U.S. based producer Ikigai steps into the ring with a bang, as he drops his debut cut, ‘Rise of a Ryuu’.
Check out our chat, where Ikigai speaks about his journey so far, and reveals his plans for 2019.
T.H.E – Hey Ikigai! Welcome to T.H.E – Music Essentials. Can you tell us the story behind the name Ikigai, and what it means?
Ikigai – The name Ikigai has existed in Japan for over 1,000 years, meaning ” the value of life”, ” A reason for being “. And although my name happens to be Ikigai, this is a concept that applies to every other artist, and fan, on the planet. We as humans, all strive to find Ikigai in our lives on a daily basis. Ikigai can be different things for everybody, and not just one thing either, but a person can have dozens of reasons why he or she gets up every morning to live their life! I am thrilled to be able to share the bigger parts of my own personal journey of Ikigai discovery through brand new original music, as well as an original visual tale! A saga, if you will.
How did you get into electronic music production & how has your journey been so far?
Ikigai – Electronic music has been around me for decades. But it hasn’t always been my personal “ikigai”. It’s as if I had been quietly blinded to it most of my life, because other things were occupying my ears musically. However, during one very fateful night, a perfect storm of events fell upon myself and my family which changed everything, forever. At this exact moment, which took place half a lifetime ago for me, is where the visual story/saga of Ikigai will begin.
T.H.E – How long was ‘Rise Of A Ryuu’ in the works, considering it is your debut cut?
Ikigai – Rise Of A Ryuu had been in the works for quite a few years. The goal was to create a song that felt like the beginning of….
Well, a Saga! Once the world pairs this song with the visual story of Ikigai, the full picture and experience so to speak, will start to take focus.
T.H.E – You place equal importance on the visual aspect of a record, with each song having an original visual story. How have you developed this concept to date? Also, tell us a bit about “The Saga Of Ikigai”, what does it represent, and what can fans look forward to?
Ikigai – To understand what is driving the music of Ikigai, how it was conceptualized, formed, and created, the audience needs to experience the 2-decade long road of Ikigai that has led up to the present day. The story will begin at this exact point, and serve to bring to life how the boy that was Ikigai, became the enigma that he is at this moment in time. It will be a story of fantastical adventure, true and false friendships, the discovery of romance, and survival itself.
T.H.E – What is the most important element of your sound – kicks, basslines or melodies, and why?
Ikigai – Melodies above all else. A melody has the power to make people FEEL unlike anything else in this world. It holds a certain power…
T.H.E – Lastly, what do your plans for 2019 look like?
Ikigai – For 2019, the goal will be to slowly introduce people to the world of Ikigai, via the combination of the story and music as discussed above. Since the journey is very unpredictable in itself, the music will be such as well. The audience can expect many different tracks covering many styles of electronic music. And ultimately, the goal is to bring this unique blend of music and visuals to the stages all across the world! I sincerely hope that everyone reading this will not only join me in this saga wherever they are, but join me in person to experience it to the fullest when the time comes!
