Good morning,
You join us today for a Life & Times interview with Yukimi Nagano. Yukimi is the singer in Little Dragon, the band she formed with schoolmates in Gothenberg back in 1996 and who have gone on to release seven albums of lithe R&B and pulsing synth-pop. Along the way, she’s collaborated with Gorillaz, De La Soul, DJ Shadow and more, but now she’s gone her own way – last week she released her debut solo album For You. Whilst not a huge leap away from her work with Little Dragon, it’s a little more pared-back and minimalist, taking in languid ballads, soulful jazz and ambient electronica. Very good soundtrack to lying around doing nothing. Have a listen here:
She spoke to Niall from her studio in Gothenburg last week and said the word she thinks of when she thinks back to making is “free”. “I look back on it as a very joyful experience,” she said. “I felt free, I felt I was being vulnerable and a bit experimental with the process. I had a good time.”
She enjoyed only having to answer to herself with no bandmates to run things by. “It’s been such a learning experience and so much fun with the band but at times it’s been hard for us to make decisions because we’ve had separate opinions about things,” she explained. “I’ve really enjoyed being the boss. I learned a lot from being in the band – I recommend everyone start a band and humble themselves down but there is this part of me that wants to be the boss.”
Let’s get stuck into Yukimi’s Life & Times chat. Today’s edition is free but if you’d like to become a paying subscriber, which costs £5 a month, we can keep this operation rolling. We’d really appreciate it. You can do that here:
Enjoy the edition,
Ted and Niall
The Life & Times Of… Yukimi Nagano
What was the first record you loved?
Mariah Carey’s first album, I was about eight when it came out.
And the last?
The last record I loved was that I deeply, deeply loved was probably D’Angelo’s Voodoo. I love everything about the music, the songwriting, the voice, the sonic decisions, also where I was in my head. I was in high school. I was in such an open place to indulge music, and it made like a really deep impression on me and made me feel so much. It made me want to write music and make music.
What’s your earliest memory?
I have a memory of my parents separating. I was probably around four and they were hugging each other and sad, and I was getting in between them. That’s a very strong memory. Sometimes the painful ones make a very lasting impression.
What’s your daily domestic routine?
I wake up, I drink yerba mate, then I leave my kids at school and preschool, and then I go to the gym, and then I head to the studio, and then I go back home, pick up the kids, make dinner, write a little bit, or read a book, or argue with my husband and go to bed.
Who or what is the love of your life?
The love of my life is myself, because I’m born here on this planet alone and I shall die alone. That’s the big lesson, learning to love myself.
What’s your worst habit?
My worst habit is worrying too much about things I can’t do anything about.
When were you most creatively satisfied?
Anytime I was jamming in the studio aimlessly without any type of agenda.
What’s your desert island disc?
I’d choose Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works because that will put me in a very Zen state of mind.
Has anyone you’ve ever met made you feel starstruck?
Yeah, Andre 3000. I knew he was a fan of the band and we chatted a bit and had some emails back forth, but he was at Coachella and came by when we had a show there. I was certainly starstruck. He’s a very humble, sweet person, very sweet and human, with all that that entails.
Who or what is the greatest influence on your work?
The greatest influence is showing up to your studio and making music for yourself.
What’s your pet peeve?
This is like a Swedish thing, where people that you know slightly don’t say hello. That annoys me. You say ‘hi’ and they don’t say ‘hi’ back or they pretend they can’t see you and rush really fast by.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
That I’m a pretty decent sourdough bread baker. I’ve been doing it since last summer and I’ve been failing so hard but now I feel like I got my groove and I’m feeling a little cocky, like ‘I got this’. I think my bread is pretty good at this point.
What are you scared of?
I’d say there’s part of me that’s scared of my kids going through painful things in life. That’s something I got to deal with, because you can’t run away from that one.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
I would love going back to the late 60s, have some LSD with the hippies.
What do you wish the 18-year-old you knew?
I wish she’d known that she was good enough.
What one book would you recommend we read?
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.
Is there a God? How does He manifest?
Yes, there is and he manifests through everything in every way, everywhere.
What was the home you grew up in like?
I’ve grown up in different homes. My parents separated early and I also grew up a little bit with my grandparents in California. We moved to Japan, so it’s all over the place. I can’t say it’s one thing, but I’d say I learned that it can be very different in different homes, in different countries, with different cultures and different parents and different vibes.
Do you mind getting older?
I would be lying if I didn’t say a little bit but I do enjoy it also. I enjoy being a wiser, smarter, more grounded, less neurotic human being.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
My dad always said, ‘follow your passion and work hard’. That one sticks with me.
What’s the secret to a happy relationship?
Being authentic.
Can you cook? What’s your signature dish?
Hell yeah, I can cook. I love cooking. My signature dish would probably be a slow cooked lamb stew.
Which living person do you most despise?
I don’t really despise anyone.
What talent would you most like to have?
I would love to be better at regulating my nervous system, in terms of being able to calm down and be stress free.
When do you find yourself most stressed?
When I feel triggered by my kids and my mom suddenly appears out of my mouth.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Giving birth to two kids.