J-pop artist MIREI has been a fixture in the scene since the release of their 2014 debut album Memories. In 2020, the artist unveiled their English-language debut Take Me Away, and they’ve been keeping the momentum going with a string of singles. With 730 million streams worldwide, this “songstress of streaming” won’t be slowing down any time soon. We talked to the artist about their recent performance at Anime Expo and how they piece together their infectious songs.

MP3s and NPCs: You recently unveiled a new version of "Lonely In Tokyo," which features a remix with BENXNI of STARKIDS. How did that collaboration happen?

MIREI: Since I’m finally able to release Lonely in Tokyo in Japan, I want to make the EP updated with the essence of Japan. Since the pandemic, Japanese culture, especially among young people, has drastically changed. I think BENXNI and STARKIDS represent the culture aggressively and beautifully, so I asked him to do the remix. I’m so glad we made it!

MP3s and NPCs: You recently performed at Anime Expo. What was that experience like?

MIREI: It was an amazing show! To be honest I’m pretty worried and unsure about how the audience feels about my setlist since it has such broad topics that I’m singing about. But it seemed I didn’t have to worry about it, you guys naturally accepted it and I appreciate it. I am so proud and respect how you enjoy the width and depth of my music so naturally! I felt like I’m loved not only just as a singer but personally.

MP3s and NPCs: What anime do you enjoy watching in your free time?

MIREI: During the pandemic. I spent almost a whole year watching NARUTO, and it became my bible! Since then, I finished watching all the anime episodes and movies of Evangelion, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen. These days I finally started reading manga and I finished reading Demon Slayer, and now I’m so into Oshi no Ko. As one who’s in the Japanese entertainment industry, the way it draws the dream-like world of idols is so realistic! It’s interesting and inspirational.

MP3s and NPCs: This was your first performance in Los Angeles in nearly 10 years. What was it like the first time you played so long ago?

MIREI: When I performed in LA for the first time, I just debuted and knew nothing. Everything feels fresh, and I was doing everything at full power and that was fun. It feels so gifted that I can come to LA again for the first time in 10 years and be able to look back at how I changed and didn’t. It was a rich 10 years and I’m portraying these to my music, so I’m purely glad to perform these songs as I am now, in the city of memories.

MP3s and NPCs: You've been releasing a slew of singles since the release of Take Me Away. When it comes to writing songs, do you focus on the music or lyrics first?

MIREI: I think lyrics come first in my mind when I make music. When I make music alone, I get inspired and start to write when I have an idea of what I want to say. That becomes my draft lyric, and after I finish making it, I’ll move to the sound part.

MIREI’s Lonely In Tokyo EP is out on digital services right now via Sony Music.