There is an undefinable sophistication about Mei Semones’ music that makes her feel wise beyond her years. Perhaps it is the complexity of her sound, a vibrant blend of slinky jazz, orchestral chamber pop and soft indie-pop, or maybe it’s the effortless way her vocals drift over every track. But a closer look at her lyrics—which she writes in English and Japanese—unveils an innocent, almost childlike fascination with love, nature and of course, music.

The Brooklyn-based musician began playing the piano at a young age, later switching to the guitar to feel closer to the rock tunes she grew up listening to. Her time playing jazz guitar as part of her high school’s jazz programme eventually led her to Berklee College of Music, where she honed her craft as a musician. In 2025, Mei released her critically acclaimed debut album Animaru, named for the Japanese pronunciation of “animal” and inspired by the instinctive, uninhibited nature of animals. The singer is now on her 2026 tour in support of the record, which includes her first-ever performance in Singapore.

Ahead of her show at the Alex Blake Charlie Sessions here in Singapore this weekend, we spoke to Mei Semones about Animaru, songwriting and her lifelong passion for music.

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It’s been over half a year since you released your debut album, Animaru. What is your most memorable moment creating and performing it?

I think the most memorable moment for me when making music is playing the songs with my band for the first time. It's one of the most fun parts of the process, and it makes me so happy! Touring this past year has been really fun, I am so grateful that I get to travel the world to play my music. It's a dream come true .

Some find it difficult to pin down your music into one genre. How would you personally describe it?

I would say jazz-influenced indie music with English and Japanese lyrics.

Tell us about your musical journey. What was your earliest memory of creating music?

I'm not exactly sure what my earliest memory of creating music is, but I started taking piano lessons when I was four, so probably that. Then, I switched to guitar around the age of 11, and studied jazz guitar in high school and college.

What initially drew me to the guitar was a movie I watched called Back to the Future. There's a scene where the main character is playing a Chuck Berry song in his room on the electric guitar, and I remember thinking that it was so cool, and wanting to play electric guitar myself. I think I chose to stick with guitar because I liked it more as an instrument and felt more connected to it, and because it was more aligned with rock music, which I was interested in playing when I was younger.

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What was the first song you ever wrote about?

I don't exactly remember because it was in 5th or 6th grade, but probably a love song.

What fascinates you the most about music?

I love that it is endless. The rest of my life is not long enough to be as good as I would like to be, and so I will always have something to work towards. I think that's beautiful, and it brings me comfort to know that.

Are there any themes you often return to in your songwriting?

I think love—not just romantic love, but love for my family, friends, guitar and music—is a common theme. Another theme is individualism, and maybe self-reliance. I also like to write lyrics describing memories from my childhood and imagery in nature.

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You’re kicking 2026 off with your tour, where you’ll be performing in quite a few cities for the first time. What do you hope your audiences feel your shows?

I hope they feel happy and inspired!

Finally, what do you hope 2026 will bring to you, both personally and as a creative?

I hope that I will practice lots of guitar in 2026 and become a better musician.