Mei Semones
 | This biographical article is written like a résumé. (March 2025) |
Mei Semones | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2000 (age 24–25) Ann Arbor, Michigan, US |
| Genres | |
| Labels | Bayonet Records |
| Website | www |
Mei Semones is an American jazz-influenced indie rock musician producing lyrics in English and Japanese. Semones was named by Paste as "The Best of What's Next" in 2024.[1] She has received praise from Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.[2]
Early life
[edit]Semones was born in 2000[3] in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[4] Semones' mother is Japanese, and during summer breaks they would travel to Japan to study and visit her grandmother.[5] Encouraged by her grandmother, she studied the piano growing up, but ultimately switched to the guitar at the age of eleven.[5] In high school, she joined the award-winning Community High School jazz program, which led her to study at Berklee College of Music, where she majored in professional music.[1]
Musical career
[edit]Semones released her debut EP, Tsukino, in 2022, during her last semester of college.[6] Her style of music, present in this first EP, includes jazz-influenced rock and bilingual lyrics in English and Japanese. Later that year she release Sukikirai as a graduating capstone project.[7]
In 2024, Semones released her second EP, Kabutomushi, through Bayonet Records.[8][9][10] In 2025, she released her debut studio album, Animaru.[11]
Personal life
[edit]Semones was living in Brooklyn as of May 2025.[12]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]EPs
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Natanawan, Grace. "Mei Semones: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ Boisvert, Lauren. "Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea Showcases the Emerging Musician He Says "Gives Me So Much Hope" for Today's New Music". American Songwriter. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ a b "GEN F: Mei Semones can face anything with her guitar". The FADER. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ^ "Mei Semones". Monster Children. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ^ a b Wright, Lisa (March 24, 2025). "Mei Semones: the jazz-loving indie star connecting the dots of life and language". WTYE FM. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
- ^ a b Lewis, Nora. "Ann Arbor native Mei Semones fuses jazz and indie-pop on debut EP 'Tsukino'". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ DeLaRosa, Emma. "An Interview with Mei Semones". Boston Hassle. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ Ludwig, Jamie. "Mei Semones couches straightforward emotion in the flowery sounds of romance". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ Bernstein, Jonathan. "This Preschool Teacher Is Making Smart, Surprising Music Beyond Genre". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ Sharples, Grant. "Indie Mixtape 20: Mei Semones Balances Strife And Utopia On 'Kabutomushi'". Uproxx. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ "Animaru - Mei Semones | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ Zee, Michaela (2025-05-05). "Japanese-American Singer Mei Semones Blends Cultures — and Languages — on Her Debut Album 'Animaru'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-06-07.