when you listen to the album, so I’m really glad it turned out this way.

The Early Years: How Nagisa Murakami’s Musical Path Took Shape

What first inspired you to start singing, Nagisa?

Murakami: I started making up songs and singing them when I was in elementary school. I would take the words I thought of in my head and turn them into songs, singing them on my way home from school. By the time I got home, I’d forget them, but for some reason, even back then, I was creating songs instead of just singing existing ones… although I didn’t really think of it as “creating” at the time.

So, you were making songs in your head even before picking up the guitar?

Murakami: Yes, exactly. I loved singing while walking, or in the bath where my voice would echo—it was fun. I’ve felt that way since I was about in second grade. My whole family loves music, and we all used to sing, but each of us would sing different songs (laughs).

Your family also had a love for music.

Murakami: They were just singing their own favorite songs freely [laughs]. When we went to my grandfather’s house, folk and classical music would always be playing, so when I started writing songs in the style of folk and singing with the guitar, it just naturally became that way without me even realizing it.

You might have been listening to artists like Sachiko Kanenobu without even thinking about it.

Murakami: Yeah, exactly. I also heard Kaguya-hime, Yoshio Kagawa, and even Donovan, so even now, their songs sound really familiar and comforting to me.

There may be a connection between those names and Yuma as well.

Abe: Yes, it feels a bit like family [laughs].

Nagisa, you originally started your music career while working as a childcare worker, and in 2023, you took a leave of absence and are now working as a babysitter. How do you see the connection between your work and your music?

Murakami: Earlier, Yuma mentioned that my music feels “without artifice,” and that’s something I really focus on when creating my songs. When I talk to children, I’m always mindful of not imposing my thoughts on them, because kids can sense any artifice. I try to interact with them with that in mind.

Additionally, children naturally sway their bodies when they hear sound, or hum something without even thinking about it. It makes me think that our ability to feel sound is something inherently part of us. I personally want to listen to music that is not isolated as just music, but something that’s rooted in daily life, and I want my own songs to reflect that. When I see children enjoying and feeling the sound naturally, it feels very connected to what I want my music to be.

The Collaboration Behind “Riyuu wa Nai” and “Uraniwa”

Based on her experience participating in the recording of Abe’s songs, did Nagisa feel that she wanted Abe to produce her own music?

Murakami: Yes. During the production process, I talked a lot with Abe about things completely unrelated to music. Over time, I came to trust him. I wondered what kind of music he would create if he produced the songs I made, so I gathered my courage and asked him.

What conversations left an impression on you?

Murakami: We talked about the unique qualities of my songs, and there were many aspects I hadn’t noticed about myself. I feel like Abe helped bring out those parts of me during this production. Not only did he help expand my musical range, but more importantly, he brought out my human qualities. We discussed how things like my stubbornness and strong will could be expressed through music.

In terms of producing, what aspects did you focus on, Abe?

Abe: I listened to all of Nagisa’s past songs and thought that it might be fine if they weren’t too “indie.” Her voice is so good, so I felt that just working with good instruments and good players would make it sound great on its own.

Abe: When I first received the demo, I actually thought about changing it completely. At the time, I was listening to a lot of funk and soul, and I realized there wasn’t really anyone doing what Yoshida Minako was doing nowadays. I thought Nagisa’s vocals could probably handle it, and if we did it with today’s artists and recording environments, it could be really great. So, I started working on that direction. But then I remembered what Hosono said: “I don’t usually try to push my own direction too much when working on someone else’s project.” So, I decided to stay closer to Nagisa’s original style and approach, and that’s how we ended up with the final result.

Why did you choose “Riyuu wa Nai” and “Uraniwa” for the recording?

Murakami: “Riyuu wa Nai” was built from the lyrics. I recorded the words while walking, and I felt like I had captured what I wanted to say. I then looked at the lyrics and experimented with different chords and backing at home, and I ended up creating a song I really loved. I was really curious to see how Abe would transform this song through his production, so I chose “Riyuu wa Nai.” Since it was decided that Abe would produce two tracks, I wanted to show different aspects of my music, so I thought a different kind of song would be good and chose “Uraniwa.”

https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/track/2xKzpyYTbOEnxhlMvdAxQt?si=f99ea8a7327645b1

Do you often create songs starting from the lyrics?

Murakami: Normally, I don’t create songs this way. I usually come up with the lyrics, melody, and chords at the same time. But with this song, there was a photoshoot for my artist pictures, and I arrived a little early, so I decided to take a walk in the park. That’s when the idea suddenly came to me. I quickly recorded the words into a voice memo, and the lyrics ended up being more packed than usual. There’s hardly any space, the words keep flowing, there’s a rhythm, and the chords don’t change much.

Abe, how did you interpret the demo when you received it?

Abe: I actually told her, “Is this your hit song?” [laughs].

Murakami: Haha.

Abe: “It’s just one chord the whole time. Why are you trying to push this?” I thought that was interesting about him. So, even now, I still think of “Reason is None” as a difficult song, and I had a lot of discussions with the members who participated in the recording, like “Do you think this works?” This was my first time arranging someone else’s song, and I felt a sense of responsibility I hadn’t experienced before. If it was my own song, I could mess around with it and take care of the aftermath myself, but since it was Nagisa’s song, I couldn’t afford to mess around too much. I struggled with that, and in the end, I thought, “This is probably it.” I made the guitar distortion a little psychedelic, and I didn’t want it to be just a bright song with major chords. I wanted to capture a feeling like Happy End’s “Natsu Nandesu”—that kind of floating, unresolved sensation.

https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/track/5hh9ZqW6V5JlWACNPAnYWA?si=c13454ec643540b0

The sense of not quite landing aligns perfectly with the title “Riyuu wa Nai,” doesn’t it?

Murakami: It’s often thought that it’s good to explain things clearly with a reason, but I think there are a lot of things that don’t get resolved in that way. I prefer things that aren’t simple or easy to understand, and I think it’s okay not to understand the reason behind something. Sometimes, the desire to do something, just the feeling, is enough. So, I want to write lyrics that aren’t constrained by frameworks, and I would like to live my life without fitting into anything. That’s why I chose “Riyuu wa Nai.”

According to your self-written liner notes, the lyrics were inspired by a walk in the park, recalling memories from elementary school, and you wrote them just as they came to you.

Murakami: That’s right. It wasn’t really about writing to convey something, but more like turning the scenery of my childhood directly into a song. But when I listened to it after I created it, I realized that I had written what I was thinking at that time. Even words I wrote on a whim without a particular reason eventually gained their own meaning, and I think that meaning will keep evolving. I’ve always thought that things with this kind of fluidity are better.

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