UMI manifested what she’s referring to as her “feature era.” In the first few months of 2024, the 25-year-old has offered up her ethereal EP talking to the wind, as well as collaborations with V of BTS on “wherever u r” and “Hummingbird” with SahBabii and Teezo Touchdown for Lyrical Lemonade’s All is Yellow album.
“For years, I’d been reaching out to people to do a song with me, and nothing would happen. Then over the past three months, I’ve landed every feature I wanted,” she says. A meditation and manifestation aficionado – even releasing a “meditation version” of “wherever u r” to share the love – UMI accredits her recent successes to her unwaveringly forward-facing mindset: anything she wants, she’ll envision until it’s hers. “I’ll put mood boards up on my wall or as my phone background, so it just becomes the world I’m existing in.”
UMI’s persona is directly related to her name, a Japanese phrase that translates to “Ocean” in English. UMI finds endless inspiration in the infinite evolution of each individual wave. “I wake up a different version of myself literally every single day.”
As a queer Black and Japanese artist, UMI finds that many are confused by what she calls her“multidimensionality,” instead trying to comfortably categorize her with a label that simplifies her identity and artistry.
Well, you can’t put a wave in a box.
Tell us more about talking to the wind.
The project is like looking into my diary. It’s a timestamp of what I’ve been going through over the past year. Whenever I feel confused or lost, I’ll go outside and talk to the wind. I just let nature guide me while I sit there. Each song is a different point of clarity I received from sitting with myself in the wind.
What feeling do you hope this project gives listeners?
I hope that people receive the same clarity the wind has given me. I took the frequency of the wind and put it into music, so I want it to feel like being outside.
Tell us more about your connection with your name, “UMI.”
“UMI” is actually my middle name and it means ocean in Japanese. I picked it for my artist name because it embodies who I am. I feel very grounded when I’m sitting by the ocean – even if I’m just in my car and can hear it in the distance – I’m so inspired by it.
I love how the ocean is so unwaveringly itself. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big-ass cruise ship or a small island in the middle of the ocean. The ocean doesn’t care. It’s going to do what it’s going to do no matter what. I resonate with that.
I also find inspiration in that every wave is different. Every day I wake up as a different embodiment of myself. Sometimes I’m more masculine and others I’m more feminine. Sometimes I want to make music and other times I want to read a book. Honoring the changes we go through is so important, and I want to remind people that it’s okay to change rapidly.
How has your background as a Black Japanese woman informed your artistry?
My mom is Japanese and my dad is Black. My parents divorced when I was four and I’d spend weekdays with my mom and weekends with my dad. I watched Japanese TV and anime at my mom’s, ate Japanese food, and listened to JPOP and City Pop on Japanese radio. Then I’d go to my dad’s on weekends and we’d listen to throwbacks while he’d barbecue – lots of Sade, he loves Sade. He was also a hip-hop DJ so music was always playing from morning to night. I think music is in my subconscious.
Do you feel like people try and put you in a box?
I definitely feel like people try and put me in a box. Even with my artistry. People tell me “You make R&B music” and I don’t, really. I dabble in it, but it’s not the only thing I make. Growing up, I felt like I was fighting titles but nowadays, I don’t care. If that helps you to perceive me, then go for it. I know who I am and I know I’m multidimensional, but it requires an openness from society to accept that.
How would you describe your sound?
I use the word feeling, not sound. The feeling you get from my music is calmness and groundedness. I like to experiment with all different types of sounds to achieve that same warm feeling. It’s genre-less to me, rather experimental and exploratory.
Where is your head while you’re making music?
Colors are a super important part of how I create. I’ll hear a track and if the beat sounds blue to me, I’ll tap into blue memories, feelings and words to help me build the song. Then when I move onto the visuals, I’m pulling blue-feeling visuals and textures – film feels very blue to me. For talking to the wind, blue, orange and pink were the color hues. I always start there and then I’ll scrapbook with colorful construction paper. I have so many Pinterest boards – one is just thousands of images from my favorite music videos and performances.
Which ones have you been watching lately?
ROSALIA’s Coachella performance. When I saw her that actually blew my mind. I close my eyes and still think about it. It really inspires me.
“When I feel a really beautiful idea come to me, I know it’s meant for me to release into the world through my lens. It’s kind of like a fun game.”
What else inspires you?
My passion. I love it so much that it’s like breathing. It is me to create. When an idea comes to you, it’s your responsibility to see that to completion, and if you don’t, the idea moves on to someone else who will. When I feel a really beautiful idea come to me, I know it’s meant for me to release into the world through my lens. It’s kind of like a fun game.
What empowers you?
When I started performing, I’d step on stage and I couldn’t even breathe. I would just shut down completely, and now performing is almost second nature to me. I spent four years going to open mics every single night, but more importantly, I was doing shadow work and looking at myself in the mirror. I was – and still do – send myself affirmations constantly.
What recharges you?
Meditation is really big for me. I’ve probably meditated five times today already in between interviews.
How do you stay centered on tour?
I’ve learned a lot about this throughout the years. One thing that helps me is using things that remind me of home, so I’ll always burn the same incense on tour that I burn at home. I bring my night lamp and keep it in all of the hotel bathrooms, and also always travel with my fuzzy socks and slippers.
How do you balance showing up for your fans with showing up for yourself?
I’m infinitely working on that because I genuinely want to meet everyone in my crowds but I get burnt out. I’ve been trying to be aware of when my energy is depleting, listen to my body and actually rest. I think fans like to know that you’re real and that you actually care about them, so being transparent with them really helps me. I normally do a Discord Live every week but lately, I’ve just been really busy and everyone gets that, but I still let it weigh on me. That’s my people-pleasing tendency that I’m really trying to let go of this year.
What else are you letting go of?
Thinking too much, FOMO and uncomfortable clothes.
What are you bringing in?
Simple happiness, tea in the mornings and not playing my music too loud.
Stream ‘talking to the wind’ everywhere now.
