Known for her airy, mesmerizing vocals and dreamy soundscapes, Japanese artist Cuushe’s electronic musings across the years have captivated audiences across the world. Shedding the fog and haze of dream-pop, she puts clear outlines on her music with new album WAKEN out last winter. – a collection of vital, dance floor-ready beats and analog soundcsapes woven with her newly freed voice. Following her uplifting return with the 2020 album WAKEN, Cuushe has released WAKEN Remixes, a full album of new interpretations and remixes from a notable cross-section of her friends, peers, and notable electronic artists, featuring Yu Su, Iglooghost, Submerse, Suzanne Kraft, Kate NV, Loraine James, Ciel and Spring In A Small Town.
FACTS
1. “There are two ways to live.” – Albert Einstein
2. “You can live as if nothing is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
3. “You can live as if everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
QUESTIONS
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
I really want to write music after watching a movie or when I hear a beautiful piano piece. Also, events that happen around me, everyday life. Especially when I am sad. That is the starting point of my creation.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
I’ve been playing the piano since I was a child, and improvisation came naturally to me. However, for a long time, I could not complete a single piece of music. A friend of mine recommended me to get a software program that allows multi-recording, and I was finally able to complete a song.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas
Jeff Buckley – Grace
Fishmans – 宇宙 日本 世田谷
KAN – Tokyo Life
Boards Of Canada – Music Has the Right to Children
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Tempelhof. I loved it and went to visit it many times. If you walk down the street, you can meet artists.
There are so many people living different lives, and I learned that there is more than one way to live. It made me feel free.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
The shopping district. There is a good old shopping street, and nowadays shopping streets are often deserted, but it is still lively. There is a delicatessen run by an old lady, a tofu shop run by a couple, a delicious pastry shop, a bakery. I feel happy when I walk around there.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
When I was little, I wanted to be a manga artist, so I would draw manga.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
Julianna Barwick – Healing Is A Miracle
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I was fortunate enough to have my talented friends Yoko Kuno and Tao Tajima join me on my latest album project. I would like to continue to create something with people close to me that I respect as well as music.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
There are so many, but the gig at the Lithuanian Cathedral left a huge impression on me.
It was a special experience to play in a historical building.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Software is absolutely necessary and important to realize the sound I have in my head.
I’m so grateful to the engineers who made it!
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
I have an older brother. He is a banker, not interested in art at all, and lives the opposite life of mine. We sometimes communicate that I made something like this, but he only responds when I do advertising work. I think it’s interesting that we have completely different lives.
Photo © repeat pattern
