Everybody wants to do everything. It can at least feel that way sometimes, especially within the confines of the Japanese entertainment industry. The idea of a “talent” — someone dabbling in a lot of media fields, with quantity often beating out quality — has been entrenched in Japanese entertainment for decades, and every year more folks wander into new territory. Perhaps you’ve noticed Instagrammer/model Ryuchell launch a music career and a YouTube channel in the past two years.
Model Yuno Mizusawa is a good example of a modern talent. Besides her modeling career, she has appeared on television and appears to have dabbled in video game streaming over the past year. Now, she’s venturing into the world of music, albeit in a slightly wonkier way. Mizusawa is debuting as yunocy, dubbed the “Yuno Mizusawa Avatar Project.” So, kind of like a virtual singer modeled after a real person.
It’s a dicey proposition, even for a seasoned singer. Luckily for Mizusawa, she’s teamed up with wonky electronic artist PARKGOLF, just the right producer to make it work. Listen to her first song as yunocy, “Timewave,” and check out the (maybe NSFW?) video below.
As a solo artist, PARKGOLF has captured attention for high-tempo cuts built for rave outs. Yet he’s just as adept at creating slower numbers that help highlight guest vocalists contributions. His work for the yunocy project veers this way too, as he creates a follow-the-bouncing-ball beat featuring a few ear-grabbing synth details, but mostly creates a rhythm ideal for bobbing along with. It offers ample space for Mizusawa’s singing, which fits in very nicely here (and gets some nice digital manipulation from PARKGOLF too, adding a nice wooziness to “Timewave”). She’s not pushing herself too far, but that’s fine — this is a sweltering song closest to his work with Korean rapper Jvcki Wai, with its rumbling sounds. Turns out the best way to make your music debut go smooth is to work with smart creators on the cutting edge, and just go from there.